If you heard her sing, you would think she’s Beyonce. Jonelle Francis may not be Beyonce but she is certainly a talented singer and her colleagues know it too. “They know that I can sing so every event they write my name down. They don’t bother to ask, they (just) write my name down,” Jonelle says smiling. And, you might have guessed it—Beyonce is her inspiration. Jonelle’s singing style mirrors that of her idol, as she admires how passionate the famed singer expresses herself. “People would say that you choose her because she has a lot of hits but for some reason I always relate to her music. I guess because I’ve been through those situations before and sometimes when you relate to something you put a lot of passion in it. That’s the reason why (I am a fan),” Jonelle adds.

Singing is one of Jonelle’s passion—she sings wherever—at home or at work. “(I sing) all the time. Twenty-four seven. They can’t get me to hush,” she chuckles. But even though Jonelle sings exceptionally well, she is still a bit shy to go on the stage by herself. She drags her singing partner and co-worker Schinelle Stevens whenever she has to perform at an SWMC function. “Sometimes I guess it’s the fright as well, as I am not the type of person to be in the spotlight so that’s why I would drag Schinelle with me,” she says.
Currently, Jonelle is transitioning into the accounts department at the SWMC. It’s a challenge she is looking forward to. “Right now, they are adjusting me in the accounts department. So right now I am posting to people’s account, billing them, writing receipts and a lot of other stuff,” says Jonelle, who has been working at the SWMC for the past seven plus years. Like most people who work here, she is endeared to her colleagues like one big family. “We get along very well. And when I mean well, it’s not just on the job but off the job as well so I guess that’s why I am here so long,” she says, eliciting her trademark bright smile. “It’s like a family.”

Jonelle takes huge pride in her work and by representing what the SWMC stands for. “I’m very passionate about cleanliness so for me working at Solid Waste is a bit of a breeze for me; it comes naturally,” she says. She has come across the usual mild hostilities of member of the public who may frown upon the work SWMC does—collecting garbage. For her, there is nothing to be ashamed of. “I’ve come across it (hostility) many times, but as I keep telling people, if they didn’t have an organization that helps clean up certain areas, we as St. Kitts would be poorly rated. I try my best to let them see from that point of view,” she explains.

Looking ahead, life from a professional standpoint is good for Jonelle. She says the SWMC is the only place she has served this long and she wants to see the corporation thrive and improve. One area of improvement she hopes to see is the SWMC becoming more technologically advanced. In other words, using technology to advance the work of the corporation.