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TF studying how to get rid of sex workers
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Posted on Jun 30 2004
Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente disclosed yesterday that all reports are still being reviewed and collected to determine the kind of action that the government would take to deal with the flesh trade in the Garapan area.
In an interview, Benavente said that reports and observations of all agencies involved in the High 5 Operation of the CNMI government are still being put together, as they try to come up with strategies to rid the southern portion of the tourist district of prostitution activities.
“We have not yet discussed what would be done but definitely, we are still working on it. We are still putting all things together,” said Benavente, who chairs the High 5 Operation team.
The team includes representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, Labor and Public Safety departments, and Immigration, Public Health Sanitation and Revenue and Tax divisions.
Benavente earlier disclosed that, from Western Garapan, flesh traders have moved to the southern portion of the district after being displaced by the construction activities in the area.
“These [street-based sex workers] ventured to the southern portion of Garapan due to the construction of tourist street activities. These activities pushed them out of western Garapan, but they continue their activities at the southern portion. They are active in this part and I have been receiving reports about this,” he said.
He said the proliferation of hookers in the vicinity of two big businesses in Garapan area has prompted these businesses to lodge formal complaints with the task force, saying these alleged prostitutes are harassing tourists.
Only recently, Benavente said, the High-5 Task Force office received complaints against several identified pimps and prostitutes who loiter and solicit customers around the establishments’ premises in southern Garapan.
According to the complaints, these sex workers hurt legitimate businesses as they harass and scare away tourists who come to shop in the stores.
Even worse, reports disclosed that prostitution activities have become standard fare at some restaurants that are reportedly selling the girls’ services off their menu as if they were a regular dish.
