JA Health Ministry jumps on the initiative bandwagon-October 23, 2004

The choice is yours...or is it?
In adding to the argument that Jamaican politicians are more of a response-based bunch instead of being revolutionary, The Ministry of Health is in discussion to release their own form of ‘Crime/Health Initiative’, focusing on criminalizing the act of infecting someone with the HIV Virus.

Speculations are it will be dubbed as “Operation Genital Restraint”. The new focus comes from pressures mounted by West Indies Junior Chamber CARICOM two-day summit held on Tuesday, pressuring Government to take legal action against persons who knowingly infect others with the deadly HIV/AIDS Virus. At current, obvious enough in Caribbean countries, there is no known law, which makes the infection of others an illegal act.

As though it was a sign of God to come, also on the heels of the AIDS/HIV debate on Tuesday, held at the Jamaican Conference Centre, was Karen Turner, USAID’s Mission Director for Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Ms. Turner stated that like crime HIV should be seen as a significant threat to the economic and social well being of Jamaica. Probably still suffering from the effects of jet lag, she also made the bizarre note that if the oversexed, lust pot Country of Brazil can do it, why not Jamaica?

“Brazil has cut its infection rates by 50%, especially among men who have sex with men.” (!?!?!?)

Evidently Ms. Turners theory of prospect in Jamaica was slightly skewed, and is not aware that here we are still, only quite partial to the idea of men having sex with women. And then there is, of course a niche of some, who are ‘not-so-disapproving’ of women… who have sex with women….like me.

Speculations are that Minister of Health, John Junior want this new initiative, to set out to take an unprecedented approach to the H.I.V/A.I.D.S crisis and will also be in direct competition with the agenda of decreasing the amount of casualties in the island yearly.

Speculated responses are that, Dr. Peter Philips stated that though the day after the Kingfish initiative was announced, 4 persons where killed in gang related crimes, the chance of the Ministry of Health’s Operations in prosecuting individuals will have to wait their turn as it requires police presence to do so, and that is a public service only to be available after Kingfish becomes another official flop.

Jim Screechy