Jobs decrease, prostitution increases

Steve Lyston, Contributor

A 2001 study financed by the International Labour Organisation/International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC)  found that children as young as 10 years old were actively engaged in prostitution, catering to tourists, strip clubs and massage parlours.

There is no question that economic difficulties and social pressure contribute to the prevalence of child prostitution.

The only area of true growth that we have seen in the past 22 years under both administrations is the increase in prostitution.

While the law of the land must be obeyed, it is absolutely ironic that there are costly efforts to remove from the sidewalk, the 'little man' (who doesn't have a proper permit) selling his biscuits and juice to support his family.

When they are removed, they migrate to areas of the nation where they can access the money they need and, sadly, prostitution is one of their solutions.

So, while we are attempting to fix one problem and reduce crime and make Jamaica more palatable for tourists; we have in fact shifted the problem to another section on the society, creating an even greater problem for ourselves.

Check the classified sections of the national publications and you will see the extent to which prostitution has saturated the nation.

It is even more ticklish because some of those involved are the 'elite' of the society.

Positives, negatives of prostitution

The only seemingly positive aspect of prostitution is the increased revenue for those engaged in or supporting it.

The negatives include but are not limited to:

• Increase in the spread of HIV and other STDs;
  
• Increase in divorces and family break-ups;
  
• Increase in abortion;
  
• Increase in absentee fathers;
  
• Reduction of life expectancy;
  
• Increased number of missing children;
  
• Increase in sexual immorality;
  
• Increase in the number of paedophiles and other undesirables entering the country.

Economic reform and job creation

What more will it take for the politicians, the business sector and the Church to see that we are going in the wrong direction? It is causing great humiliation on the nation!

Do we want more countries to impose visas requirements on Jamaica due to our economic situation and wrong policies before we wake up?

The powers that be ignore helping the small businesses to employ more people. They seem to be more interested in helping the foreigners, who are not keeping the money in the country anyway!

We are going after the foreign exchange and this increases its demand! When this happens, the cost of the foreign exchange increases and puts us in a deeper economic rut.

Solutions

The Gleaner and The Observer can implement a few things to boost sales and help the community. They should advertise by throwing it out to the schools' summer programmes, to encourage the students to become young writers.

This would also help them to understand the English language better and help them improve in English literature, thereby allow for greater passes in these subjects.

It will also help those in the universities majoring in journalism and communication to find jobs and get the necessary experience.

The media houses can also provide special rates to companies - whether large or small - such as discounts and for longer contracts that will attract an even bigger discount.

They should also visit homes within the inner city and rural areas to deliver newspapers free for a month and sponsor children within these homes, whether they are in school or not, in addition to putting on fund-raising events for children in inner city and rural areas.

The Government should develop free, public training seminars to help jobless, inner-city residents.

To cut costs and to show that they care, the government officials and members of the opposition should employ their own skills and teach these seminars.

All inner-city residents and 'uptown' business persons should make an effort to renew their minds, so that uptown employers can be more confident in employing inner-city job seekers.

Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including 'End Time Finance' and 'The New Millionaire'.