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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.”
Apart from the question surrounding the validity and scientific method of the survey, one major contributor to women turning to prostitution could be the sexual abuse they endured at the hands of their relatives and friends. Notice, whenever there is a news report on child sexual abuse, very few bloggers go and comment? I wonder why?
When I was growing up I knew a lot of homsexual men and straight women from Guyana that went to Barbados. Today I know a lot of women who does that too.
Ask any Guyanese they can tell that the survey is right. Anyway what is the problem? people have to make a dollar and prostitution is the world oldest profession.
You sound jealous have some pride, I cant believe you could comment like that very shallow or sheltered
If we don’t want them to talk about US. Then get out of their COUNTRY.
I think this survey was flawed to begin with.
This survey should have been done by Mr.Vishnu Bisram and I am quite sure that he would have come up with a similar percentage and another nationality.
Well Well Well………… Its not a suprise that the media in barbados are going at our Guyanese people as hard as the can. Its hard to say we are neighbors when the (bajans) hate us. I have relatives living there and cousins thats were born there so I don’t think all bajans hate us!! I’ve even spent a couple weeks there when I was a Kid but this report does not suprise me. Lets see the measures our Government takes, this will only get worse if drastic measures are not taken NOW. God Help Our People that live and work in barbados trying to make a better life.
I do not think we should just cry foul at this report.
I have visited Barbados a few times since I have relatives there and have seen with my own eyes that a large percentage of Guyanese women in area where is may be likely that their activies anre not above board. Get the facts and let us try to correct the fiasco.
this is not about PNC nor PPP this is about our Guyanese nationals being unfaired in Barbados . and we as citizen of guyana need to let these people know that we r fed up.
The Bajans also have their own domestic problem with child abuse. See:
http://www.unicef.org/barbados/cao_unicefeco_national_protocol_Barbados.pdf
well the survey maybe right , did anyone ever visit nelson street there is a lot of Guyanese sex workers and one of the owners goes to Guyana to get the girls I heard , with the way they treat guyanese I don’t know why they want to be there anyway, and Guyanese set themselves up for that.
What goes around comes around. There was a time when Barbadians came in droves to the shores of Guyana seeking employment. The cycle has been reversed but in time when Guyanese stop the nonsense they ar currently engaged – thanks in part to both the PNC and the PPP. Guyana and the Guyanese will restore itself and show the world what a strong people we all are.
The survey is right there is a lot of Guyanese women and men ( gays) that go to Barbados and Suriname to work as prostitutes. Ask anyone in Guyana