Trafalgar Park photo above was where the tense standoff took place on Friday September 20 and again last evening both around the ten o'clock hour as I made my way home from a meeting. I decided to stop by and check in with the fellas. I noticed several cross dressed divas too strutting their stuff or pounding the pavement for that man for the night honey, those of us who understand the culture know the tricks of the trade here but what came next as I made my way around the corner from the ScotiaBank ATM on Knutsford Boulevard was frightening to say the least as one of the men had a large enough machete verbally bashing the security guards with dogs. It became apparent that the men were warned to stay away from the newly refurbished and completed building that was formally the Super Plus food stores (photo below) turned a financial institution. The men used to use the area as a hangout spot back in the day when the original mass displacement became apparent and the men had nowhere to go seeing it was unoccupied.
Other security personnel stood by the other office building adjacent to the canine guards as well watching and instructing the man and subsequently his friends not to cause any problems. The some twenty other younsgters who could not be more than under or near their twenties congregated across the street from all this on the benches by the bus stop in front the photographed park and as they egged on the machete carrying man others could be seen darting across the dual carriage way that is Trafalgar Road in a seemingly happy mood. I am worried again by all this, other incidents have been recorded elsewhere including a beating near the Jamaica Information Service building on Half Way Tree Road that has been confirmed.
Who is provoking whom here? a chicken and egg situation as this issue has been with us for ever so long yet no end seems in sight while the numbers climb, as I stood and tried to calm the tensions by calling to the machete carrier as I knew him by name a white car arrived where four other persons alighted, they hailed me "DJ Howie" and then also proceeded to join their counterparts by the benches darting as the ones before between oncoming cars. The car soon left and I was told it was a popular community queen who left to pick up "more friends" I do not like what I am seeing here as the signs are evident that something is going to come with this particular group.
Meanwhile the now usual spot along Grenada Crescent across from the FLOW office and the lawns of the Victoria Mutual Building Society was also occupied with some twelve persons I counted all of whom were not homeless but friends of their had visited,
is this how the men are to continue here?
are young homeless MSM just targets to be met and material for study and statistics?
what about their welfare, not that anyone can save them so to speak but is it expected that they should recover solely by their own recognizance?
is there really any interest in having a truly cohesive community that includes ALL?
is it convenient to have them homeless so headlines can be made of their issues when matters occurs?
Last evening was a similar sight though fewer in numbers when I passed, of course the money requests came which I could not fulfil and other complaints.
It seems yet still the least amongst us are just that, the least amongst us while they aimlessly wonder and or live vicariously. Some previous incidents should jolt our consciences:
This shooting incident in the Upper Montrose area also caused the men to be circumspect about the very park they are now accused or luring schoolers, please see: Shots fired at homeless gays in Kingston, homeless situation spiraling out of control
This beating incident also makes them retreat in a sense over time: Men rushed and beaten in New Kingston
This attempted mobbing of two cross dressers in the same area in 2010 just after the Independence celebrations which I covered via an on the street investigation: Homeless MSM/CSWs in New Kingston rescued by taxi driver
The residents have complained before: Complaint of "Freaky Gays" Harassing New Kingston Residents ........Influentials can only do so much and no more it is long overdue for an in depth response to this and not some non residential crap that I fear is coming as a solution, so many previous generations have simply fallen through the cracks under the when convenient watchful eye of agencies supposed working for vulnerable populations but only for HIV prevention and nothing else.
also see: Star News sensationalizes male commercial sex worker issues .............
Peace and tolerance
H
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