INCREASE IN MALE HOOKERS - More men doing 'business' in New Kingston says the Star ............ but

Well a fact that some of us who have been seriously concerned with for some time is now out in the open yet again, this is of course not the first time the Star News has carried this particular population remember this one 

homo hookers out and bad 

and my blogs are replete with commentary and concerns about the lack of concern about the advocacy from the very aloof advocates namely JFLAG Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays and its parent NGO Jamaica AIDS Support for Life JASL. Only last night there was an altercation in the same vicinity how coincidental? 

Above is a shoe of one of the cross dressing divas from last evening's drama by Trafalgar Square. It was in August of this year that a letter writer who happened to reside in the nearby community complained to the Gleaner on the issue:

see: Complaint of "Freaky Gays" Harassing New Kingston Residents ........

Then came the two day civil disobedience against the aforementioned NGOs on August 23 and 24 as the men felt they have been ignored and are just used by the advocacy structure to make money with no meaningful actions to assist them, then came the other "distractions" as I call them namely the internationally attractive issues for JFLAG et al so the men and their issues are overlooked that is not to say the men's behaviour is not a major cause of concern both in public and on the premises of JASL where a ban was instituted and a canine security team employed to keep them off the property. 

Apartheid like behaviour in Jamaica from the very systems founded to deal with homelessness and LGBT welfare? 

I carried that piece on my sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica on Blogger, as at the preparation of this post four of the men who were on remand since last evening were being processed, evidence of the events were captured via photo apparently from passers-by who witnessed the drama with the homeless men and their friends, men who have been terrorizing them from surrounding areas including staff from a certain popular supermarket and others. 

November 18, 2011 incident here: Men rushed in New Kingston .... police hold 4

also see posts of previous accounts from the same area:

MEN RUSHED AND BEATEN IN NEW KINGSTON

SHOTS FIRED AT HOMELESS GAYS IN KINGSTON, HOMELESS SITUATION SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL

MSMS RESCUED BY TAXI DRIVER

HOMELESS MSMS HARRASSED ON STREETS BY POLICE

 the hypocrisy on homelessness in the MSM community


The dark side to the homeless issue ..............

and 

Doing 'business' in New Kingston ... Jamaica Observer on MSM Homelessness ..... JFLAG should be ashamed

Have a read of the Star News piece and decide for yourselves:

There has been an increase in the number of male prostitutes hanging out in New Kingston, St Andrew, THE WEEKEND STAR has learnt.

Both female and male prostitutes alike are known to frequent the area, but in recent months, the number of male hookers has mounted drastically.

Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that close to 70 male prostitutes are now frequenting Trafalgar Park and Antigua Avenue on a nightly basis.

THE WEEKEND STAR has also learnt that even teenage boys are now being spotted in the area.

When our investigative team visited the areas about 8 p.m. on Wednesday night there was hardly anyone in sight.

About an hour later there were at least 20 of them.

One woman who works in an office on Antigua Avenue said "A whole heap a dem congregate in the park (Trafalgar Park) across the road then after hours dem come across."

She reasoned, "Some a dem very young, teenagers. Dem look normal and dress normal, yuh only know say dem gay because sometimes yuh see dem a slap dem one another pan dem bottom and a hug up each other."

wig and spike heel

A security guard, who said that he was responsible for one of the buildings on Antigua Avenue at nights, told THE WEEKEND STAR that "Sometimes more than 50 of them out here. Dem gi demself girl names like 'Beyonce' and 'Simone'. Some a dem all dress up ina dem wig and spike heel."

He expressed, "Only man come pick dem up, a bare expensive vehicle all Range Rover. If dem a drive up and see mi dem circle and come back."

But a 23-year-old homosexual male who was seen lurking in the area denied the allegations that the males who hang out in the area are prostitutes.

"The guys dem whey congregate are friends who just hang out and talk, most of them don't have no home," he said.

He also explained that they have basically taken up residence in that area because it is the only place where they can really feel safe.

"If we go round deh so or back so dem wah kill we. Police, bad man, everybody wah kill we," he expressed.

Interestingly, he admitted that some of the homosexuals dress like women, however, he claimed that he only did so on rare occasions.

"Mi only dress so when mi a go out," he said.

Meanwhile, he told THE WEEKEND STAR that he knew that he was gay since he was 18-year-old and since then he has cut off all associations with women.

"Mi nuh feel say it right fi mi a go to man and a go to woman," he said.

When contacted, the New Kingston police confirmed that there has been an increase in the number of male hookers frequenting the area.

However, it was noted that from time to time the police carry out loitering operations which helps to reduce the numbers.

ENDS

This homeless issue is just a scar fast becoming a sore on our community and affects the health of our general advocacy and by extension our hypocritical presentation of unity to the world and then we go asking for tolerance when we are so contemptuous of the least amongst us. To think only two days ago we had International Day of Tolerance where I raised my continued concern for this population: 

International Day for Tolerance 16.11.11 my concerns of our state by glbtqja3

Also on November 14, 2011 I also posted recent concerns and issues with other displaced men:


Homelessness/Displacement problems again .........


Peace and tolerance

H

Homelessness/Displacement problems again .........

I guess everyone is so caught up in the David Cameron aid withdrawal threat from commonwealth countries and the Buggery law repulsion matters, the clouded if not skewed discourse on the illegality of homosexuality when homosexuality is NOT illegal in Jamaica while others who have the power to make well needed changes for the homeless msms intellectually masturbate to the homophobes in letters, TV spots and social network pages that we now totally overlook the least amongst us, do not get me wrong some of this agitation is needed but certainly not all, today we heard two separate issues emerging of a chase of sorts by men towards members of the homeless populations who were loitering on the streets, several were also seen at the gates of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life this morning as it is surmised they slept nearby as they cannot traverse the property too much due to the civil disobedience actions taken by them August 23 and 24 of this year. Since the security detail was stepped up with a canine team but that feature has been disappearing unfortunately the men make it bad for themselves and by extension supporters who want to see interventions moving for them by entering the property without proper permissions and disturbing neighbours.

There was a mini fracas of sorts last weekend with the nearby health centre staff and some of the men who reportedly used an old building behind the JASL offices to gain access to the rear of JASL. There have been other problems in the New Kingston area nearing the old Super Plus Store where they normally congregated at nights and the rental car agency situated nearby has hired a canine team as well who monitor the building'd periphery at nights. My last visit there the men were talking loudly as the guard looked on intently. There was another beating reportedly nearing the Cross Roads area as well some two weeks ago.

An incident to which I was alerted to by other allies and friends of an attempted beating downtown made its way to the Star News legal section where an excerpt read:

Homosexuals and buggery law

A group of young men who were described as homosexuals escaped a severe beating last month when some men began chasing them in downtown Kingston.
The young men had to run for their lives when their attackers told them to leave the area because they were encouraging schoolboys to be homosexuals. Women also joined in and began cursing the young men and described them as being very dangerous to the society.
One of the men commented that he overheard discussions on the radio that the British prime minister had threatened to cut off aid to countries that do not uphold human rights, including the oppression of gays and lesbians.

“I am not saying that people should abuse them, but my fear is that they have no right to indoctrinate the young schoolboys or lure them into sexual activities,” one of the men said.

He said he was aware that people had sexual preferences but warned that “homosexuals must keep their activities to themselves and be discreet about it”.

“Yes, they have no right to come out here looking young schoolboys to spoil them,” a woman said.

“I observe gay men forcing themselves on the schoolboys all the time and are even offering them money,” the woman added.

“I will beat them if I see them bringing arguments to schoolboys,” the man said.

“Although I am definitely against homosexuals, I am not going to break down a house and interfere with two consenting adults. Once they are in the privacy of their home, they should not be disturbed, but if I see them soliciting schoolboys on the street then they must be beaten,” the man said.

The recent announcement by the British prime minister has led to groups in Jamaica calling for the government to repeal the buggery law. Some Jamaicans are opposed to the abolition and have pointed out that even if the Government is minded to repeal it, there should be no accommodation for same-sex marriages or unions.
It is against the law for persons to attack or beat homosexuals and they can be arrested and charged. If homosexuals are caught breaking the law, then the matter should be reported to the police for them to investigate the matter and make arrests, if necessary.

The sad part however is that LGBT people who do not have any insulation and are stereotyped due to physical misconceptions about us are the first to suffer on the frontlines and our advocacy systems have very little interest to provide any support in that regard to preempt such attacks instead it’s always a knee jerk reaction and intervention after someone has been beaten or stabbed or chopped then a few thousand dollars are given and mostly nothing more after that. We need residential, psycho social services for these persons and also educational and self defense training for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters and transgender folks out there. Bearing in mind however they are the ones who remind the rest of the nation we are here via there aesthetic presentations.

There was another incident as well on Half Way Tree road just near the vicinity of the Institute of Academic Excellence IAE where some men were also chased after it was alleged they were seen acting suspiciously by a group of men heading to the square on foot. All these incidents and reports and even after the embarrassment on our advocates to deal with this population still no concrete moves to deal with this the least amongst us. 

I'll continue to track this as best as I can and work with the other individuals who are so interested in seeing some resolve on this longstanding issue. One displaced young male was represented in an online group with JFLAG personnel included as members where his request for assistance was placed there as per his request to the individual who did so, the response from the Programs Manager of the J was that they have no money for that flat out yet we saw multiple trips by the J team members overseas which I suspect were not subsidised by any foundation or funder or through scholarships, we see a legal challenge to the buggery law overseas albeit through AIDSFREEWORLD but that I doubt that is on a pro-bono basis and high ended salaries plus a new position added that of Executive Director but one simple request could not be handled even via a small stipend just to carry him through, my time at the J I had instituted a small stipend payout just to fill any small requests like that of this young man but not even that was postured to him as a temporary solution. Sad also that an overseas member of said group out-rightly asked if such requests could be made private as if to say we must not highlight these issues in our own country from our official representative, now you see why persons like myself are justified in criticising the imperialistic way our advocates do business. The agenda is more about prime time spots than dealing with lives interrupted.

also see older posts: 3 more brothers displaced teetering on homelessness

and a hand written expression from a homeless young man

FROM THE PEN OF ONE OF OUR HOMELESS BROTHERS ……..

Homeless MSMs Saga Timeline 28.08.11 by glbtqja3

Some considerations ..... would you assist someone who has been displaced ??? by glbtqja3

Peace and tolerance

H

LGBT History Month: Allies – Posthumous Recognition ’11 Part II

See part one on GLBTQJA Wordpress HERE

An ally, friend to the community, consummate party animal, brother in law of sorts and fierce friend, Steve was taken from us and from the pain after undergoing a series of illnesses. One of those persons who assisted many homeless persons in his private capacity, shut outs, ostracised and displaced males and females, he himself went through his own period of torment and displacement, it seems only persons like us who go through the issues or displacement teetering on homeless really develop a heart and extend a hand in the informal type of crisis intervention. A volunteer for a short while with AIDS organizations and was a regular fixture at the once bi-weekly GLABCOM, Gay Lesbian Bisexual community meetings formally held on second and fourth Tuesdays of each month with the fifth month being a games night. His two sisters still are in some sort or remorse even after I mentioned my intention to highlight him in this year's LGBT history post-humous category.


He passed away in 2010. We hope his soul is resting in peace 

Diva Diva Diva the one and only Mi'Que transgender representative in this years remembrance was taken from us tragically this year after an altercation with her spouse went haywire. I only got to know her well over the past two years with her regular appearances at formerly club heavens in St. Ann. She too in some way assisted financially with the now defunct Safe House project and travelled extensively, judging by the two photos I chose out of literally hundreds her sense of style was impeccable and unique.

RIP Mi'Que   

Garfield aka Biggy first came to my attention one faithful Saturday night in 1999 when he wanted a place to stay as he was roaming the streets in Kingston NOT HOMELESS but an avid cruiser and a damned good one too, he too like many others now who are stable went through horrible family and community rejection, he frequented a certain HIV/AIDS organization as well and also attended the GLABCOM Gay Lesbian Bisexual meetings too. We never lost touch since and was referred to at one point as my "daughter" Jovial, conservative at times, overly self concious, loved dancemusic and was a voguer in the days of the popular gay club Entourage in Kingston. He too helped some of the less fortunate until a nasty incident where he was robbed hardened him but in turn as he ailed by complications from diabetes melitus and kidney disease as he was about to commence dialysis the very week after being discharged from hospital he never made it. Some say it was stubbornness that did it as he was told to rest and not to party but he couldn't tame the wild beast within him. He was laid to rest at a popular burial site with all the funeral rights accorded and well attended. 


RIP Garfield aka Biggy


Unsung heroes and names often forgotten when they leave us, let us reflect.


Peace and tolerance


H

International Conflict Resolution Day ...........

Each Year some parts of the globe celebrate Conflict Resolution Day, the third Thursday of October. October has become a time to promote and celebrate peaceful conflict resolution practices worldwide. Dedicated dispute resolution practitioners are helping to educate the public about mediation and other innovative conflict management processes. The American Bar Association ABA declared the third week of October, “ABA Mediation Week,” in part building on the efforts of many other national, state, and local organizations in the USA, including the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) www.acrnet.org/crday which have been celebrating conflict resolution during the month of October. The ABA and ACR, as well as numerous other organizations worldwide, are working to raise awareness of the importance of mediation and conflict resolution. 

History 

In 2005, in order to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating October 20, 2005 as Conflict Resolution Day. ACR coordinated its efforts with other conflict resolution organizations and reached out to local, state and international groups to build interest in holding local celebrations in conjunction with Conflict Resolution Day.

http://www.acrnet.org/crday/

Events were held in Canada, Portugal, and 22 U.S. states. Also in the United States, a number of counties, cities and states adopted proclamations designating day- or week-long conflict resolution celebrations. Jamaica has recognized and observed the day before but that seemed to have waned somewhat. In March 2006, ACR’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution designating the third Thursday in October as Conflict Resolution Day. Going forward, Conflict Resolution Day will always be held on the third Thursday of October. Nationwide radio briefly looked at the issue yesterday October 20 and brought into focus the problems in schools since the start of this year with so many incidents and murders involving teens as to how they can be given skills to settle disputes this was broadened to the national level to include civil society and other players such as the psychiatric communities in handling mental problems or issues that also lead to rage and unresolved conflicts.

Recently Minsister of Justice Delroy Chuck Urged Mediation as a way to Settle Cases

Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (2nd left), and wife, Patricia Chuck (right), enjoy light conversation with retired Chief Justice, Hon. Lensley Wolfe (2nd left); and Attorney General, Ransford Braham, at the graduation ceremony for the 2011 class of the Norman Manley Law School, held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).JIS KINGSTON — Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is urging attorneys to assist their clients to settle matters out of court through mediation and arbitration.

Mr. Chuck, who was addressing the 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that lawyers often “push for a win-lose situation, when you can, with guidance, secure for both parties and yourself, a win-win situation, and everyone moves on with their lives”.

“Clients (would) have secured justice economically and you are free to take on more clients without being weighed down by cases languishing for years on end,” he pointed out.
The Justice Minister noted that the government is looking at ways to steer appropriate cases away from the formal court system, by supporting the work of mediation in Jamaica, and introducing legislation, to allow for a formal system of arbitration.

The 2011 graduating class of the Norman Manley Law School, at the ceremony held on October 8 on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, addressed the graduates.He pointed out that the Dispute Resolution Foundation (DRF) is actively engaged in mediation, and civil matters from the Supreme Court are referred for mediation.

He urged the law school graduates, as they go out into the working world, “to get involved in mediation and with the work of the DRF, particularly, those of you who may not find employment immediately. It will help you to build up your experience and to make important networks.”

He said that mediation is an avenue that will provide many opportunities for young lawyers, who are interested in practicing commercial and business law, particularly where the use of information and communications technology (ICT) and other creative and scientific processes are involved.

“We want to see Jamaica and the Caribbean becoming a hub for local, regional and international arbitration, which commercial entities and traders across the world can utilise in settling their commercial and trade disputes,” he stated.

Mr. Chuck, in the meantime, highlighted other laws, which will open up opportunities for lawyers, and the country as a whole, such as the International Financial Services Authority Act, 2011, which was passed earlier this year.

“The Government is working also on updating the laws that will protect the creative and scientific property of Jamaican people and this initiative will create many opportunities for you,” he stated.

http://www.disputeresolutionfoundation.com/

Upon last checks at our local arm on conflict resolution agencies - Dispute Resolution Foundation they were silent on the matter of the day's recognition or activities, but of note are some of their services which includes:

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR):
Court connected
Workplace/business
Family and community
Schools /colleges etc.
Restorative Justice
Mediator certification
Caribbean programmes

Certainly in the LGBT community and advocacy we are woefully lacking in this regard, I am not aware of any direct interventions or collaborations with the above mentioned entity locally, judging by their stance I doubt they would take in LGBT issues seeing they also have a focus on family life which by our standards exclude same gender loving people. The recent impasse between the homeless men who have sex with men men (MSM) populations and two main NGOs that serve this community and who also have MSMs on staff serves to remind us in glaring terms the failings, one would have expected that barring the absence of any frontline services for the men and their registering thier upset at same via two days of civil disobedience On August 23 and 24 of this year at the gates of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays (JFLAG) that an intermediary would have been brought in. They were supposedly banned for rowdy behaviour. Neither The Crisis Intervention Manager for JFLAG nor the Executive DIrector of the same group could console the men and it had to take influentials who were apart of both organizations to quell the fracar, yet we are asking the mainstream to be tolerant of same gender loving persons and embrace their right to freedom to express same love. Gay on Gay violence is also still a major challenge especially in the MSM communities as a recent incident has brought to bear as well where a prospective Miss LGBT World 2011 got herself in an altercation with a known enemy so to speak at a recent party the brawl halted proceedings for some time post the tussle she has been disqualified from the event, all this without very little attempt to have some intervention to quell the long standing disagreement between the parties. Let us be reminded of the case of the eye gouging male who in a jealous fit blinded one eye of his partner which made national news to the humour of many and the case drag on the courts for some time despite the victim's attempt to have the charges dropped.

So, clearly some sort of interventions are needed in this regard.

Peace and tolerance

H

Hypocrisy, Continued damage control via stands or a genuine call for inclusiveness in western Jamaica?

Gays Stage Peaceful Stand Against Discrimination

Hypocrisy eeeh? do you find this ironic that Maurice Tomlinson and the contemptuous incestuous associated groups now complain that the ongoing HIV conference in Montego Bay by stating that the way the organizers had gone about the workshop flew in the face of the internationally accepted principle requiring the Greater Involvement of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in designing and implementing HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support interventions yet they exclude voices in an insular advocacy structure.

here is my short audio response to the stand:

On Stands and Inclusiveness 28.08.11 by glbtqja3

Was this stand a quickly utilized damage control feature to soften the furor over the homeless MSM civil disobedience actions taken this very week August 23 and 24 after the very groups in this stand banned several of the men from getting care and treatment services for supposed "bad behaviour" so in other words screw them this stand also took place while the ban on the men is still in force and all in the absence of any resident social worker or psycho social services with only one crisis intervention officer serving the entire island.

see more here or posted below: The dark side to the homeless issue .............

Mr. Tomlinson was quoted as saying "While we hope the conference participants enjoyed their stay at the luxurious resort, we, therefore, question their commitment to the populations they purport to serve," yet when they practice the same purposeful exclusions to the lgbt community, influentials and dissenting voices some talk about it it is ignored as well, the groups have no moral authority to cry for inclusiveness when just look at how the organizations treated with the msm homeless matter as the latest glaring example, the same persons demonstrating here have pushed away the least amongst us as they are an impediment to the superstar staus quo that must be maintained, have a read of the piece below and decide for yourselves.

WESTERN BUREAU:

Lamenting the absence of Jamaican men who have sex with men (MSM) from an international HIV/AIDS workshop that was on at the Hilton Rose Hall, Montego Bay, gays here staged a peaceful stand outside the gates of the resort last Wednesday.

Bearing placards which read "Homophobia breeds homelessness", "Homelessness breeds HIV & AIDS", and "Stop Homophobia", "Stop HIV & AIDS", the small group sought to draw attention to the plight of homeless Jamaican men who have sex with men and are vulnerable to HIV.

The men stood outside the Hilton Rose Hall, which was the site of the Caribbean HIV/AIDSRegional Training Network, Caribbean Cytometry & Analytical Society (CCAS), Centers for Disease Control Third Joint Meeting and Eighth CCAS HIV/AIDS Workshop.

The workshop was held under the banner, "Harmonising Quality Clinical Care and Laboratory Diagnostics on Behalf of Persons Most at Risk of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, however, international NGO, AIDS-Free World, and local partners from Jamaica AIDS Support for Life and the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays were not invited to attend.

"No members of the Jamaican MSM community were invited to participate in this conference, despite the 2009 UNAIDS findings that the HIV prevalence rate among Jamaican MSM is 32 per cent against 1.6 per cent in the general population," lamented Maurice Tomlinson, legal adviser, Marginalised AIDS-Free World Group.

Tomlinson criticised the organisers, stating that the way they had gone about the workshop flew in the face of the internationally accepted principle requiring the Greater Involvement of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in designing and implementing HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support interventions.

"While we hope the conference participants enjoyed their stay at the luxurious resort, we, therefore, question their commitment to the populations they purport to serve," said Tomlinson.

The event reportedly boasted a top-notch programme with internationally acclaimed speakers, yet claims that it remains relevant to the everyday practice of HIV/AIDS care providers in the Caribbean and beyond.

The meeting opened on August 21 and ended last Friday, August 26.

ENDS

The groups have NO ethical or moral authority let alone credibility to ask for inclusiveness this is just one big hypocrisy to get a shoe in to access funding as word has it that funds presently by the groups here are running low. This homeless issue needs addressing by the very group founded to deal with advocacy which is JFLAG as birthed from the parent NGO Jamaica AIDS Support for Life in 1998.

also see my commentary on the recent MSM civil disobedience and the cold response from the organizations in that protest above:

Other sides to the msm homeless saga part 2 by glbtqja2

These persons have no shame, this is a dark week for our history, a disgrace indeed.

Many of the homeless men came from a party DVD going public as highlighted in this video report from 2009 when JFLAG kinda still meant something and even then the cracks were widening.

The hypocrisy continues as for overseas matters especially in Belize these same Jamaican advocates talk about bringing everyone to the table but locally they DO NOT practice what we preach.

from the debate in Belize on the Buggery Law:
Maurice Tomlinson, AIDS Free World
"This is about bringing everybody to the table, not leaving anybody out. Because when you exclude people, that is when you provide an opportunity for harm and hate and disease to spread. And these diseases don’t generally stay within the vulnerable groups."

Also what is also of  interest is the seeming competition with all kinds of agencies including governmental arms outside of the LGBT advocacy structure now jostling for creating programs for this group, all of a sudden homeless msms are now the next big thing to use as lightening rod for funding. This kind of opportunistic way or advocacy is just a disgrace.

Let us also put into perspective the 2007 MSM survey that suggested homelessness and HIV were closely related issues:

Another instance of the hypocrisy was when we unfortunately lost diva Charms who was found dead, the J released some press release at the time, go here for a post entitled "And The Machinery"  for more. A pilot housing project called the "Safe House Project" which was closed due to "bad behaviour" by the occupants led to the present major problems we now see with very little done by JFLAG to stop the implosion of the project hence leading to ostracism by the advocacy structure itself.

also see: MSM Homeless Issues from 2010 on this blog and The Quietus (safe house project closes)

and  Response to the Shelter issue from a concerned advocate

Think on these things people, listen to the audio commentary

Real Advocacy or Not (the audio) by glbtqja3

UPDATE September 23

Real Advocacy or Not Part 2 -  Transgender Influentials shafted by glbtqja5

Peace and tolerance

H

Pensivemoods on "What is The Role of JFLAG?"

Community Influential/Advocate/Public Opinion contributor wrote on his site:

This question might seem utterly ridiculous given what you may feel you know but pause and reflect for a moment about what the organization represents to you, what you feel their role ought to be, and what they really do or are doing.

There exists a chasm between the expectations of the LGBT community (and even the Heteros ) of J-Flag and how J-Flag defines itself.



Indeed, the J-Flag of old had much more zeal in its public engagements, and the impression given through the smoke and mirrors was that this was a substantive lobby group with a clear position, and explicitly defined roles. They were the mouth piece for an invisible, disenfranchised community that wanted legitimacy through diplomacy and the provocation of critical thinking on the subject of sexual minority status in the hypocritical society in which they existed. They seemed to stand firmly beside their constituents and would defend and protect them by any means necessary including legal challenges, emergency housing assistance, and bare-faced public representation.



Based on dialogue with its current Executive Director I am left with the lingering feeling that J-Flag in its current dispensation, a decade after its conception, is an advocacy body with an affinity for government policy, intermittent interventions in the electronic media, building networks with international civil society organizations, and nothing more.



I will forgive the unfortunately inarticulate expression of the role and objectives of the organization given that the question was posed in a somewhat combative community consultation which had the ED in defense mode. However, the sentiment persists in the community that J-Flag is not fulfilling its role as the only lobby group acting on behalf of the LGBT community.



The acts of civil disobedience by the street boys that we have witnessed in the past few days in response to the executive decision taken to ban poorly behaving homeless MSMs from the JFLAG and Jamaica AIDS Support compound are but the tip of the iceberg in relation to the resentment the community has for JFLAG.



According to their website:



J-FLAG’s mission is to work towards a Jamaican society in which the Human Rights and Equality of Lesbians, All-Sexuals, and Gays are guaranteed. To foster the acceptance and enrichment of the lives of same-gender-loving persons who have been, and continue to be, an integral part of society. J-FLAG holds the vision to move forward in a spirit of oneness, love, dignity and respect towards the establishment of a Jamaica, and world, devoid of prejudice, injustice, discrimination and oppression. And, furthermore, to ensure the human rights of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays, as set out in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

J-FLAG, among other things:



1. provides support in the event of a crisis or impending crisis; emergency housing assistance, counselling and assistance with medical bills



2. does significant personal development and community building in the gay community;



3. offers counseling and referral services to gay people and their families;



4. has consultations and collaborations with noted local and international figures and human rights/health/political interest groups, in the process of working for constitutional and other legislative changes;



5. has made written submissions to the Joint Select Committee of the Houses of Parliament for the inclusion of “Sexual Orientation” as a basis on which the Constitution of Jamaica prohibits discrimination;



6. has provided documentation for asylum cases based on sexual discrimination and violence in Canada, Great Britain and the United States;



7. maintains a library and archive of resource for academic research







The major challenge now is that the community demands front-line services that JFLAG is not capable of or interested in providing. The staff, largely administrators with the glaring absence of social workers or psychologists, is naturally going to call the police on rowdy and violent MSMs because they do not know how to handle such a scenario. They are not prepared.





Where JFLAG's board of governors has failed its staff and clients is by essentially giving them baskets to carry water. They have not birthed an organization capable of providing front-line services and neither have they groomed the organization to fulfill this role in its 10 years of existence. They as the architects for the type of advocacy JFLAG is supposed to execute have allowed the organization to hobble into redundancy.



What needs to happen now is a series of frank and unavoidably uncomfortable conversations about the present and future role of the organization in light of the fact that the community it intends to serve has in large part grown disenchanted, and in some cases bitterly so.



JFLAG must define itself, its roles and the type of advocacy it has the capacity to carry out.



One major criticism of the organization is that its architects have access to, and jealously guard, a large network of international NGOs and donor agencies that turn the cogs of HIV and sexual minority rights advocacy all over the world. They are the gate keepers. The sentiment expressed is that dissenting voices are forcibly silenced or black listed, that the status quo is ruthlessly enforced, and that the business of HIV and LGBT rights is one that does not always act in the best interest of the most vulnerable and more often than not takes economic decisions rather than moral ones. In other words, if they say they cannot do something they are lying to your face. They are not saying they cannot, they are saying they will not.



That appears to be the general consensus on the ground as it relates to this homeless MSM issue. The idea that there is no money to tackle the problem is inexcusable and it really is a lack of will and initiative that lands us in this predicament, which of course speaks to the sinister self-serving attitude that the gate-keepers are accused of having.



What do we do now?



I maintain that either JFLAG holds itself accountable and responsible for the advancement of the rights of the LGBT community, including the provision of the front-line services that they demand, OR remain as back-seat advocates while fostering an environment of collaboration, inclusion, and the development of alternate voices that can carry out the functions that they are unable to.



If the former is to be realized it will be a revolution, a mutiny, an earthquake, and a complete overhaul of the organization and how things are done. Most observers are very cynical that this will ever take place given the personalities that are involved.



Therefore the latter is a more likely reality to come to fruition... though the same cynicism persists for many.



Very interesting times are ahead.

The dark side to the homeless issue ..............

THIS POST MAY BE UPDATED occasionally please keep in touch by logging on now and again.

As this post was created disturbing reports (now fully confirmed) of unruly and outlandish protests by some of the homeless men are coming in as twice since this morning the men visited the premises of Jamaica AIDS Support for Life offices for reasons that are unclear, yesterday morning as well the security detail that is contracted to protect the property was summoned to quell what would have become a MAJOR disturbance as I had updated a post on GJW:

original update August 22, 2011

Rowdy gays banned by J-FLAG, JASL .......... (Jamaica Observer)

"Reports suggests at around 9:15 am a set of the homeless men went to the property adjacent to the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life offices where a gaping breach is in the bordering fence and created a temporary scene calling the occupants gays and battymen and other negative connotations so much so that the security detail contracted to provide surveillance had to be called in to maintain order, the men reportedly entered from the rear of the premises via an adjacent property but were kept back by the security, a shouting match ensued for some minutes. There seemed to be a zero tolerance approach the security detail however was professional who for all intents and purposes are usually summoned via a panic button or some other digital signalling device. According to the eyewitness while one of the men behaved very badly, almost defrocking infront of the detail the other men were more subdued and seem to cooperate in retreating to the neighbouring property.

The reason given for the visit was to see the Crisis Intervention officer for JFLAG who was said to have been at the office or expected to be so but they were told she was not there, they interpreted the reasons to be untrue so they felt they needed to react, in my view that is not a good enough reason and only serves to weaken their position in terms of finding a solution and quickly.

The behaviour of the men is a cause of concern for the residents as they fear needed attention to the property a view that is fear but given the article in The Jamaica Observer and the hint to where certain offices are there is some concerns as well. Certainly I am on record as to the behaviour of the men and would be unfair if I did not bring that part into question but if the only way to deal with this rebellious population is to not engage them and besides the major LGBT body politic is not engaged anyway then I am afraid more reports like this may be forthcoming or worse."

ENDS

today however ..............

JASL Offices

If these continued outburst occur as one angry resident of the property puts it then serious action would have to be taken which may include getting the landlord involved and I think that this only hurts their case and those who support them in terms of looking at long term solutions but also it proves at the same time that if they were engaged to begin with then we wouldn't be at this juncture now. JFLAG staff who happen to be on the property are trying to quell the situation as motorists passing by are being directed to the property by the screaming men. This is indeed a sad day and by extension time as this could have been avoided if only we heeded the early warning signs but this group was to have just faded I think the powers that be thought now the backlash is right at their doorstep literally.

In fairness ALL SIDES have to be taken into account on this, safety concerns are of the utmost importance as well for all parties who use the premises.

A resident said that as they were returning from doing business on the road they came across the men outside hurling insults at them and again saying the property is a "battyman place" as if to suggest they have or should have unfettered access to the grounds and services. Even if the guys were upset this is the wrong line to be taking instead of saying they are not being heard, to put the idea that the homophobia should be directed at the organization now is worrying, I am also worried and so too are others that this may get really violent and there maybe harm coming to the men from whatever quarters. Feedback from some taxi drivers as well who are known to me who sometimes park alongside the road as a rest stop suggest cynicism as they are asking amongst themselves where would an organization to serve gays push away their own when they are calling for rights in general? and they also had scaving remarks for the unruly men as well saying they are making their own case weak, one driver who I spoke to yesterday suggested we should work it our quickly as we do not know who may be in the wings watching, which to me makes sense.

Calls have been made that some intervention should urgently come as well to help to quell this tension now and some names have been suggested, frankly it is not our fault in essence why this backlash now comes the groups and individuals who should have gotten their hands dirty to begin with in real interventions are now being forced to consider same. The Executive Director of the J went out personally to speak to the men as a police presence is maintained on the property, for how long it is not yet clear.

Since then the influentials provided meals out of pocket and according to observers the JFLAG team even at this juncture seemed aloof to the whole thing, the crisis intervention personnel arrived and headed straight for the offices without engaging the protesting men who say they will continue their agitations albeit in a more peaceful manner (word of mouth actions yet to prove otherwise) the men say they are asking for meals, a place to shower etc.

Let us wait and see, if this quells I will try to see the men tonight as my day schedule has me at a fixed location. Please pray if you do so for this to ease down soon so we can work out a speedy solution. Interim solution is for influentials to visit the scene and calm nerves then move to a secure location to start dialogue as the advocates have not been able to control the tempers.

13;26hrs confirmed the arrival of television crew

A television crew from TVJ the same station that refused to air the ad from JFLAG was on the scene as well.

audio post (PART 1) after speaking to persons on the other side of the equation on August 22, 2011

Other sides to the msm homeless saga by glbtqja2

Here is a side effect of what can occur due to the neglect by the powers that be of the population

AUDIO PART II of the actual events concerning the civil disobedience at Jamaica AIDS Support for Life

Other sides to the msm homeless saga part 2 by glbtqja2

The Problematic “Battyman Entitlement” phenom, homelessness & LGBT safe spaces

also see: MSM Homeless Issues from 2010 on this blog and The Queitus (safe house project closes)

Real Peace and tolerance

H

Gay Campaign Must Be Resisted & Help Our Homeless letters to the Gleaner

Help Our Homeless

THE EDITOR, Sir:



The words 'gay', 'HIV' and 'homeless' struck a chord among many last week. Whether newsworthy or not, these particular terms have become popular buzzwords. Rising unemployment, soaring utility and food prices, the growing elderly population, teenage pregnancy, as well as community and family ostracism, all contribute to the increasing homeless population.



Homelessness is nothing new; however, the means through which attention is brought to this population requires a second look. Irrespective, of how an individual ended up on the streets is irrelevant. The outcome is the same: these persons lack shelter, food and clothing.



Ian McKnight, chairman of Jamaica Aids Support for Life, has called on the Government to provide for gay, homeless men in the New Kingston area. McKnight acknowledged that Government's potential involvement might be problematic among taxpayers.



I understand that marginalised groups like gay men tend to fall through the cracks; however, in order to garner the support of both the taxpayers and Government alike, the focus ought to be on trying to reduce the number of homeless persons.



Using emotive words in headlines encourages readers to deduce several possible scenarios, one being that men on the street are homeless because they are immoral and have rightly been disowned by their families and communities due to their sinful lifestyles.



How to gain support



This sort of thinking will yield little support from anybody, especially for a people whose religious disposition is largely Christian.



Instead of harping on some of the interpersonal aspects or alleged reasons that caused people to take up residence on the streets, we should prioritise reducing homelessness because it is essential to a country's development and standard of living.



The issue of homelessness ought not to fall on just one entity; it is a social responsibility not only of the Government, but also relatives, religious and service groups, and the private sector.



Stella Maris has a feeding programme where members of the congregation prepare a cooked meal and bottled water for street people in Cross Roads and downtown Kingston. While one meal a week is not nearly sufficient, this is a small example of how different members of the community can pitch in to help not 'the homeless' but 'OUR homeless'.



V. CANN



Vicki.cann@gmail.com

and

Gay Campaign Must Be Resisted

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Over the last couple of months, the topic of homosexuality has risen again and again in the local media. There are cries for loving your gay relative, cries of abuse in the New Kingston area by homosexual men. Then there are alleged statistics speaking to homosexual lottery scammers.



Where does this all end, and why are the media houses giving so much time to these non-issues? In reality, if the police said that straight men are the main proponents of the lottery scam, would there be an outcry? Would we be offended if they said it was mainly Jamaicans?



Would the police seem foolish to make such a statement? If straight, homeless men ogle and harass female drivers at stop lights in the Corporate Area, is there a similar outcry? Would the newspapers publish such an article or the television stations carry such a story?



Why aren't the ads simply asking us to love our family? Are they less loved than the homeless kids on the streets? What makes homosexuals so special?



The fact of the matter is that heterosexuals do not go around complaining about everyday facts of life. Heterosexuals do not march on the road saying they are straight. Most crime towards homosexuals are by homosexuals. Other crimes towards homosexuals were just as likely to occur, regardless of sexual preference.



The media houses need to stop carrying these skewed stories and J-FLAG needs to 'straighten' its perspective.



ROBERT HOWELL



roberthowelljm@yahoo.com



Liguanea, St Andrew