BY JONIQUE GAYNOR, Staff Reporter
WHEN 22-YEAR-old Tamara Perkins* signed up with the National Youth Service (NYS) and went to camp, she never dreamed she would leave with an injured knee, a medical bill of $330,000 and a lifetime of horrid memories. Perkins is one of many young people who say they enrolled in the programme only to find themselves in a "boot camp".
The NYS is a government-run and funded organisation that offers several employment and training opportunities for youth. The programme was introduced as a way to tackle issues like youth unemployment, poor academic performance and the lack of training opportunities.
Before being placed however, applicants must endure a month long stay at the NYS camp in Cobbler, Manchester. The NYS works in collaboration with the Jamaica Defence Force, and soldiers are on hand to ensure that discipline is maintained.
Reports received by THE STAR suggest that the conditions are less than ideal.
The campers are particularly opposed to the methods of punishment used by the soldiers. "If one person in the dorm do something wrong, they punish the whole dorm. Dem mek yu roll in wet grass, run roun di field or stan up wid chair inna yu hand fi bout two hours. Or dem tell yu fi do push up inna di gravel. If yu soft and easy fi cry, dem tek set pan yu. Mi get sick dung deh cause mi have asthma and dem mek mi roll inna di wet grass," said one camper.
Many also complain about the insanitary conditions. "Dem nuh have enough bathroom and sometimes you haffi bathe wid all five people," said Brown. Perkins also supported this story. "You know how much time mi haffi jus ketch wata a di face basin an splash up," she said. She also said she developed a fungus because she had to bathe in an unclean bathroom.
The demanding regime is too overwhelming for many campers and many have attempted to run away. Others become depressed and are reported to exhibit unusual behaviour. Perkins told THE STAR about one such person. "Di girl come deh normal ennuh an she jus start get mad. She walk up an down wid har bag dem pan her head and a talk inna some gypsy language." A source at the Percy Junor Hospital told THE STAR that at least one to two persons per batch (a month), come to the hospital for treatment. She said some have difficulty adjusting and become depressed.
The strict rules leave many campers in fear. This fear, Perkins, says is what led to her injury. "I started feeling sick, so I went back to the dorm to lie down. The next thing I know a soldier beating down the window an' a ask what wi doin in there. I was so frighten, I jump up from off di bed, and fin myself pan di grung. I tried to get up but I was unable to."
MISTREATED
Perkins says after her injury, she was treated badly by the administration. She says she did not receive proper medical attention until two days after the injury. It was only then that her mother was contacted. She says a ligament in her left knee was ruptured and she has had two surgeries to correct the problem. "I had to pay $330,000 for my reconstructive surgery. I had to send letters begging sponsorship, borrow from the credit union and scrape money from all sources." She says she was offered $10,000 by the NYS, but did not accept. She has still not fully recovered and has outstanding bills. "I jus' want a likkle help to clear my medical bills," she said.
Reverend Adinhair Jones, executive director at the NYS, told THE STAR that the camp is very "humane" and "promotes the dignity and well being of the participants." He admits that there is a strong regime "in terms of time management, the movement of people and deportment." He added that the military supports the camp in terms of logistics. He denied the reports of harsh punishment and added that "the NYS makes no bones about writing to the JDF if certain issues arise."
In relation to Perkins' case, he said the NYS has made several attempts to help her but she has not co-operated. Jones told THE STAR that they offered to cover 80 per cent of her medical expenses but she refused to sign the document or to submit the required invoices. "She has not met the timeline with the submission of documents, I don't know what she's blaming the NYS for. She can take the next step and go to see a lawyer."
* Name changed on request.
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