Categories: Current Events

Prostitution, the world’s oldest profession. It is practiced in every corner of the globe, including Jamaica. Here, prostitutes can be found mainly in the commercial district of New Kingston and the tourism capital Montego Bay. St. James (in which Montego Bay is located), has the highest infection rate of HIV/AIDS in the country, and is the most sexually liberal part of the country. As a result, prostitution is being blamed for the rise of HIV/AIDS. In response to this, Lascelles Chin, president of LASCO Distributors, called for the legalization of prostitution. This happened a while back, and though he got the support of top health officals, his call to action was largely ignored. Now the issue has been resurrected, as The Sunday Gleaner went to Montego Bay and asked a few ladies of the night if they think prostitution should be legalized. The answer, surprisingly, was a resounding “No!”

They said that they became prostitutes out of desperation. They weren’t proud of it, and all said that they intended for it to be a temporary job. They all said legalizing it was a bad idea. I agree. Though I respect Mr. Chin for speaking boldly on such a controversial topic, I disagree with his suggestion. Legalizing prostitution may have the reverse effect, making solicitation a more accepted practice. Plus it would further destroy the delicate moral fabric of the country, and would further encourage sex tourism. A more practical solution would be to create more jobs, because no prostitute is proud of the life he/she lives, and most would gladly take a 9 to 5 job if one presented itself. Prostitution won’t go away, but the least we can do is give these ladies of the night a chance to step out into the light.