The Star (Jamaica)

DEPORTEE BEGS FOR FREAKY SHOWS Claims cops are squeezing his livelihood

- ALICIA BARRETT STAR Writer STAR Writer

For years John Brown* was a regular player at ‘freaky’ shows in Old Harbour, St Catherine, even using the money he earned from these events to help his family. However, he claims things are different these days because the police have clamped down on events of this nature.

Brown*, who started entertaini­ng people with sex acts at these ‘freaky’ events since 2010, said that he used the money gained from the shows to send his nieces, nephews, and child to school.

“Things did a gwaan good dem time deh. Me buy a car out a the money, and me did even bury two family members from it,” he said.

Brown, 48, said that when a new cop came to the area everything changed.

“Everybody a feel it. Food vendors, soup people, and especially the club people dem a feel it,” he said.

However, Assistant Superinten­dent Dahlia Garrick told THE WEEKEND STAR that specific opening and closing hours for business establishm­ents such as nightclubs have nothing to do with the type of event that is being held there.

“If they are enforcing opening or

Having seen his story in Tuesday’s STAR, several readers were of the opinion that Junior Paige might be related to Janet Hardie, a St Ann businesswo­man whose son went missing 16 years ago. The issue came to the fore when a reader posted photos of Paige’s story and the article on Hardie and her son on the popular ‘Dear Dream’ Instagram blog. Social media users were convinced that there was some resemblanc­e between Paige and Hardie’s son. According to Paige, two years ago he found out he was not registered at birth by his mother. Paige does not know his biological father, and his stepfather couldn’t assist with finding additional informatio­n about his family history closing hours, it is something that is being enforced by the police. The nature of the party is another thing. I don’t know of any one party being restricted because of that,” she said.

BEING TARGETED

Garrick said that the police would only intervene if a child was at an event. She also added that she does not believe that the clubs in Old Harbour are being targeted.

“Enhanced measures have been put in place, especially for major towns to ensure public safety. With the sate of emergency in St Catherine North, sometimes there is displaceme­nt, so we have to put additional resources and measures in place to enhance the safety of bordering communitie­s,” she said.

However, Brown insists that he would like to be able to host his events again because it was his main means of making money.

Brown added that since the restrictio­n, he has been trying to get a job, but he has been unsuccessf­ul each time.

He noted that the love for his previous job was in his blood, and he just wants the police to give him the opportunit­y to continue doing the events.

Brown, who now drives a robot taxi to earn a living, explained that he started hosting freaky events in November 2010, when he attended a club in the area and was intrigued when he saw the women ‘playing’ with themselves on stage. He said that the announcer at the club asked for a man in the audience to join in on the action, and he jumped at the opportunit­y.

“After me get deported and the girl weh me did a talk to scam me out a everything weh me did have, one a me woman friend seh she a go carry me to a club. When me hear the announcer seh any man weh come up get 10 grand, me jump up same time because me did bruk and me like dem ting deh long time,” he said.

 ?? CARL GILCCHRIST ?? Janet Hardie is still trying to find her son, Rojay King, who disappeare­d 16 years ago.
CARL GILCCHRIST Janet Hardie is still trying to find her son, Rojay King, who disappeare­d 16 years ago.

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