CARIMAC Intern accounts on Millsborough Ave Homeless MSM/Observer Stoning incident

Welcome to the real world as the author got a taste of what an angry set of gay youth can be like after being neglected by not only their families but also their more privileged peers as well

photos from Observer at the time of the original report featuring some older members of the displaced populations from the closed Safe House Pilot 2009

Terror, as gays armed with bottles chase photographer

Danger on the streets logo

By KIMBERLEY HIBBERT

MY first real taste of journalism was during internship for the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) when I was placed at the Jamaica Observer. I was excited about roving with the ace crime reporter.

One Wednesday morning we got word that a group of gay men had illegally occupied a house on Millsborough Avenue in Barbican, North East St Andrew, and were being a nuisance to residents there.

Our news team drove to the property to check out the story. On arriving, the driver instructed the photographer to be quick, and take photos from inside the vehicle.

But our photographer insisted on exiting the vehicle to get the pictures. We watched and waited anxiously.

"Weh him deh man, how him a tek so long fi come back? Mi tell yuh bout him enuh, weh him a do up deh so long?" mused the senior reporter.

Within a second of his expression of impatience, we saw the photographer racing towards the vehicle, arms and legs pumping, his camera over his shoulder. Behind him, the men in question were also sprinting with two crocus bags filled with glass bottles which they started hurling.

I was terrified. The driver turned on the engine and started signalling to the photographer to get in the vehicle quickly.

But, out of fright, the photographer started pulling too hard on the door latch and the central lock engaged. He was in for the fright of his life.

Realising what had happened, instead of waiting a few seconds to try the door again, the photographer ran, as the men were within 10 metres of him. For about 10 minutes they stood outside the vehicle playing dandy shandy with the bottles, while the senior reporter, the driver and I sat crouched in the vehicle. At one point the photographer opened the driver's door in a bid to enter, but failed.

When one of the bottles hit the vehicle the driver started going down the road slowly, with the photographer jogging behind. Eventually he ran to the passenger side of the vehicle and by that time more men had joined the bottle throwers. The driver then stretched across to the passenger door and swung it open for the photographer to jump in while the vehicle was still moving. The photographer attempted to get in and ended up having one leg inside the vehicle. Eventually he steadied himself, and we drove towards Barbican Road with a half of the photographer's body outside the vehicle.

The entire vehicle was silent up to the main road when I started snickering, then the other occupants burst out laughing.

The photographer, however, was not amused and insisted that we drive to the police station.

If our hilarity was hard for him to bear, the ordeal at the police station was something else.

We went inside and began telling the sergeant on duty what had happened. The entire station then gathered to listen. One constable sat in a corner trying to suppress his laughter.

But what knocked the ball out of the park was when the sergeant, while smirking, sarcastically asked: "So what you want me to do? Go up there for them?"

The senior reporter, not the least bit amused, gave a dry laugh and said in a very stern tone, "Yes". The sergeant then told us that if the owner did not come forward to remove the men, there was nothing he could do.

It was a hair-raising experience. I phoned my lecturer at CARIMAC and gave him the 411 about the incident. After having a good laugh, he asked in the most concerned tone, "Are you OK?" My response: "Yes sir, and I'm enjoying my internship."

We thought that was the end of it, but when we finally composed ourselves and drove back to Beechwood Avenue, we were in for more teasing.

We entered the Editorial Department and most persons appeared to be minding their business until we sat down. One brave soldier approached us and asked about the experience, some details of which had already been leaked to the newsroom. When I looked up, 12 men had gathered to hear of the showdown. While we did a re-enactment of the incident, the senior reporter and I took turns acting out what had happened to the photographer, to the delight of the editors who laughed heartily. The senior reporter jumped and I, balancing on one leg, showed them how we escaped danger.

Despite the humour of the situation, we all acknowledged the danger we would have been in if a bottle had smashed the windscreen or one of the windows, or had struck the photographer.

Kimberley Hibbert completed her first degree journalism programme at CARIMAC recently.

ENDS

The house was subsequently destroyed (the developer above) and since then the men and transgender collegues have been struggling with all kinds of deception to mask the major causation of the over populations of persons in New Kingston especially at the Shoemaker gully.

A recent documentary on UK Channel 4 (or HERE) of the newer populations deliberately overlooked the Safe House Pilot that was located at 4 Upper Musgrave Avenue under Jamaica AIDS Support for Life, JASL and suggested the property was destroyed due to homophobia by the landlord when that was not the actual reason which also led to the eviction of both JFLAG and JASL with the other tenants.

also see: New Efforts To Halt Spread Of HIV Among Gay Jamaica Men

So much for deception and why we cannot get anywhere with either frontline work or finally beating stigma and discrimination.

See more posts from sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch on the issue including the original closure entry HERE 

Peace and tolerance

H

13,328 Jamaican MSM Reached by HIV Prevention says report on National HIV Program ........ but

A statement has come to hand in recent days that the new round of Global Fund money is now available for the national program to the tune of $506 million and as of March 2014 some 13,000 plus men who have sex with men (while excluding specific programs for same gender loving women) have occurred but what does this outreach means, only condom distribution and testing? when we know especially the least amongst us in the form of homeless LGBT youth in particular (bearing in mind Maslow's theory) how can they make safer sex decisions given the sensitivities involved?

Why for example was the HFLE manual placed as an achievement when the fiasco that played out in the public domain proved that sanitization of sexuality issues is the main reason why we have the homo-negative culture fuelling the problems of displacements?

see more on the HFLE matter:

URGENT NEED TO DISCUSS SEX & SEXUALITY NATIONALLY PART 2

Urgent need for sex & sexuality to be discussed nationally

Children’s Advocacy & LGBT Agencies inconsistent approach to Homeless MSM Youth

Missed Opportunities in HIV-AIDS outreach on the social scenes from 2010 for additional scope 

Here is the statement on the latest round of funding:

As it continues to strengthen the multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS infection rates in Jamaica, the Government has budgeted $506 million for the Transitional Funding Mechanism programme.

As contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure currently before the House of Representatives, existing gains consolidated, and activities scaled up to reduce transmission of new HIV infections, while mitigating the impact.

The project, which is being jointly financed by the Government of Jamaica and the Global Fund is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Health.

Targets for this fiscal year include: increasing the number of schools targeted from 43 per cent to 74 per cent, with at least one teacher trained in life-skills based Health and Family Life Education, and who has taught in the last year; and reaching 490,000 students through life skills based Health and Family Life Education Interventions in School.

Additionally 3,870 commercial sex workers (CSW); 3,030 Men Having Sex With Men (MSM); and 975 inmates will be reached through prevention activities. Meanwhile, HIV counselling and testing will be carried out for 270,000 persons; and 12,833 adolescents (in the 10 to 14 age group) and 47,800 youth (in 15 to 24 age group) will be reached through prevention interventions in out-of-school setting.

Anti-retroviral combination therapy according to national guidelines, will be provided, and 63,265 CD4 tests done according to national guidelines for 8,182 men, women and children with advanced HIV.

The programme will also provide Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing according to national guidelines to 2,497 infants born to HIV positive mothers; increase from 60 per cent to 75 per cent Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) on Antiretroviral drug (ARV) reporting at least 90 per cent adherence by pill count; increase from 25 per cent to 60 per cent reported cases of discrimination receiving redress by setting; as well as increase from 162 to 176 the number of institutions adopting policies to address HIV/AIDS.

Some of the achievements up to March 2014 include: increasing the number of schools from five per cent to 43 per cent with at least one teacher trained in life-skills based (Health and Family Life Education) HFLE and who taught in the last year; reaching 289,626 students through life skills based Health and Family Life Education Interventions in School; reaching through prevention activities 20,998 CSW, 13,328 MSM, 1,866 Inmates, 90,000 Sexually Transmitted Infection clinic attendees.

Also 24,241 adolescents (10 to 14 years old) and 75,973 youth (15 to 24 years old) were reached through prevention interventions in out-of-school settings; counselling and testing provided for 200,000 persons; 7,684 men women and children with advanced HIV received antiretroviral combination therapy according to national guidelines; 27 per cent reported cases of discrimination received redress; 162 institutions adopted policies to address HIV/AIDS; and the number of individuals in stakeholder organisations trained in strategic information, were maintained.

ENDS

Owing to the fact that there are no residential responses to homelessness in particular (remembering the Safe House Pilot 2009) that can greatly help with self efficacious work and better results but simply distributing condoms which is overall what the national systems in indeed none state actors such as Jamaica AIDS Support do with very little psycho-social, psycho-sexual work (outside of AIDS 101 workshops) and if the work is so penetrative why do we still have a high rate of infection based on the last survey suggested a rate of over 33% in the MSM cohort.

It seems rather odd to me that since the 1980s we have had hard evidence of the infection and psychological issues with some four major studies in the MSM populations and yet all that has ended as a response is condom distribution and testing, there must be more in terms of personal developmental work and not just meeting targets of testing us a guinea pigs. What is even more egregious about all this is that some of the agencies who do HIV work with MSM are either owned or managed by or linked to anti gay groups albeit that in order to qualify for funding they have to take on such populations though discomforting it is and so they do not put out any extra effort to see the needed changes and life improvements for LGBT people; then to add insult to injuries the LGBT groups or allied agencies too are just doing only enough to provide some sort of track record but no major or extra effort.

See: YOUNG MSM/TRANSGENDER WANT TO BE TREATED AS CITIZENS NOT POTENTIAL HIV/AIDS VICTIMS from March 2014

HIV and MSM community: Should we care? — Pt 2

Layered Stigma among Health Facility and Social Services Staff toward Most-at-Risk Populations in Jamaica

Big AIDS fight boost - Ja gets US$3.8 million from US$7-b fund

Concerns for HIV prevalence rate in MSM in Jamaica & connected matters

2007 MSM Study Reminder 

New HIV infections rising in region, Unprotected straight, anal and bisexual intercourse blamed 2011

Review condom policy for prisoners

Continued oversight of same gender loving women in HIV response

Peace and tolerance

H

Bisexual teen faced psychological prison, told not to tell anyone or else ..............

A seventeen year old teenager from St Andrew is the latest reported case of family ostracism that has come to my attention as more LGBT youth and adolescents find themselves on the frontline alone sometimes due to sheer ignorance by parents and urged by said elders siblings also participate willingly in making outcasts of their blood relatives. The young man who made contact with me via Facebook outlined his frustration in settling after the lengthy ordeal for some two and half years where he finally was told by his father to leave the only home he has known for all his life; although he has a neighbourhood female friend and of course other social ones as well his father according to the teen’s subsequent hand written report that I asked him to produce from which permission was granted to prepare this post outlining the details (less names of course) suspected he was gay and would occasionally make snide remarks.

The teen said at one point he responded to his father that if he did not see that he had a girlfriend and that she came by the house at times to which the elder would dismiss with a hmph and words to the effect “ ..... girlfriend nuh?” or girlfriend eh? Unbeknownst to the teen his immediate brother was actually set to monitor the youth’s movements and literally report to their father what he was about, so after school shenanigans or conversations and so on were watched and passed on, in one of the heated arguments the ostracised teen was surprised to learn that his father knew of a fight he was in at a bus stop one afternoon with another boy which surfaced in the cross talk several months after the fact which led him to suspect he was being informed on. While the young man’s mother was slightly more tolerant in a sense she too would warn him that if he was “battyman” he had to leave the house as she did not want that kind of nastiness around her.

Things came to a head however in September of 2013 when a male student who the teen was friendly with had met the ostracised teen first online then face to face and have been seeing each other for some time mostly away from the reporting brother but apparently other eyes were at work and word somehow got back to the brother, the teen had tried not to make this contact known to his younger informer sibling but the secret could not have been kept for long, the other party was said to be girly in a way and their meeting at a burger king store was told the father of the boy who confronted him of this other “battyboi” The ostracised teen’s neatness, order in his room and so called “prim and proper” ways were also made mention in the confrontation session where chastised the teen for being too “clean” implying that it is not a masculine trait for men to be so neat, the exchange grew in intensity according to the written report and a physical tussle ensued where the teen said he had to defend himself as his father lunged towards him with a frying pan to which he responded with the nearest thing he could find a large Jergens lotion bottle which he threw in retaliation, the matter continued where homo-negative curse words and warnings that if it was found out he was gay he would have to leave the house or change his ways in order to stay. Such are some the circumstances I have seen over the years which is sad for our young LGBTQ teens who have to exist under pain of some punishment be they psychological or physical abuse if not for some evidential reparative change.

Fast forward to March of this year where the straw that broke the camel’s back came in a fight between the teen and his prying brother to whom cordial relations had deteriorated in his bid to please his father while pressuring his bigger brother, the fight landed the ostracised teen facing an ultimatum among other things contained in the written report; since then he had reached out to other Facebook friends and so on prior to the forced eviction of sorts, he is able to return home at set times for clothing and so on in the absence of his father as his mother seems more sympathetic although she cannot speak to openly or outwardly. Such tense standoff can only last for a time and now he has found some community shelter assistance with an older influential thankfully and he has access to some finances from his mother who still gives the teen his pocket money not as often as before though when his father contributed to the amount.

This case is just one in a series of many that are sometimes hard to confirm but the reports are out there and the numbers of displaced youth climb all over the island, in my home parish of St Catherine there has been a spike in homo-negative cases and the numbers have gone up, just last month I was told of another matter where a male had to literally flee his home after some physical abuse, he is now with a friend for now; thank God for community shelter assistance I am all too aware of that informal avenue as my own shift way back in 1996 was interrupted and aided by such a phenomenon, good friends and caring people are hide to find but kindness matters out there despite the fallouts that can occur when such a helping hand is extended; my own drama in July of last year is picture proof where a young man I was offering assistance erred and I had to take strong action only after three days at my home and a strong sit down session explaining my expectations and house rules.

How else can the displaced youth be helped? When none state actors such as JFLAG, JAS do not want to directly addressed this longstanding matter yet they rejoice with a flowery promise by youth minister that homeless youth will be helped without questioning if the ministry will have as part of the response any reparative therapy interventions?

It has been clear for many years to some of us that corporatist typed NGOs who in public advocacy cry stigma and discrimination yet with all the clout they have simply refuse to do or implement the frontline response to homelessness. The Safe House Pilot 2009 is all the proof we need and the refusal way back in the day when the AIDS hospice became irrelevant given the changes in the cohort of infected persons’ suffering was greatly reduced as anti-retrovirals became more sophisticated hence persons living longer, it was repeatedly suggested by those in the know then that although the hospices were closing as they were also expensive to run; the displacement issues were also real then in the late nineties into 2000s yet all three spaces were subsequently closed; yet another easy way out was chosen instead of addressing the issue with some sort of residency response one of which was situated in the very area where the present homeless MSM/Transgender persons were at the shoemaker gully nearing the middle class Golden Triangle residency.

Is there really any interest in solving the homeless issues when everywhere else especially the US as of late under the President’s PEPFAR directive states are addressing their least populations. Something to think about.

also see:

Homeless MSM and rejection

Insensitive Parents and Displaced MSM Part III

Children’s Advocacy & LGBT Agencies inconsistent approach to Homeless MSM Youth

Kingston’s Homeless MSM challenges scream for proper attention

Outcomes when offering community based shelter for displaced gay/bi brethren

Youth Ministry to develop programmes to address LGBT youth, homeless, destitute and vulnerable children (2014)

Peace and tolerance

H

Human Rights of Most Marginalised Must Be Protected – Portia Simpson Miller at "Justice for All" conference 2014

also see: Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again)

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, says special provisions must be made, where necessary, to protect the welfare of persons who are among the most marginalised and disadvantaged.

She underscored this point in a speech delivered by Justice Minister, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, during Wednesday’s (April 9) opening ceremony for the three-day Caribbean Consultation on Justice for All and Human Rights Agenda, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.

Mrs. Simpson Miller said Jamaica, like most other Caribbean countries, has signed several international agreements, designed to guarantee the human rights of individuals who “have been treated with disrespect and have to continuously confront discrimination.”

These, she pointed out, include: the United Nations (UN) Declaration on Human Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the Inter-American Convention of Human Rights.

The Prime Minister said the Government of Jamaica will also shortly be introducing the Disabilities Bill to Parliament, which will “protect the rights and interests of persons with disabilities, for the first time, in our law”, as also legislation addressing sexual harassment.

Mrs. Simpson Miller contended that integrity and impartiality are “essential features” for sustaining human rights, pointing out that “like all West Indian Constitutions, ours, here in Jamaica, guarantees basic human rights of all citizens.” In this regard, she added, “the state cannot justifiably favour the rights of one part of its citizenry over any other.”

The Prime Minister noted that progress and change, though slow, has been made across the region in relation to countries’ efforts to safeguard human rights.

She, however, suggested the need to develop and advance a public education agenda for promoting the rights of everyone, and assured that Jamaica is committed to justice and equality.

Mrs. Simpson Miller said the consultation is both timely and vital in helping to pave the way for developing a formula that provides the basis for achieving a level of zero discrimination.

“The Justice for All process provides opportunities for rich dialogue of various stakeholders. These include: parliamentarians, faith-based leaders, representatives of the private sector, the youth, and civil society organizations. Through this process, we hope to identify meaningful options on which there is sufficient consensus for our governments to take action,” she added.

The forum is being staged from April 9 to 11 by PANCAP in collaboration with the Government of Jamaica; the University of the West Indies (UWI); and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM), under the theme: ‘Advancing Justice for All and the Human Rights Agenda’.

Over 90 participants from Jamaica and overseas are discussing and deliberating issues pertaining to advancing the human rights agenda, in the Caribbean. Key among these are issues deemed restrictive to the successful implementation of the Caribbean’s response to HIV and AIDS.

The Justice for All Programme, coordinated by PANCAP, is an advocacy platform aimed at increasing awareness around HIV-related stigma and discrimination and their impact on access to prevention or treatment services.

The programme is being coordinated under the patronage of St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, and United Nations Secretary-General Envoy for HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean, Professor Edward Greene.

The consultations ultimately aim to develop a PANCAP Roadmap for the reduction of HIV-related stigma, eliminate discrimination, and increase national HIV responses by creating a facilitative environment and removing discriminatory laws and practices.

Jamaican Gay Hookers Popular Online says the Star News

So the Star News tabloid has finally picked up on this one when it is long gone out there, well the reporting is not all that bad this time as usually their style is very condescending and stigmatizing as well. I had posted the clip on three of my blogs from the day it was released and have paid close attention to some of the comments made and lack thereof by more privileged members of the gay community ...........

The Star carried:

Documentary highlights their life in New Kingston

Diandra Grandison, Staff Reporter

Dressed in wigs, female apparel and heavy make-up, a group of homosexual sex workers were the highlight of a documentary which went viral on the Internet recently.

The film titled, Documentary on Gay Prostitutes Living in Jamaica was first aired on video sharing site YouTube more than a week ago and has stirred responses of pity and disgust for the gay prostitutes.

The almost hour long documentary, which was produced by CBTV, was filmed on a sidewalk at Trafalgar Road, St Andrew, a popular hotspot for homosexuals.

Ten gay prostitutes were interviewed, all of whom spoke of their experiences as a sex workers as well as used the opportunity to express their grouses.

During the documentary, a 22-year-old 'man' with the moniker 'Stagerine', spoke of earning a living as a sex worker since he was 14. "I come from rural St Catherine, saw a gay sex tape and heard about New Kingston and decided to come hustle, I've been a sex worker for seven years," he shared.

But unlike many of his colleagues, Stagerine revealed, he still has a good relationship with his family, despite his occupation and lifestyle.

The homosexual sex workers, also spoke of being attacked by passers-by and being made homeless due to their sexual orientation. This proved to be true as during the interview a bottle was thrown at the group.

Sasha-Berry, 21, explained how he was hospitalised late last year: "I was stabbed multiple times in December, after I was set up by 'two real girls' to mek dem friend try kill me."

Another worker said he is forced to sleep in a gully. " From yuh gay, dem don't waa rent we dem place and what we make is hand to mouth, we can't afford it," Trina-Doll explained.

The group also emphasised their need for help and aspirations to live overseas in a 'gay-friendly' country.

"Mi feel like me waa leave Jamaica and live my life free, waa live like inna Amsterdam weh it legal!" one said.

Throughout the film, the men expressed their disappointment in Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller, who they claimed used them to get elected. They claimed that the prime minister made promises during the December 2011 leadership debate that if admitted in office she would review the Buggery Act.

Another added, "she needs to look out for us. She visits other countries and sees how their heads of state look out for homosexuals ... How do you sleep Miss Portia, knowing that your brothers and sisters are sleeping in the gully?"

While some of the more than 50,000 YouTube viewers sympathised with the gay sex workers, others responded with disdain.

"Oh my God, my heart bleeds for these poor uneducated guys, this is a very sad state," a viewer commented.

Another commented, "this is disgusting! I'm for live and let live, but sex on the street and them kinda levity, spread all kinda disease and dysfunction."

"Mi feel like me waa leave Jamaica and live my life free, waa live like inna Amsterdam weh it legal!"

ENDS

Pity that it has taken all these years, deaths, beatings, impervious bigoted pretentious agencies run by gay men at that and so much suffering to finally get them some attention and despite grand announcements and shows to pretend as if some concern is being shown via the much touted Dwayne's House project they are still on the streets as their numbers increase.

Now we are being told of another pretentious bunch coming on to do some sort of outreach as 1pm! in the afternoon when the men are out at late hours.

Question is where were all these persons when the situation warranted so much attention and additionally why wasn't support given to other groups and individuals who wanted to jump in and assist?

Politics in Jamaican LGBT advocacy continues to play out and how strange that the Chairman of JASL resigned in a huff some time ago.

Peace and tolerance

H

Hypocrisy from the pulpit on homeless MSM in Jamaica?

So it would seem on the face of it, this ugly business of MSM homelessness especially in the business district of New Kingston has been with us for so long yet not a peep came from the members of the privileged clergy in Jamaica including the homo-negative ones who claim to love the sinner but hate the sin in any meaningful way to help or offer shelter. On December 9th the Jamaica Observer carried a story of a pastor who claimed to be hitting out at "Injustices" to homeless MSM, where was he all this time until now with the repeated headlines the men in New Kingston have made? albeit for the wrong reasons. Kimmo Thomas reported: Pastor lashes out at 'injustices' faced by gays

Days later the same paper in the print edition only carried the cartoon as done by its resident cartoonist Clovis on December 11, 2013 parodying Tiana Miller transgender spokesperson for the JFLAG We Are Jamaicans Campaign and another member of the homeless MSM in New Kingston:

Here is the article:

Religious leaders have often come out against the lifestyle of homosexuals, also called gays, but one clergyman yesterday defended them, saying he was disappointed that more Christians were not speaking out against the injustices faced by the men, who are often scorned by the society.

"How many Christians have you heard calling out for any kind of help for those young men who have taken refuge in the gully," said Rev Sean Major Campbell, priest at Christ Church, Vineyard Town in St Andrew.

Rev Sean Major-Campbell (right) greets Counsellor of the South African High Commission to Jamaica, Peter Makwarela, after a religious service to mark International Human Rights Day and the life and work of Nelson Mandela yesterday at Christ Church, Vineyard Town, St Andrew. (PHOTO: JOSEPH WELLINGTON)

He was speaking about an incident last week in which eight men, who police said were members of the homosexual community, were arrested in connection with a series of robberies in and around the New Kingston area.

"We need to repent as a church as we have too often been agents of negative silence," said the Anglican priest.

The man of the cloth was speaking during Jamaicans for Justice's (JFJ) Church Service to commemorate International Human Rights Day and the life and work of Nelson Mandela.

Rev Campbell said that he was aware that some members of the group (homosexuals) may have turned to crime, but said that was an issue for the police to deal with.

"But do they have any humanity on which we share common ground?" the clergyman asked his congregation made up of regular worshippers, Jamaican human rights officials, and visitors from the South African High Commission.

"Who will be the John the Baptist of Jamaica, or will we leave it to civil society to usher in the kingdom of righteousness, peace and justice?" he asked.

The clergyman said that the issues with homosexuals were just part of larger problems that Christians needed to speak out against. He said that it was important for Jamaicans, the Church included, to recognise the human rights of all people, bar none.

"It is a shame that in a country like Jamaica we are more likely to hear the voice of civil society speaking out for human rights while the Church remains quiet until some issues such as horse racing or Lotto comes to the fore," he said.

Rev Campbell said that Christians would do well to hear the advice of Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, who said that the Christians should not be just pulling out people out of the river, but should be going upstream to find out who is pushing people in.

"Has it reached home to us that we are to be agents of justice - a major criterion for an experience of the Kingdom of God?" the pastor asked.

Dr Carolyn Gomes, outgoing JFJ executive director, said that she was encouraged by the call for the human rights of all to be acknowledged.

She was supported by Susan Goffe, chairperson of JFJ.

Goffe said that over time, in many different situations and circumstances, the church had been one of the foremost voices on behalf of the rights of the oppressed and those who are abused, but said that there were others who needed to come on board.

"I think that Father Sean's exaltation to the church to speak loudly and consistently on the issue of human rights is a very timely welcome call," said Goffe.

Church service - 4513

Rev Campbell (right) greets Counsellor of the South African High Commission to Jamaica, Peter Makwarela, after a religious service to mark International Human Rights Day and the life and work of Nelson Mandela yesterday at Christ Church, Vineyard Town, St Andrew.

ENDS

Why did he and others take this on before it became the hot tamale that everyone sees as a latch on to make themselves look good?

I don't normally side with the cartoonist Clovis but he presents a sensible point via the captioned request by the wig wearing character where when translated to English says: "Pastor we are tired of the Gully now can we seek refuge in your church?" at least Clovis is appealing to the conscience via the toon here and I won't fault him this time as he had done ridiculing the MSM community before. 

The million dollar question is will the question posed by responded to by the church overall who with the exemption of some denominations such as the Salvation Army perhaps ignore the homeless generally or only see them really at holiday times as now in Christmas.

here is my audio response on the recently announced Dwayne' House Shelter initiative:

Peace and tolerance

H

UPDATE December 28 2013Homeless MSM populations treated over the Christmas season 

Update 2014

So it would seem to be only PR to look good in the public eye yet no real outreach for the men as they still reside in the gully and no opening up of the very church but I should no be surprized that is how these "uptown" clergy operate and JFLAG's more elitist posture these days actually seem to encourage the divide and rule construct. 

also see:
Dwayne's House Shelter Update ..................

meeting with the Member of Parliament for the area where the homeless LGBT youth now "live," Julian Robinson, as well as some concerned clergy - Rev. Sean Major-Campbell(Christchurch Anglican), Rev Astor Carlyle (Webster’s Memorial United), and Rev Margaret Fowler (Hope United). The meeting was called to discuss shelter options for the youngsters

UPDATE May 2014 
a supposed turn around or grand public relations to look inclusive?

JFLAG Urges More State Support For Homosexual Teens Living On Streets

also see: Some good news on the homeless MSM front ..... guarded & waiting part 2: Dwayne's House Project site opens

Nice call but JFLAG and others including individual advocates need to look within themselves and stop overlooking the real causation that led to the present overpopulation in New Kingston especially but island-wide if we are to examine the scene carefully.

Meanwhile Dwayne's House website is up in memory of murdered transgender teen who was killed by a mob earlier this year, see the site HERE my hopes were raised before when JFLAG said they were going to start a shelter in November 2012 but it never materialised. SEE: Some good news on the homeless front ..... guarded and waiting and 

Transgender Day of Rememberance 2013: Gully Queen, Barbie Love & Britney Boudashious gone too soon

The Gleaner reported today:

Jermaine Francis, Staff Reporter

With several homosexual teenagers said to be roaming the streets unattached, the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) is alleging that the State has turned its back on these children.

Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum yesterday, representatives of J-FLAG said many of these children were forced to leave their homes and communities because their parents have either put them out or they have been threatened by community members because of their sexual orientation.

They expressed that some of these children, mostly boys, are as young as 13 years old and are not getting any assistance from state agencies.

Latoya Nugent, J-FLAG's public education and community outreach manager, said state agencies are often afraid to assist the children because of their sexual orientation.

"When you have boys under 18 - and as young as 13 - who are on the streets, that is something that the CDA (Child Development Agency) should be responsible for. But then, nothing happens because everybody is afraid to touch them," she said.

Dane Lewis, J-FLAG's executive director, said the group has been given the runaround in its quest to get these children off the streets.

"The CDA has suggested that it is the police's responsibility first, and the police say, 'Our hands are tied'," Lewis added.

CISOCA UNAWARE OF PHENOMENON

Checks with the CDA and the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) revealed that they are not in possession of any such reports currently.

Acting CEO of the CDA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, said she was unaware of such reports and indicated that any child who turns up at any one of the CDA's 14 parish offices in need of security, the agency would assist, despite their sexual orientation.

Adding that cases of children being on the streets would have to be referred to the CDA offices and then be investigated, Gage-Grey stated: "If there are specific cases, they need to be brought to the CDA and we will deal with them accordingly."

Deputy superintendent in charge of CISOCA, Veronica Gilzene, also said her department was unaware of the phenomenon. She said her office has a representative from the CDA, and if homosexual children are being forced out of their homes and communities and the police are notified, they have a duty to call the CDA.

Meanwhile, J-FLAG is adamant that the State needs to do more to assist the children, as it is often the State's neglect that causes them to become delinquent and exhibit antisocial characteristics.

ENDS

A comment on the original page says it best in my view when it comes to perception of the lobby/community and the lack of credibility in as far as crisis reporting:

also see:On homelessness, evictions, hypocrisy & now JFLAG's own displacement ............

Kingston’s Homeless MSM challenges scream for proper attention

And we continue to reap the world-wind for not addressing homelessness when it was manageable

The Quietus ......... The Safe House Project Closes

Homeless MSM to feel the pinch as JASL issues ultimatum (where it al began to go downhill) 

The toss up between MSM homelessness & public order makes news again 2013

Homeless MSM evicted from Cargill Avenue also audio/podcast:

It is just heart rending to watch this go down this way it has over the past four years in particular aided and abetted by the agencies who ought to know better yet speak with such eloquence on this issue when they are partly responsible for the challenges in New Kingston in particular. Passing the buck to government when we know they won't directly address MSM homelessness over the general populace when this literally means votes.

also hear my other thoughts via podcast:

UPDATE
December 9, 2013:
Pastor lashes out at 'injustices' faced by gays (Jamaica Observer)

Peace and tolerance

H

Office of the Children's Advocate, OCA's Child Justice Guidelines recognises discrimination/sexual orientation but .................

DOWNLOAD the DOCUMENT: HERE

The Office of the children's advocate released to the public a document that took some time in the making by a special committee to include the People's National Party human rights lawyer Clyde Williams who also hosts Freshstart on Newstalk 93FM. Speaking on Cliff Hughes hosted Impact last evening he pointed out that the document  guidelines is the only one that takes into account sexual orientation discrimination that goes further than the charter of rights does or was supposed to do until the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, LCF took care of business.

Definition of a child and more .

The non discrimination clause comes above but the Family Life section seems to omit the inclusion of said sexual orientation in as far as the adults who maybe raising those children, here the document says:

The family is the preferred environment for the care, upbringing and protection of children and this responsibility rests primarily with the parents; separation of children from parents, and by extension their siblings, should be a last resort. 

also of concern to me is above and the the Admissions, Registration, Movement and Transfer section where it says:

"(1) In every place where children are detained or on a correctional order a complete and secure record of the following information should be kept concerning each child received in such an institution:

(a) Information on the child’s identity;

(b) The fact of and reasons for commitment and the authority therefore;

(c) The date and time of admission into the facility;

(d) The date and time of transfer into or out of the facility, as the case may be

(e) The date and time of release from the facility

(f) Details of the notifications to parents and guardians on every admission, transfer or release of the child

in their care.

(g) Details of known physical and mental health problems, including substance abuse.

(h) All interventions made by a relevant authority in whose care the child has been.The details of these interventions are to be documented along with notes that make the continuity of care as least."

Given the present modus operandi and how state actors treat with children in state care I am not sure how the above plays out and worse yet suspected or profiled children who are gay are either ignored, exposed and or physically abused or set upon by adults involved as previous cases have proven. Whether there will be multi-state actors involved including LGBT ones is not clear and whether the child/victim will have to endure multi interviews in a case as the case file travels though the system, I understand that there will be specially trained police officers hopefully to be distributed over many precincts island-wide but will they have capacity for LGBT matters and recognition of LGBT especially transgender and intersex children and which professional will be tied into the mix such as a clinical sexologist or endocrinologist?

I am formulating an email questionnaire to the OCA to find out more on this as my concerns about displacements, forced evictions and subsequent homelessness of MSM mostly in particular is the background to me preparing this post. As I type there is a youngster sitting in my living room who was thrown out of his house by parents right in the middle of parenting and homelessness awareness month.

Overall the guidelines look perfect on paper but as we know in this country we have a major challenge with implementation as proven in times gone by, nice reports, guidelines and summaries but little action to initiate the stated actions.

Peace and tolerance

H