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HOOKER INVASION DIVIDES TOWN
Residents of Old Harbour, St Catherine, are divided over the influx of prostitutes who have taken over the busy town.
While some residents believe the ladies of the night are bad for the community, others believe they are helping to keep the area active and make things a little better for many of the small people who benefit directly and indirectly from them being there.
"It's bad for the residents, especially people who are migrating and coming here because of the new housing schemes being opened," one resident said. "It's going to have a negative impact on the area and investors will not want to come in."
prayer march
Another resident said the issue is disgusting, especially when the women are seen sitting on walls from in the early evening when children are still on the roads. She said a local church, of which she is a member, had held a prayer march, and had spoken to the operators of a club in the community, which they feel may be harbouring these lwomen, many of who live outside the town and even the parish.
Another resident expressed that he knows times are hard and everyone has to make a living, but believes these women do not have to be involved in these immoral acts.
Interestingly, none of the residents have taken their complaints to the local authorities.
service ladies
Prostitutes, THE WEEKEND STAR understands, have been operating in the town for years, but over the past months their numbers have swelled. A news team saw these ladies at different sections of the hip strip but most seem to favour a service station a few metres outside the town. Several motorists and pedestrians were seen soliciting the women. During our visit, several of the women left with customers, came back and went away with other customers.
The women, however, believe their presence should not been seen as bothersome as they are just trying to make a living.
Petrolene, operating in the town since 2008, said she does not believe there are many prostitutes there than in other towns in St Elizabeth and Montego Bay and even Manchester.
Rider, agreed with her fellow sex vendor, but opined that many of the prostitutes are frowned upon and targeted in their Corporate Area communities, so they go outside the parish. "Mi nuh like Back Road (Portmore) because de police dem love tek yuh and lock yuh up and inna town man rob yuh money and yuh cyan do nuttin but mi like Old Harbour, no man naw too do yuh nuttin."
Though she is stationed in Old Harbour, Rider still makes trips to other parishes trying to catch sales because of slow business. She said that more fresh faces are popping up on the streets.
However, some residents, mostly taxi drivers and those who hustle in the town, especially at nights, welcome the prostitutes. "Them help the taxi man dem. Dem help the small man dem who a try make a living and them hold down the crime," a taxi driver, who lives in the area said. "More time before a man tink fi rob somebody, he go roun' di girls dem and gwaan hang out and help out and try mek someting fi demself to."
Vendors, other cabbies and motorists agreed that the prostitutes' presence is a plus for them as they draw more potential customers to the area.
A policeman from the Old Harbour Police Station, which is in the middle of the town, said police know about the ladies of the night. "As early as 6:30 p.m., you'll see them starting to march in with their handbags," he said. "Sometimes when we are on patrol, we stop and run them off the streets."
He said in the years he has been at the station, no resident has ever lodged a complaint about the situation.
Names changed upon request.
Residents of Old Harbour, St Catherine, are divided over the influx of prostitutes who have taken over the busy town.
While some residents believe the ladies of the night are bad for the community, others believe they are helping to keep the area active and make things a little better for many of the small people who benefit directly and indirectly from them being there.
"It's bad for the residents, especially people who are migrating and coming here because of the new housing schemes being opened," one resident said. "It's going to have a negative impact on the area and investors will not want to come in."
prayer march
Another resident said the issue is disgusting, especially when the women are seen sitting on walls from in the early evening when children are still on the roads. She said a local church, of which she is a member, had held a prayer march, and had spoken to the operators of a club in the community, which they feel may be harbouring these lwomen, many of who live outside the town and even the parish.
Another resident expressed that he knows times are hard and everyone has to make a living, but believes these women do not have to be involved in these immoral acts.
Interestingly, none of the residents have taken their complaints to the local authorities.
service ladies
Prostitutes, THE WEEKEND STAR understands, have been operating in the town for years, but over the past months their numbers have swelled. A news team saw these ladies at different sections of the hip strip but most seem to favour a service station a few metres outside the town. Several motorists and pedestrians were seen soliciting the women. During our visit, several of the women left with customers, came back and went away with other customers.
The women, however, believe their presence should not been seen as bothersome as they are just trying to make a living.
Petrolene, operating in the town since 2008, said she does not believe there are many prostitutes there than in other towns in St Elizabeth and Montego Bay and even Manchester.
Rider, agreed with her fellow sex vendor, but opined that many of the prostitutes are frowned upon and targeted in their Corporate Area communities, so they go outside the parish. "Mi nuh like Back Road (Portmore) because de police dem love tek yuh and lock yuh up and inna town man rob yuh money and yuh cyan do nuttin but mi like Old Harbour, no man naw too do yuh nuttin."
Though she is stationed in Old Harbour, Rider still makes trips to other parishes trying to catch sales because of slow business. She said that more fresh faces are popping up on the streets.
However, some residents, mostly taxi drivers and those who hustle in the town, especially at nights, welcome the prostitutes. "Them help the taxi man dem. Dem help the small man dem who a try make a living and them hold down the crime," a taxi driver, who lives in the area said. "More time before a man tink fi rob somebody, he go roun' di girls dem and gwaan hang out and help out and try mek someting fi demself to."
Vendors, other cabbies and motorists agreed that the prostitutes' presence is a plus for them as they draw more potential customers to the area.
A policeman from the Old Harbour Police Station, which is in the middle of the town, said police know about the ladies of the night. "As early as 6:30 p.m., you'll see them starting to march in with their handbags," he said. "Sometimes when we are on patrol, we stop and run them off the streets."
He said in the years he has been at the station, no resident has ever lodged a complaint about the situation.
Names changed upon request.