While we were there in January, the minimum wage was increased to $56 dollars a week. A High School Student earns more than that at a part time job. We tip generously to all who provide us with services, that includes some who are not customarily tipped such as the gardener who keeps the grounds looking beautiful and the people who do such a nice job peeling and slicing our pineapples at the market and fruit stands. We also keep in mind that while tourists are plentiful in the high season, the housekeepers, bartenders and other staff struggle financially when their hours are cut during the low season. The tips they earn help them to survive those lean months. We are far from wealthy but we take for granted things like running water and electricity that are luxuries to many in Jamaica.