Seven and a half months after Hurricane Melissa battered Jamaica's tourism belt, Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism Andrea Purkiss has accused the Government of failing industry workers who remain without adequate income, housing support, and recovery assistance.

Making her maiden contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Purkiss said hundreds of hospitality workers continue to face uncertainty as hotels remain closed or operate at reduced capacity following the passage of the hurricane.

"Tourism is not an abstraction in Jamaica. It is the school fees. It is the mortgage. It is the food on the table," Purkiss said, arguing that behind the industry's visitor arrival and earnings figures are workers struggling to make ends meet.