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Last week Friday, the Jamaican parliament voted and made revisions to some aspects of the Leprosy Act of 1949. This is evidence of how we continue (as a country) to focus on things of very little importance, while ignoring matters of great concern to the safety and security of Jamaicans.
The prevalence of [leprosy] is very low in Jamaica at less than one case per 10,000 for the population, yet the Parliament thought it important to vote for various increases to fines for persons who breached the Leprosy Act. "For example, the 1949 act made provisions for persons who committed offences to be charged $100 if a penalty for the breach is not expressly prescribed. The House has voted for the fine for such offence to be increased to $500,000." (Gleaner).
Jamaica is regarded as having achieved elimination status and leprosy is no longer a public health concern. What then is the purpose of increasing the fines when the offender has no one to offend? Wouldn't it have been more appropriate if the Act was repealed since leprosy isn't a problem?
Let us look at the buggery law, which prohibits any form of anal intercourse -- whether between man and woman or man and man.We know the impact the anti-buggery laws have on men who have sex with men (MSM) and even their allies. Within the context of HIV, it drives MSM underground and away from the few existing HIV prevention, treatment and support services/facilities that are available. Currently, over 30% of MSM tested for HIV are positive. HIV prevention information is largely heterosexual-based. Outreach workers are limited in what they can do in prisons, they aren't even allowed to give inmates condoms.
The buggery law has the following implications:
· Limited access to screening and treatment for HIV and STIs has major consequences for the individual and his partner
· Health workers refuse to treat MSM, field abusive comments to them and disclose their sexual orientation
· Police impede outreach work targeting MSM
· HIV/AIDS Interventions largely heterosexual-based
· MSM live in an environment that expresses violent social disapproval and rejection of homosexuality
Let us all consider the importance of creating an enabling environment so people, regardless of their sexual practices, can access information and services to safeguard their health.
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