09:41 AM Thursday, September 02, 2010
Antigua Tourists Share Account of Police Beating
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 4:50 am
By: Jackie Jones, BlackAmericaWeb.com
By: Jackie Jones, BlackAmericaWeb.com
Rumors are circulating that the Rev. Jesse Jackson (above) is heading to Antigua to intervene on the tourists' behalf. (AP)
Six Brooklyn tourists on trial in Antigua and Barbuda on charges stemming from a dispute with a taxi driver issued a lengthy statement Wednesday outlining their version of events.
Rachel Henry, 27, Shoshannah Henry, 24, Dolores Lalanne, 25, Nancy Lalanne, 22, Joshua Jackson, 25, and Mike Pierre-Paul, 25, were part of a group of a dozen Brooklynites aboard a Carnival Cruise ship docked at Antigua earlier this month. The six negotiated a $50 fare with a cab driver to tour the island, but ended up in a dispute with the cabbie when he demanded double the amount at the end of the ride. When the group refused to pay the new amount, he drove the passengers to the police station.
According to the statement, read at a news conference in Brooklyn on Wednesday, the group agreed to go to the police station, but instead of going to the station near the port where the ship was docked, the cabbie drove the tourists to a police station in an unfamiliar area. It was there, the group said, that they were placed under arrest and beaten by police.
Kevin Powell, a community activist and writer who organized Wednesday’s news conference, told BlackAmericaWeb.com that authorities had dragged out the process. The case Powell was told would only last a day or two is dragging toward its third week.
There were reports that the Rev. Jesse Jackson may traveling to Antigua in an attempt to negotiate a settlement with authorities to gain the tourists' release. Powell said late Wednesday he had not spoken with Jackson, but was glad to see greater attention focused on the situation in the Caribbean nation.
On Tuesday, Carnival did not return a call from BlackAmericaWeb.com seeking comment, but the New York Daily News reported a spokeswoman for the cruise line denied reports that it had left the tourists hanging and only recently in touch with their families.
Carnival "has been in frequent contact with these individuals and a variety of assistance has been provided," spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz told The News.
Below is the full statement prepared by Dudley Brutus, one of the group of the tourists, which was read at Wednesday's news conference.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2009
On August 30, 2009, Martine Larochelle, Kirstie Mauze, Joshua Jackson, Nancy and Dolores Lalanne, Antoinette Lovelace, Rachel and Shoshannah Henry, Natacha Chicoye, Edwine and Dudley Brutus and Mike Pierre-Paul, embarked on an 8 day cruise on the Carnival Victory ship leaving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Throughout the week, we visited the following islands: St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Kitts.
On Friday, September 4th, 2009, we docked on the island of Antigua, where the majority of the group wanted to go to the beach, while Shoshannah wanted to rent All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). As we disembarked from the ship, Martine was greeted by a van operator who agreed to take us to the beach and rent ATVs afterwards. Martine negotiated a flat fare of $50 for a trip to the locations, to which the driver agreed. Martine shared the agreement with the group, and we all walked with the driver towards his minibus, which was parked separately from the other taxi cabs. While in the minibus, we asked the driver permission to use his cell phone so we could inquire about the renting costs for the ATVs. He informed us that we would need to purchase a phone card to put minutes on his phone so we can use it. The driver took us to a store, where Martine, Kirstie and Joshua went in to buy the phone card. While inside the store, Martine decided the .....
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The tourists should have just paid the additional $50 and got on with their vacation. To take a stand for a point that could have possibily been a missunderstanding ( $50 round trip or $50 each way) is not worth what they are going through. It is a known fact that the cabbies on those islands are some times shifty. They all could have thrown in $10 each and been on their way. The 1st mention of the police in a foreign land should have been a clue, that this thing was getting ugly and the end would probably not be in their favor.
by
Msve
October 3, 2009, 2:01 pm
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This is a very unfortunate situation. I think they should have followed their first minds and to rent the ATV. Cab drivers in some foreign countries will try to take advantage of tourists, especially Americans. My family and I have traveled to Islands and know that you have to have your guard up because sometimes the cab drivers and other service workers live in poverty in such beautiful tourist destinations. Amazing. I hope they are set free!
by
Creativelady
October 1, 2009, 10:30 pm
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I'll f*** em up when their Caribbean relatives come to America. Damn non-American blacks...
by
MikeCockrell9
October 1, 2009, 8:47 pm
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Don't negotiate with cabbies in 3rd world countries. You will never win.
by
Dialectic
October 1, 2009, 7:40 pm
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The comments from people who were not there i have just read , should have placed there self in the situation before they went on a tirade of stupidity.
by
Tman333
October 1, 2009, 3:19 pm
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