Investigations by THE WEEKEND STAR have revealed that mothers from some inner-city communities have been 'pimping' their daughters.

These mothers collect as little as $500 and allow their daughters to engage in sexual acts with men.

The police say they have no actual reports but admit that they suspect that the activities are being carried out. As such, they are conducting investigations.

"We suspect that persons are sending out their kids and get money in return, it is not surprising. Though we don't have any records we suspect it and are doing our investigations," Deputy Superintendent Hugh Bish of the Kingston Western Division said.

Sexual advances

The WEEKEND STAR first got wind of the shocking tale during a visit to a west Kingston community. We overheard grown men making sexual advances to a young girl who looked no older than 15.

After inquiring about her identity, one man, Rusty, said: "My yute yuh no need fi ask no bag a question bout she, jus mek sure yu have yu money."

After asking whether the girl was a prostitute, Rusty replied: "In a some way yes, but a nuh she yuh ago pay, yu haffi pay har madda ... a pure sell har madda sell she and har sista."

The group of men tried to justify Rusty's claim with a story about a 'deportee' friend of theirs who they say was known to fork out money for the sisters.

"Anytime yuh si him go link di madda, jus come out pon di front inna di late hours and yu ago si one or even di two a dem go link him," Rusty explained.

Tried to conduct business

Thinking Rusty was bluffing, THE WEEKEND STAR, under the guise of being a potential 'customer', tried to conduct business with one of the mothers. The plan was, however, short-lived after she posed a few questions.

"How much money wi a talk bout? she questioned before adding, "how mi nuh know you? Weh yu come from?"

Obviously not satisfied with the answers, she declared, "Mi nuh know yu eno, suh nuttin cyan gwaan."

The men who had arranged the 'transaction' afterwards said we were told no because we were unknown to her.

Other residents claim that the mothers are known to prostitute their daughters even when they loudly refuse. "More time yu hear di girl dem a argue seh dem naw go and di madda still a pressure dem. Anytime yu hear dem argument deh, yu know seh is a man sen him money," one resident said.

A policeman recalled a recent incident where he ordered underage girls to go home after he found them with two grown men, who claimed they were accompanying them to buy chicken.

"About 10:30 p.m while in the Arnett Gardens area I stopped a car with two men and two girls, the girls were 14. They said they were not related and they were carrying the girls to buy chicken. My investigations found that the girls' mother had actually sent them out with the men," the officer said.

When contacted, Chief Executive Officer at the Child Development Agency (CDA), Allison Anderson, admitted hearing of such instances.

"I myself have never encountered it but I have heard of it from persons at the registry," she said.

Anderson said cases involving these acts are a serious violation of a child's rights and as such the CDA is most concerned. She urged the WEEKEND STAR to make a report to the Children's Registry.

Efforts to contact a representative of the office of the Children's Advocate for a comment were unsuccessful up to press time last night.

Names changed to protect identity.