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Fitial to Garapan biz: Keep the women inside
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Posted on Mar 14 2006
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has issued an ultimatum against customer solicitation that is practiced by many business establishments in Garapan.
The governor threatened to take adult entertainment establishments completely out of the tourist district if Garapan businesses did not cooperate with his administration.
In a March 13, 2006 letter, Fitial asked each Garapan business owner or operator to stop their practice Ågof placing numerous young women in slinky dresses outside of nightclubs, strip-tease bars and massage parlors.Åh
This practice, aimed to actively solicit male customers to enter the establishments, often crosses the line of harassment, he said.
Fitial acknowledged that the businesses may take some time to put alternative advertising methods in place. Hence, business owners were told to Ågkeep the women inside your establishmentÅh every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night beginning this week.
But beginning April 15, 2006, customer solicitation should be abandoned altogether. Police officers will be taking note of establishments that comply with his request, he added.
ÅgI do not wish to mince words; it is evident and well known that over the last several years Garapan has developed a reputation for being, for lack of a more delicate term: seedy. This reputation must change, and change it will—sooner rather than later,Åh Fitial told the business owners.
ÅgWe do not desire to disrupt anyone’s legitimate business practices. Nor do we seek to unnecessarily limit free speech—even commercial speech. However, as stated above, we will change Garapan’s reputation one way or another. There are a number of tools available to do this, including but not limited to zoning adult entertainment establishments out of Garapan completely. We would first like to give business owners and managers a chance to voluntarily stop these practices. We strongly urge you to take advantage of this opportunity,Åh he added.
