Hardbeatnews, BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Fri. Sept. 15, 2006: Days after Barbados gave prostitutes the thumbs down ahead of the cricket world cup, St. Kitts and Nevis is endorsing the move.

It’s Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, yesterday told the Caribbean Media Corporation that commercial sex workers will not be welcomed to its shores for next year's historic Cricket World Cup.


“St. Kitts and Nevis has not begun to discuss the matter of legalizing commercial sex workers or homosexuality, therefore my government would be highly irresponsible if we were to move to allow commercial sex workers to move into the country for World Cup in that way,” Douglas was quoted as saying. “This (prostitution) is still highly illegal in St. Kitts and Nevis and I, as Prime Minister would be the first to ensure that the law is maintained and that the law is pursued against those who are being involved in those activities.”

The PM, however, added that while prostitutes would not be welcomed for the CWC, it was about time that Caribbean people engaged in serious discussions on the decriminalization of prostitution and homosexuality.

“We must not bury our heads in the sand because these are important issues - issues that have to come to the fore in the discussion of Caribbean people on the topic HIV/AIDS,” Douglas, who is attending the Commonwealth Finance Minister’s Meeting in Sri Lanka said.

And he called for open discussions on human sexuality within the wider ambit of HIV/AIDS and what it is doing to Caribbean populations.

Barbados’s Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Reverend Joseph Atherley, on Tuesday warned that any local prostitute or anyone coming into the country to trade in prostitution at the Cricket World Cup, would be hit with the full weight of the law.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 fans will attend the event that runs from March 13 to April 28, 2007. Cricket World Cup 2007 will run from the March 11 to April 28, 2007.

The first match of the tournament will take place on Tuesday March 13 at the newly renovated Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica between the West Indies and Pakistan in Group D. Fifty-one matches will take place over 47 days in eight countries. Almost all of the countries are building new stadiums for the event. - Hardbeatnews.com