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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.”
Whats the big deal, prostition is the world oldest profession. People need money better to be a prostitute, than a drug dealer.
easy there Ane
wow, we sure have lots to say about this one. first off- mr. faria not all guyanese women toil in barbadian households as maids. many of us own our own businesses, but i suppose you mean most of us aren’t prostitutes. mr peter wickham, the head of cadres, a company that does polls throughout the region critized the poll as well saying that the sample was too small and only a few women responded and so on. the poll wasn’t even about how many non nationals are sex workers, but unfortunately that’s how it was made to seem in the media.
i don’t believe that this issue is only about the barbadians not liking guyanese but making news out of nothing to sell some papers. we’ll how things will go when less and less tourists come here and the bajans have to go to guyana to mine gold. we’ll see how it is when the shoe is on the other foot.
This is not to offend the bajan public if what you read in the papers is to be beleived. Then the survey should tell you that its not the shame of guyana but the shame of bajan society that fuels this trade while clapping hand some bajan men are paying for sexual encounters. But I can here polite people saying no man bajan men dont go with hoares so guest what you dont have problem then and its simply misunderstanding. But I am very sorry because this survey tells bajans this is equally shameful for them as the moral standards are not as high they think. in barbados and they have a seedy need amongst the men and lets face it its not poor people that can pay this service.
Let us not forget the women who stake everything on getting a good job better pay only to find the employer needs her bod, and the work is in the bedroom rather than keeping house more often they feel they cant turn back. I have some that get away these men are braisen they come right to guyana and take them back,
I dont know the bajan policy but here you would be named and shamed if you engage in this kinda thing as man.
How can Consul Norman Faria accuse the Barbados media of sensationalizing the results, facts are facts. Norman should take the time and call on his Guyana Government to provide jobs for its people. People are making a living (immorally) while the fat cats in GT live in luxury at the expense of the Guyanese people.
Prostitution is running rampant in Guyana, and where there are prostitution you will always find drugs and crime. Crime that the Government cannot curb.
It’s amazing that the report point out Guyana, but again look who fund and carry out the findings.
I guess they turn a blind eye on the European/American women that pay for sex on the Island.
No wounder the Bajans don’t like us.
i can,t take sides because i am a guyanies all so a BAJAN
MY MOTHER IS GUYANIES AND MY FATHER IS BAJAN
THERE IS WHERE MY NAME COME FROM.
MY FATHER IS EUSTACE THORNE AND MY MOTHER IS MARIA BRAFITH. MY FATHER CAME TO GUYANA AND MARIED MY MOTHER
HE NEVER WENT BACK TO BARBADOS, HE HAD NINE CHILDREN
WITH MY MOTHER, AND I LOVE THEM BOTH.
MY MOTHER FATHER WAS ALL SO A BAJAN . AS FAR AS I KNOW
MOST GUYANIES IS PART BAJAN.
YOU KNOW MY FATHER UNCLE WAS MINSTER OF EDUCATION.
IN BARBADOS THE SCHOOL IS NAME AFTER ONE OF MY UNCLE
SON, BECAUSE HE WAS THE HEAD OF THAT SCHOOL
AUTHER THORNE, YOU SEE THE THORNES IS WELL KNOWN
IN BARBADOS, ALLSO AMERICA. ALL SO ENGLAND.
I AM PROUD TO BE A THORNE, ALL SO A GUYANIES AND A BAJAN
SO NO COMMENT FROM ME. ALL I HAVE TO SAY
IF A GUYANIES GO TO BARBADOS THEY SHOULD KNOW HOW
TO BEHAVE, TO RISPECT THEM SELF, IF THEY DO THE BAJAN
WILL RISPECT THEM.
NO COMMENT
Bajans and so is any other nationality are not better than each other,for the doing they condem ,is the same they embrace in other country.Guyanese has their proud stand in the world’s greatest nation,we should all reconize it.
We are always hard working and educated people,with great future..Guyanese has built the bajans ecomony and has contiune to support them,remember we are on the coast land,the Bajans is in the middle of the atlantic ocean,it is hard for them to see.
no comment
I can see a day when when we will be proud of who we are island nations will start to realize they may well need us second class people read the following and pray the bajans dont regret the bad mouthing of guyana . Guyana beware of one way traffic in caricom about the movement of other members citizens. read the following you may be the saviour one day.
President of the Maldives wants to relocate — his entire country
Sinking island’s nationals seek new home
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/11/maldives.president/index.html
I’m almost afraid for Barbados. They remind me of the story of the Titanic. I pay no attention to their rude comments or frequent bad-mouthing of Guyanese nationals because life experiences have thought me two things;
1. Be careful who you step on on your way up because you will certainly pass them on your way down.
2. Be careful of the bridges you curse because you may have to cross that same bridge again.
I’m not in anyway advocating “eye for an eye” on speaking gloom on Barbados BUT(bold and underlined)Life is a cycle. You do not remain one way forever….When the bajans were flocking to Guyana in Droves, we did not foresee that our turn would come so Bajans need to take stock of themselves….Life is unpredictable!!
Purpose…most Bajans don’t dislike Gyanese. We have a few ignorant people who have never travelled and thus have a backward view of the world today. Barbados is a great place to live and work, we must just focus on what is just and humane. We should love our neighbours and understand that there is so much to learn from our diverse cultures.