Immigration Department playing its part in combating prostitution
BVI News Staff - Monday, June 11th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Jennings
Chief Immigration Officer Dennis Jennings said the immigration policy is candid on the issue of prostitution and gives the Immigration Department the remit to deal with individuals suspected to be involved in prostitution.
Speaking at the Crime Conference on June 8, Jennings stated that the legislation is clear as it relates to “any prostitute or any person who may be living or receiving or may have lived on or received proceeds of prostitution”.
He added: “This is a very touchy subject and it is one that should be very difficult to define, but we have had cases where we have been able to do so. I won’t go into any great details, but it is a very sensitive subject. One that one has to be very careful in dealing with, but it is on the books and we have to carry it out. We do have a few cases where we have successfully addressed situations of this nature.”
While the concern of prostitution appears to be more low-key, residents and community leaders have expressed concerns in the past about the known strip clubs that are openly operating. As recent as April 15, during a panel discussion held at the New Life Baptiste Church titled “BVI’s Dirty Little Secrets” it was announced that the establishments that are currently operating as strip clubs are not licensed to do so.
A resident pointedly asked: “The BVI is a small community so the police department is aware, I am assuming, of all the bars and all establishments, that although they are registered as bars sir, they are still using it for modern means. What can be done so that if you are registered as a bar it stays as only a bar? What has been done and what can be done because you cannot sit there and act as if you don’t know.”
Detective Kendal Bobb of the Family and Juvenile Unit of the RVIPF, who was one of the panelist, in response to the question, said: “I agree with you, but it may not be a question for me to answer at this stage. I am not in charge of the RVIPF. I am here for a specific topic.”
But Bobb disclosed that the police is partnering with the Immigration Department to detect such activities. The officer stated that there was a case involving a woman who it was believed to have entered the BVI illegally and was assumed to be an exotic dancer.
The detective said: “I could remember I had one case where a girl from Atlanta came here as an exotic dancer and was raped, but she refused to cooperate with the police because she was here on a mission to make some money and go back. She didn’t want to stay here, be in the system and gave no information to the police. But what I have found out is that she came in here illegally and because of that, I called immigration and we worked on getting her out. But she refused to cooperate. These are some of the things that we are challenged by. There are human trafficking, persons coming in illegally-some countries like East Asia, Santo Domingo, USA, and Jamaica. They are coming here to make their money. We have to be careful…If you know of any case you must report it to immigration.”
It was further revealed that some of the dancers for these bars come from Asia, Santo Domingo and the USA.
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17 Comments
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Jennings you can try but you need the cooperation for the RVPF.
If you want to experience a rough ride, go interfere with the Crystal Club and you would be locked up before the cock crows twice.
amamda dont eye pass guyanese they can leave so u wouldnt have competition
Thank you!!! I hope this covers ALL aspects of it.
Look at the advertisment above Crystal Night Club LOL
I assume that the prostitutes don’t have a work permit for that occupation, so deport them !
do your part jennings and get those guyanese out of here
You people are so ignorant. Since when the word Guyanese refers to ethnicity?
And the very officers are in the business? Where this man live? lmao!
U can’t stop pimping or whoring…as long as ppl can converse with each other the game will be played.
If the legislators are paticipators, what do you expect?
identifying the problem and not doing anything about it is not an option
U can’t stop any woman from selling her goods, it’s part of the nature of people.
Also u cannot know if a whore is whoring unless u catch her whoring…b/c a st.lucian whore might come to the bvi on vacation from whoring yet meet someone here that they choose to have a sexual relationship with…u can’t deny them that right b/c professionally she is a whore in another place b/c here she is a tourist.
Also how would u regulate local whores, which are aplenty.
Question VILander-Are you hating a St.Lucian because she was trying to help out your relationship. Show a little gratitude.You are too unappreciative. …and stop hating! –She Train your man for you but you are so ungrateful! Now focus on the headline and not draw reference to Island people. ….Thank You!
when?
If the BVI so desperately needs the strip clubs to prevent the rape of women (as so many argue on these online forums) then these women need to be properly brought into the BVI with permits in place and they and the owners of the clubs need to be monitored to prevent prostitution and pimping. If a girl has such poor self esteem that she needs to ask for money or items in exchange for sex, that is her personal business. But when a man steps in and demands a lions percentage of her earnings for sexual favors that is downright appalling, is both a form of sexual and gender discrimination and can even bridge on the border of slavery. Entertainers who are on short term permits to play at a local restaurant are not allowed, without proper authority, to play elsewhere or to wait tables, so why are strippers allowed to sell their bodies? Please don’t tell me that is in their job description?? Seriously though, the government is bypassing the rules and regulations in this industry and it’s not proper nor right for them to promote when it is supposed to be illegal. We also have men with no legitimate source of income for owning huge, pimped up rides and wearing Rolexes, gold chains and diamonds. Many are making their living on pimping out girls and/or drug dealing.It’s no wonder we have a problem with the youth; they see how easy it is to live the rich life by doing illegal things!!!!!
You sound like you know what going on. I’m not against strip clubs but I agree it needs regulation. There are places where it’s heavily regulated and they’re subjected to regular testing, if caught with anything, they have to leave. Here, the guys that bring them have them like animals and slaves and demand their earnings for whatever they do, stripping or otherwise. It’s really sad but that’s what happen when they think they’re coming to a better place.
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