What is very hard to understand is how these young girls were allowed into the bar to drink to such a degree when not one of them was of age. One could blame the bar-keeper, and should, since he/she committed an illegal offence by allowing them to drink, but even more to blame for the whole fiasco would be the so-called ?chaperones?, who willfully neglected their duties. No doubt they were being highly paid to watch their charges, and by not doing so, even by setting a poor example themselves, compounded the problem; by being too drunk to respond later in the evening to any call for help from the girls, if such actually came.

Drunkenness is too often used as an excuse for all kinds of wrong doing, but it is not a legitimate excuse, since getting drunk, or not, is quite within the control of the individual. In this case the young man admitted he had drunk too much, and that whatever happened probably would not have if he had been sober. Assuredly, he is in a position to know the consequences of such acts to himself, his family?s businesses and the tourist industry of the country. Certainly the whole affair give a bit of a black eye to the industry, but in all likelihood, since the escorts were much to blame and the girls didn?t seem to be overly offended, it will soon be forgotten. What should not be forgotten, however, is that there are laws which should not be broken, regardless of who tries to do this. Not serving minors is one of them.

Pat Asling, Benque