State of emergency hurting prostitutes

Commercial sex workers who operate on Port Henderson Road, popularly known as 'Back Road', in Portmore, St Catherine, say they have been seeing a drop in business since a state of public emergency (SOE) was implemented in the parish last Thursday.

THE STAR spoke with a few on Monday night, and they said that the shorter business hours are forcing them to 'lock shop' earlier than they would like.

"It mash up di business bad. Ya fi a try come out early and do yuh ting cause by 11 o'clock ya fi go in; the place dead man," one prostitute said.

"Business well slow. Mi used to mek the lowest $10,000 a night, and since the SOE, mi a lose. Mi hardly a mek $5,000 a night. The SOE is good still, but it a mash up mi business," another one added.

Suspend her business

Another 'lady of the night' told THE STAR that she has had to suspend her business since the implementation of the SOE out of fear.

"SOE mek mi cya come out. A di first mi a come out since dem come wid dem SOE cuz mi nuh wah dem lock mi up. But mi hungry now, so mi haffi come out tonight," she said.

Meanwhile, Sherry* lamented that she has been suffering great losses since the SOE incorporates all the areas in which she operates.

"Mi guh Old Harbour and a di same thing a happen. When di people dem come offa di road, mi cya get no money. Mi cya mek no money fi carry go gi mi baby, and a mi alone," she said.

"When business good, sometime all $12,000 mi a mek a night. But since the SOE come in, a one $3,000 to $4,000 mi a mek a night, and dat cya do nothing," she added. Sherry is therefore making a plea to her customers.

"Di man dem just need fi come out earlier," she said.

*name changed on request