Handcart lovers escaped a mobbing as cruiser challenges continue

handcart examples

As parts of Kingston unravels with crime in recent months, the homeless MSM/transgender populations in New Kingston clash with cruisers and the police pressure that has intensified in recent days as hinted to in a previous post on my Homeless Awareness Month in this month November some happenings have come to a head. The tie-ins have several consequences as outcomes. The stepped up crime as recent as last night as the debate on local government elections pre-elections debate ensued much to the annoyance of many including me, there was nothing of substance and indeed homelessness citywide were nowhere present, despite the present mayor of Kingston claimed she is concerned about homelessness specific to MSM/transgender and played the victim card earlier this year that she was threatened after she expressed so called for the persons at the old Cholera Cemetery or near to it and the Shoemaker Gully which has re-emerged as home even after the clearance exercise in December 2014 by the police.

Cruisers who normally traverse those areas for hook-ups have simply stopped or slowed greatly with alternatives being employed; as the areas are crowded with not only the homeless but a sharp increase in female commercial sex workers, boys on bikes robbing high end phones and wireless Bose headsets, cash and other valuables. Outcomes for such robbery demands not being met is often greeted with knife cuts or a beating for that matter, that occurred in September by the darkened area at the Brooklyn Supermarket area on Constant Spring Road and the Kings Plaza parking lot nearing Popeye’s eatery. At least one of the accused phone robbers has been held by cops and is linked to a network of phone repairers and sellers as far as Spanish Town and May Pen. Other parts of town are also having issues; a group of 3 persons allegedly were forced out of an empty house along the stretch to the Police Officers Club on Hope Road some weeks ago as angry citizens were furious that persons were invading their otherwise peaceful middle class community.

East Kingston nearing the Jamaica Urban Transit Company, JUTC depot for example also was saw an alleged moving up of a couple persons who use the area for hook-ups catering to mobile clients looking for a unique sexual experience in the outdoors as the beach/sea is nearby to the electric company plant; an old haunt for gay men long before such geographical changes had come to be. Unconfirmed reports also suggest a stabbing incident (yet again) in October by the infamous “Boil up” affectionate named as it is the actual sewerage treatment plant nearby whose operation has a large water body tank that bubbles up, gay men from all over, of I should say men who have sex with men in some way (mostly partnered masturbation or oral sex as anal penetration may not be convenient). The interruptions of this subgroup’s sex seeking behaviour are something that requires far more study and unpacking.

Handcart man haffi run f idem life

Two shirtless men according to one eyewitness who also happens to be a cruiser and who was present nearby had to beat a hasty retreat as happened before to others at the same spot over the years. Last Saturday at around 6am at a popular spot nearing West Kingston the men reported met in the space and as per usual pass-throughs would also be there, hence the eyewitness’ ability to have seen the matter from his vantage point. The men had moved to a more secluded area and were about to get down but for some strange reason a four man group of persons entered the space and “loud up” the men.

“Bossy de man dem come in wid cutlass dawggy, mi just hide out inna the bush part deh weh nobody caan see mi.” (My friend the men came in with machete and I just hide in the bushes nearby where nobody couldn’t see me.) The angry men gave a short chase out of the spot of coverage out into the open with both targets went in opposite direction, one handcart which was parked adjacent in front the newer fish and charcoal market was identified as belonging to one of the men; the crowd gathered at that point felt justified in seizing the cart and some suggesting it should be destroyed; the handcart was preserved none the less.

The witness when pressed over the phone as I spoke to him thanks to a reliable contact said he remained hidden for some time afterwards and left the scene some time later:

“Mi wait and two other man dem did pass thru from the other side of the road dem come in, dem never know wah did a gwaan until dem hear the crowd a burn out battyman ..........” (I waited and two other guys came in but from the other direction, they did not know what was going on until they heard the loud voices with [burn out] homophobic remarks) The witness and I concur surmises that some party of the group may have entered the spot for maybe to use the place as a toilet as has happened before and may have seen suspicious behaviour, given the history of the place that is highly possible. Safety for MSM or the adventurous is a do so at your own risk issue and shows the challenges for persons in the sub-group who cannot live openly are forced to employ other pleasurable sex seeking behaviours; they attract other men who have accommodation but want something outside the box sexually as well. This is not limited to adults but also teenagers who may be experimenting as they grow into their sexuality or just curious at the time. An unconfirmed case at an irrigation waterway in St Catherine occurring in October as well had two male teens clashing with other schoolboys at a regular swimming spot after they were caught fondling each other.

Thankfully in above cases no serious violence was meted out to the parties involved but it raises safety issues, choice selection for cruisers and other issues with the psychology of human sexuality.

Peace & tolerance

H