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Guyana’s Honorary Consul Norman Faria has accused the Barbados media of sensationalising the results of a recent survey that suggested that nearly half the island’s sex workers are Guyanese.
Faria has also expressed concern about the methodology used to determine the findings and has written the consultants who were hired to conduct the survey for more information.
Last week, it was reported by the island’s press that a study, “Findings of a Baseline Study Among Male and Female Sex Workers in Barbados,” revealed that 46% of the sex workers in Barbados are from Guyana, the highest percentage of any group. The study was conceptualised to assess and contribute to the reduction of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among the sex worker population, their partners and clients in Barbados.
But Faria said he was “disappointed” that sections of the media chose to “sensationalise” the data collected. He cited the Barbados Nation, which featured a banner headline on the front page.
“The Consulate finds such sensationalising to sell a few more papers and get more listeners to be deeply offensive and insulting to the overwhelming majority of Guyanese nationals, especially women, in Barbados,” he said in a statement issued yesterday. “The impression given to readers/ listeners/viewers in the Barbados media is that the majority of the sex workers were Guyanese when indeed more serious surveys are necessary. Impressionable people may generalise from irresponsible reporting, embarrassing the majority of tolerant and welcoming Bajan society.”
Faria pointed out that Guyanese women toil in Barbadian homes, taking care of the elderly and doing domestic work. He added that if it were not for them, the island’s health institutions, and employers who would have to take time off from jobs and clean their homes and give care to elderly relatives, would be hard pressed.
Approximately 100 sex workers were interviewed at 131 site visits over four general areas. However, only 44 sex workers participated in the baseline study, out of which 30 female sex workers were interviewed through closed-ended surveys and nine female sex workers participated in the in-depth interviews. The project was funded through CAREC, UNIFEM, Canadian Interna-tional Development Agency- Canada Caribbean Gender Equality Program and the Pan American Health Organisa-tion.
It was noted, however, that George Griffith, the Execu-tive Director of the Barbados Family Planning Association, has charged that the survey was invalid and unreliable. Faria took a similar view, adding that he believed that while the consultants who conducted the survey were well-meaning, the study was never a definitive, scientific survey of the sex worker industry. He said a more in-depth study appears to be necessary, with a wider definition of a sex worker. “So it would be problematic and misleading, as the consultants themselves would agree, for the stated percentages of the various nationalities of the prostitutes interviewed to be definitive and etched in stone,” he said. “If , as I suspect, the survey is what is called snowball sampling, rather than a comprehensive, scientifically done census and questionnaire, it was regrettable for sections of the media to sensationalise, with all its salacious and gossipy references to so called foreigners, the figures.”
i dont understand why the bajans dont like guyanese and when they come to guyana their treated very well the government needs to give them the same treatment when they come toguyana.
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YOU ARE TOTALLY WRONG, IT IS NOT AN EYE FOR EYE, THOSE ARE THE DAYS THAT ARE LONG GONE[ LIKE THE PNC DAYS]. WE ARE LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY
don’t worry the global economic situation will take care of them, what goes around comes around.
Let me tell you why: They look at Guyanese like poverty stricken, incompetent, backward, never see come fo see. If our minister can argue that pit latrine are internationally acceptable, after a school girl fell in and died, how do you expect people to view Guyana. If a warft can float away weeks after it was built with no penality, what do you expect them to think. The average Guyanese go to these countries and work hard, the average guyanese ABROAD is educated and hold high positions, but disrespect will prevail because at the end of the day lets look at it, most of them are illegals, they do go and stay away, etc. If the embassy can say we don’t want any document from Guyana to Judge whether you will return, when the burden of proof is on you, what does that tell you.
FROM AN AFROCENTRIC POINT OF VIEW,I AM ASHAME OF THE BAJANS…THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK ISLAND…THE WAY THEY TREAT GUYANESE IS VERY DISGRACEFUL….IT HURTS ME WHEN I THINK OF IT BUT…ONE OF THESE DAYS GUYANA WILL FIX OUR RACE PROBLEM,THE POLITICS WILL FALL INTO PLACE AND OUR COUNTRY WILL RISE…WE HAVE,GOLD AND A WHOLE HOST OF NATURAL RESOURCES….I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO CHASE THEM BACK…
I see Lambada has no idea of what a democratic state is! Anyways, any report can be slanted to give the sponsor the result they want to see. Think of it like that and ask what could be their motive
agreed.
first of all, is it possible to interview 100 people at 131 sites?
I think that the researchers had some preconceived notions that they went out into the field to confirm.
on the other hand, I can believe that Guyanese are more open and willing to talk to press and that Guyanese women are more beautiful without exception.
it just goes to show the extend of the moral decline under the PPP
I guess we all look to the PPP to teach us morality and ethics. They teach u good morals. Stop the blame everybody has a mind of their own.
Well the problen of the Bajans not liking us Guyanese has been around a long time time I remember the days when those bajans took some serious advantage on our Women traders and send our men right back on the same plane the came in on even though the had money to show that they were in the country to do buisness but the PNC Goverement who was in power at the time when this all started never spoke up for the injustice done to the people of Guyana instead they were always promising to do so but never did anything until this day now the Barbados Goverement is insulting us publicy I hope this gets somebody attention now so that a stop can be put to these sort of embarrasment .
Are you saying that the PPP exports prostitution?.
Firstly i would like to state that i am a bajan and i dont agree with the survey mainly because i dont think it was conducted fairly . However I would like all guyanese to note that this survey is not necessarily the views of the barbadian public. I am a regular visitor to Guyana and i think it guyanese people are generally really nice. I always have a wonderful time there. But just because something appears in the paper should there be bad blood between caribbean neighbours because when we look at it critically we are all the same
If the bajan survey is right , then so be it…This is not about personal interest…and because you are a frequent visitor to Guyana…and this has nothing to do with nice people…it has to do with prostitution,,you can be nice and still be a prostitute…I cannot see this spraying bad blood…it may be the fact.So Bountyhunter i do not think anybody in Guyana will throw you out because of the survey.Continue to visit….
THAT’S TRUE, WE ARE ALL NEIGHBORS AND BAD BLOOD SHOULDN’T BE THERE, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THAT GUYANESE ARE TREATED LIKE SECOND CLASS CITIZENS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD. I KNOW SOME OF US BRING A BAD NAME ON OURSELVES, BUT SO DOES EVERY OTHER NATION.
LET’S NOT FORGET THAT IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS GUYANA THAT HELPED THE OTHER CARRIBEAN NATIONS, WELCOMED THEM WITH OPEN ARMS, NOW WE GET SHUNNED, ESPECIALLY BY TRINIDAD AND CARRIBEAN AIRLINES- “BWIA.” LET TRINIDAD NOT FORGET THAT THE GUYANA ROUTE IS A VERY MAJOR SOURCE OF THEIR INCOME…
the survey is right was on my last visit to barbados i was taken to nelson street i was so embarrassed to see young guyanese women barely clothed in the bars plying their trade,more embarrassing was the daughter of an old neighbour who was making a dollar,i counted at least 60 ladies of the night – guyanese…
i don’t know why they think sex trade is all about women only. Men definitely fit into that role also. don’t even see what is the purpose with the survey. who in their right mind would volunteer for a survey like that? so waht now?
Guyanese should strike for one week in any country where they are present.. we’ll then see whether or not they are needed.
And the whole of Guyana will starve to death, NO BARRELS, NO REMITTANCES, think of something else before you starve….. QUICKLY
We got we grow more food campaign going on so we won’t starve :p
But my point is that these countries do not appreciate the positive contributions of Guyanese.
So stupid of some, the’re saying that the government is responsible for the women turning to prostitution, not knowing that prostitution is the worlds oldest profession. Who made Eva prostitute?
Bountyhuneter I agree with I am in Bim on holiday every year after spending time in G/T and I have never had any problems as a Guyanese and I have a good time with my Bajan friends old and new
That’s good Roman, but what passport do you travel with?
What passport are you using.
…….no, no bountyhunter!!…… we are first cousens and this is what the bajan government don’t share with the people of barbados……when times were hard in barbados ….bajans traveled by boat to guyana to work and toil in timber, gold and diamond, and sugar industry……during burnaham rain he hinted that he would cut of the under ground economy in barbados which was fueled by guyana gold and diamond……..he did not because it would of affected the tourism industry heavily……tourism was allowed to flourish bajan come and go enjoying life…..
…..barbados will soon halla wait until january, february of next year and you will see survival in the caribbean this island will be begging guyana for some serious help…..the hotels will be empty, and their would be a melt down crap under……and trust me they would still be blaming there first cousin like america would immigrants when time get hard here you know what I am talking about bountyhunter …..lets await the arrival of the new year for the caribbean…..
Just as I suggested to ‘freespeech’, I will say the same thing to you drumup_change, do you really think the global economic crisis will only affect Barbados? And more importantly, don’t you think a serious downturn in Barbados’ economic stability will also impact negatively on the legal, hard working Guyanese who live in Barbados as well? It is unfortunate that this tsory is being seen as Guyana bashing and that very few people actually want to deal with the possibility that the survey could possibly be right. Even if it is, that is a reflection moreso on corrupt elements in Barbados who allow such a thriving human trafficking trade to continue from Guyana to Barbados than anything else. Don’t shoot the messenger, deal with the issue.
Bountyhunter, you maybe one of the few bajan who feels differently about Guyanese. But this is not the only incident where Guyanese are be trashed by your country. I’m personally a victim who’s been harassed at the Grantly Adams Intl airport. But like “Freespeech” said “what goes around comes around”.
now tell us d truth u d comin to overstay…..right. but they put u on d bench.