Sharks and the law

My dear friend Alex is on an adventure to experience the beautiful world that we live in. To introduce the new decade she proudly exclaimed to the universe ‘I rocked the last one, but watch this world, I’m going rock this one even HARDER!’ So it’s 2010 and her stories have only gotten better since she left. Her exciting adventures are being posted at Alexodyssey.com and she’s made a link to this blog.

Alex, how can a measly work blog be of any interest after reading your ridiculous entries, huh? Puh-lease, and look what you’ve done, people are starting to read this again, after almost 2 years! I guess this means I can no longer put off adding my next entry.

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There is no excuse for my absence, but to say ‘It was the holidays’ (you can imagine a shrug if you like).

A lot has happened since Civil Servants day; World AIDS day, Christmukkah celebrations with volunteers, gallivanting around the islands, etc.

Let me first say that I left the last decade scuba diving with sharks- big ones. And no, there was no cage. We saw black AND white tip sharks, bull sharks, reef sharks, and more. Some of them were over 3 meters long. So this is how it went down; you get your gear on, you jump in, you swim 30 meters to a shelf, you sit on the shelf and you watch/take pictures of big and small sea life. Oh and was it ever beautiful. I have to say that sharks are one of the most graceful creatures to watch. Many of them were mangled, huge gashes on their fins, and one had a hook line slowly trailing behind him. As gentle as the sea can seem, it’s clear that it is that much more terrifying.

After saying goodbye to the sharks AND 2009, I made my way back to Lautoka. Straight to the bed where I would rest for two days in the attempt to recover from the festivities that, of course, followed the shark dive and the end of a decade.

Let’s move on to more recent events. Work.

Usually during these months people take their time trying to recover from the holidays- ‘Fiji Time’ at its worst. But, this year has been a bit different. The government is instating a few new decrees that will affect our work and our clients- 1. 2009 Crimes Decree and 2. HIV Prevention and Treatment Decree.
The 2009 Crimes Decree for Fiji will be enforced beginning 1 February 2010- Monday. There are a few relevant clauses, but the one we have been focusing on is Section 231; a law stating that any form of prostitution, loitering, and use of such services can be arrested on probable cause. Well, you might ask, ‘hasn’t prostitution always been illegal?’ Valid Question.

Women exchanging sex for profit has been illegal for many years. That seems clear. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, depending on whether you ask a cop or a prostitute, most of the Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs) are transgender (M to F). So with their mini skirts and frustratingly beautiful calves, the strut their stuff up and down Narara Parade without legal consequence. But with the new Decree the law applies to both men AND women.

This past week a meeting was held to discuss the new law and also provide education to nearly 50 CSWs in the Western and Northern divisions in Fiji. A legal aid personnel came to explain the terms and ramifications of this new Decree in relation to their chosen profession.

As you might imagine, the CSWs were terrified and upset. They asked so many questions, which also lead to horrific stories of being beaten and assaulted by cops only to be left for dead in a near by ditch. The questions were so keenly articulated that sometimes I wasn’t sure who was the lawyer and who was the prostitute. Especially since the lawyer repeatedly stated to a mostly Fijian crowd that ‘US Fijians, we’re Christian and when we see YOU, well, uhh… we think bad things, you know?’ No Ma'am, I don’t know. Please explain.

She also recommended that they bring in someone from the police force to talk to them. GREAT idea, now that CSWs can be arrested without a warrant, we should bring in a person who can label and target them.

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Following this two day workshop Kelera, the HIV Project Assistant in the West, and I were asked to attend a meeting to revise the HIV Prevention and Treatment Decree. This is probably one of the most exciting meetings I’ve had the pleasure to sit in on. A group of the most educated people sitting around revising THE National Decree regarding HIV. Once it’s revised it will be given to Cabinet and then signed by the President of the Republic of Fiji.

Despite the excitement and novelty of participating in the forming and revision of a national policy, I have decided to stay on the ground level and leave policy making to those who have chosen a profession in the field. It’s not for me.