Source : Straits Times - 17 Apr 2009
I REFER to the article, ‘Lights for notorious alley’ (April 3).
The sleaze plight of Joo Chiat residents is not new. Nor has it got better, as reported in the article. Despite the fact that the sleaze is officially contained within a 50m stretch, prostitutes and their customers are still found beyond this stretch.
Steps have been taken to curb the proliferation of sleaze in the area. However, these are knee-jerk, short-term and lacking in strategy or enforcement. They do not take into account the modus operandi of the prostitutes, the residential-commercial mix of the area or the restrictions imposed by the small lanes and alleys.
The police and government agencies, including the Ministry of Manpower, Urban Redevelopment Authority and Singapore Tourism Board, should work together to clamp down on the sex trade.
It is no longer enough to have police patrols and moratoriums because the prostitutes’ methods of operation have evolved. They now operate openly by planting themselves at coffee shops and calling out to men, with every intention of solicitation. Lighting up a ‘notorious alley’ is no longer enough because they are no longer afraid of lit areas.
Since the ban on indoor smoking, these prostitutes have spilled out of the bars and into the open. They have infiltrated nearby HDB blocks by renting rooms and taking their business back with them. It is no longer enough to ban hourly rates in Joo Chiat hotels. The prostitutes have become bolder and more quick-witted.??
With its beautiful Peranakan architecture and historic buildings, Joo Chiat has the potential to be a cultural destination, similar to Jonker Walk in Malacca. All we need is for the authorities, residents and business owners to commit themselves to a sleaze-free Joo Chiat all Singaporeans can be proud of.
Lee Chin Chye
No comments:
Post a Comment