Jamaica missing out on gay billions, says J'can scholar

[Sir X]

Never said that , we know that all types visit our shores, but we do market Jamaica as a heterosexual vacation destination.

A heterosexual life style is very comfortable to the conservative market , like the gay lifestyle is comforting to the liberal market .

So we can agree that the question must be asked, if what I am saying is true ,How much billions do we gain by marketing to the Homosexual market and how much do we loose from the heterosexual market ?

It is what it is and it isnt black and white. .

[Sir X]

Apparently you have visited .You speak so confidently.

[Lazie]

Apparently you have visited .You speak so confidently.

Yes, I've been to Hedonism II .... b4 you take yuh ignorance to another level, its not a gay resort ... just a tourist resort.

[Sir X]

Dont get defensive , i know you enjoyed yourself, really its not a gay resort just marketed as heterosexual resort right ....lolol.


Like peter said its all conjecture ...lol

[Muadib]

You seem to have a faulty logic processor.

If we bring more visitors to the island we increase revenue.. basic logic.

You must explain how a certain type of visitor (homosexuals) coming to the island will reduce the visits by another type of visitor (heterosexuals) such that we end up with a net deficit.

Quite simple really.

[Rockman]

The US milatary has a do not ask, don't tell policy, sure homos are among the tourists that visit...but the difference is whether it is a gay destination or not.
Revenue..may increase but is it the only thing that will?
For a few dollars more.....



Blessed

[Rockman]

military.


Study highlights worrying HIV prevalence in J'can homosexuals

Ingrid Brown
Thursday, August 07, 2008


Jamaica's Ministry of Health is yet to release a near one-year-old study it commissioned on the impact of men who have sex with men (MSMs) and HIV/AIDS.
Delegates at a Caribbean forum at the International AIDS Society (IAS) XVII International AIDS Conference were told Monday that the results of the survey have not been released because of the sensitivity of the subject.
Brian-Paul Welsh, a representative of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, said the study of 201 MSMs in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, Ocho Rios in St Ann and Mandeville, Manchester, found that 31.8 per cent were HIV infected and 42.8 per cent did not know their status. The participants in the study done last November ranged in ages 15-29.
According to Welsh, the study reported that 28.8 per cent of the men had a female partner in the past 12 months and 15.9 per cent were living with a female partner. At least 33.8 per cent had more than two female partners in the past 12 months.
The study also showed 13.9 per cent were forced to have sex with other men, while 14.9 per cent were victims of physical violence.
"What is striking is the number of persons who have never been tested," he said.
He said those who never got tested blamed this on the lack of faith in public health services as well as the fear of disclosing that they were homosexuals.
Welsh said he got information about the survey because of his 'connections', but was unable to say what Jamaica's Ministry of Health would be doing with the findings.
"The ministry understands the sensitivity of the matter and they try to see how to pass the information on not only to MSMs, but the general population," he said.
Meanwhile, regional programme advisor of the UNAIDS Caribbean Regional Support team, Dr Michel de Groulard, said the Caribbean was still having 20,000 new HIV infections each year among the 15 to 24 age group, which suggested that more should be done to lessen the transmission of HIV among young people.
"All we have been talking about prevention is clearly not enough and so we have to look at details in terms of what is happening with sexuality of young people," he said.
He said it was important for the region to look at all aspects of sexuality and understand what it meant to be young and sexually attracted, regardless of sexual orientation.
Dr Groulard, who was at the Caribbean forum to discuss comprehensive strategies for mitigating challenges facing marginalised youth in the Caribbean, said that in Jamaica the HIV prevalence rate of 1.5 per cent continued to be higher than the Caribbean average.
"Jamaica is still not at a satisfactory level and so prevention efforts need to be strengthened," he said.
In the meantime, Peter Piot, the executive director of UNAIDS, has urged countries in the Caribbean to abolish their anti-sodomy laws, even if it was being done only for public health reasons.
He said if the region can decide to have a Caribbean Court of Justice to replace the Privy Council in London, it could repeal its colonial laws such as those which make homosexuality criminal.
"I would appeal to leaders in the Caribbean to show leadership to abolish colonial regulations which cost people's lives and result in persons going underground," he said.
He said those countries which make homosexuality legal were doing much better in prevention of the deadly HIV/AIDS disease.

[Peter R]

military.


He said those who never got tested blamed this on the lack of faith in public health services as well as the fear of disclosing that they were homosexuals.

In the meantime, Peter Piot, the executive director of UNAIDS, has urged countries in the Caribbean to abolish their anti-sodomy laws, even if it was being done only for public health reasons.

"I would appeal to leaders in the Caribbean to show leadership to abolish colonial regulations which cost people's lives and result in persons going underground," he said.
He said those countries which make homosexuality legal were doing much better in prevention of the deadly HIV/AIDS disease.

Until the attitude and stigma attached to homosexuality is changed we are all at a greater risk of HIV infection. When MSMs as they call it continue to cover up by having relations with women, that aspect of the HIV pandemic will continue to affect heterosexuals. That has been my take on this for a while.

The other thing is the homosexual population needs to behave more responsibly, whether them underground or not.

[Jangle]

Zero

[Farmah]

X, it's time to walk away from this post. Tek time walk fast!

[Sir X]

Ben a retort

If the logic is bring more visitors why target a certain group (openly courting gays ) why not visitors as you stated ?

There must be a reason you target certain niche groups , gay , straight , bi etc for certain monetary gain and why you exclude others? So what is the positive effect so far in tageting heterosexuals ?

Obviously there must be some ? Jamaica need to stick to targeting visitors under the heterosexual umbrella , if the gay groups feel comfortable to tag along so be it.

[Time]

So you're saying that tourists coming to Jamaica are conservative only? you seem to be mixing up the attitude of the Jamaican majority (and I don't even know that that is in fact their attitude) and that of visitors to the island.

You don't know that it is a fact that the majority of Jamaicans are anti gay? Come on Peter R, the anti gay attitude is as part of Jamaicans as Patois

[Muadib]

That last phrase pretty much says everything:

"IF the gay groups feel comfortable...."

I suspect that is what needs to be worked on to INCREASE visitor numbers..

Logical.

[Sir X]

Yep tag alone under the heterosexaul umbrella, along the lines (dont ask dont tell or dont tell and dont ask its Jamaica)

[Muadib]

Stop being obtuse.