Pis**d off
 

Here I was busy scouring the internet for a flight deal to St Lucia during the summer holidays. Peak time fares or what 800 pounds a seat x 4, well a bit cheaper for the kiddies. Well hey that pissed me off a bit, but not as much as this e mail I recieved recently.




HI everbody,
This is a true stoty. I happen to know the couple personally. The Criminals seem to be targeting returnees from the UK and USA.I just have to be very watchfull and carefull.



Subject: Fwd: Fwd: Kidnapping/Extortion reaches Helen- Big Time.




Sounds so much like Trinidad!! Like its getting contagious. So sorry to hear this.



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Subject: Re: Kidnapping/Extortion reaches Helen- Big Time.


Believe it or not the incident below happened in St Lucia.(Not part of a movie!!)

Sometime last Friday a man is captured near his home beaten and taken up into the house by some armed masked men.

The man's wife is in the home and is violently attacked also. Both are hog tied and kept there for the weekend.

Occasionally she is let loose (I suppose for food etc) but under serious surveillance. (armed of course).

On Monday morning following explicit instructions (after obtaining information from the elderly couple on their bank accounts),

the wife was is made to travel to a local bank and forced to make a withdrawal of $17,000( as reported).

She was said to have been monitored every step of the way and confirmation of her every move was communicated to her by

cell phone at significant points on her way to ensure she got the message; that any false move will result in the husband's death.

She was instructed to deposit the cash at a particular location (phone booth!!! sounds like a movie right?)) somewhere along the way.

Only when she did that I suppose (and the money was safely picked up by the bandits) that she is told to return home, and is able to buy her husband (and

her) freedom!

The elderly couple lived in the North western part of the country and both retired after having spent years in the UK.

Merci Bon Dieu, their lives were spared...maybe because they had saved some money from their "working years".

One wonders why have none of our leaders seen it fit yet to "admit" where this country is going crime wise and truly make it a national effort

and not a political one!. This has to be a good type for a National Symposium on Crime...tout monde all the best brains (and no brains - we have plenty!)

come together!

We are on one hand asking Lucian to return home and invest and then this.......

For us down here this is a new level of crime (at least in the public view).

Have we just witnessed the entry of a more sophisticated crime (and criminal element)

in our small country?



Now guys, you know I am one who always promotes our beautiful island, but I consider you my friends , so I am telling you as it is. I know this couple(about 70 years old) and trust me I am fuming that an elderly couple or anyone should be subject to this.

I will give you the good as well as the bad, no cover ups by me. If visiting St Lucia be careful. If moving to the island invest in a couple of dogs and proper security.

Re: Pis**d off
 

My initial thoughts were that it is some sort of joke or malicious rumor circulating but when I got the bottom I realised I was wrong!

Yikes!!!! :thumbdown:

Re: Pis**d off
 

3aces, I truely wish it was a joke, and if I did not personally know the couple affected I would be a bit dubious. It is such a cowardly act on an elderly couple who just want to live their retirement years in peace. Boy am I fuming !!!

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Wow, PG, I'm so sorry that your friends had to go through such a horrible ordeal. What a coward who put them through it!

Dogs really are a good security system here in the Caribbean.

I hope your friends are okay and St. Lucia's reputation isn't tarnished by one coward's actions.

Foxy

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It's quite true. See the last few paragraphs of the local rag, The Voice:

http://www.thevoiceslu.com/local_new...TY_BEEF_UP.htm

It's getting out of hand down here these days.

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Don't know what you mean by "One Coward" foxy but I would suggest you check the reports of the number of homicides we have had so far this year. Then add to that the less well reported number of thefts and other crime. Sorry but there is no denying it, this place is not what it was 12 to 18 months ago and there seems to be very little being done about it. I hope somebody somewhere in authority starts to get to grips with it otherwise this sort of thing can unravel with lightening speed.

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Hi, A_Zimbo, where on the island are you living ?
This incident happened in Babonneau a village a bit off the beaten track.
Not many ex pats there, but this is where they chose to retire to.
Personally I would stick to more established ex pat/returnee areas, but this is where they chose.
Sometimes when you return to a small island and build a nice house in a very local area you can get some resentment from some of the locals. They do not realise that you may have had to work bloody hard to be able to buy what you have, and all they see you as is easy pickings. I am sure if this couple had a couple had a some trained German Shepherd dogs the bandits would have thought twice about bothering them. Anyway I hope they catch the low life scum who did this and they get what they deserve.

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You are absolutely correct PG. I am down in Marigot. Crime has gone beserk on the island and I would say, that and the water shortage are the two main talking points for anybody , irrespective of ethnicity or background on the island since both are affecting us all.

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pg, that is one hell of a story and i can't believe something like that actually happened!! Did this couple report it to the police?

i've noticed more resentment since i came over 4 years ago, even this morning this guy asked me for $10, then when I said no he called me a %£(%$#" white b%&£...charming eh?!

as for the water shortage...meh, i've managed to have one shower over the past week...at 4 in the morning!!!!

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Hi, new Canadian member to britishexpats.com here. (Too bad there doesn't seem to be a Canadian equivalent of this neat site)

My wife (who's originally from Trinidad) and I along with our five-month old son are off to St. Lucia for a week starting this Sunday. We're staying at the Coconut Bay resort and planning to tour the island and research the possibility of getting a little home for us there in the near future. I'm still considering other islands as well for the future, like Antigua and Grenada.

But then after reading this thread on crime in St. Lucia...wow, looks like I have some newsreading to catch up on...and it looks like we gotta be extra careful.

Well, let's hope our time in St. Lucia won't be spoiled by crime.

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Hi there Nomad, and welcome.

I can't speak to St. Lucia, but there are plenty of others who can.

I can tell you, however, that I've spent some time in Grenada and loved it. A friend of mine is living there and I visit whenever possible. Really pretty and really nice people.

Good luck.
Foxy

Re: Pis**d off
 

Foxy: thanks for the warm welcome and the comments about Grenada. I think Grenada will be the next island we'll visit. Haven't heard too much about it, but looks like I'll do a search on this forum to see more comments about it.

Re: Pis**d off
 

Cross Antigua off your list, its not what it used to be either, we have friends there(locals)who say its not what it used to be and outsiders are not welcome, of course if you are just staying on your resort or decide to live in a gaited area you will be OK(hopefully, as some of the security guys are corrupt too)we stopped holidaying there after visiting 6 years in a row as things were getting scary even though the resort was crawling with 'security', there are no private beaches in Antigua so anyone and their dog can wander onto the resorts so if you do holiday there be cautious at night.....look at Turks & Caicos, thats where I am heading next:fingerscrossed:

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Pammy: thx very much for the info on Antigua. My wife and I only went there for a day (cruise ship stopover) about two years ago, and it looked nice enough, but a day unfortunately doesn't showcase everything. Looks like Antigua might be off our list. :(

As for the Turks & Caicos, my wife is looking for a place that has fertile soil so she can have her own backyard for tropical gardening, just like she had growing up in Trinidad; she especially wants a good selection of mango trees to keep her happy. :) So places like TCI are unfortunately unsuitable.

(Hmm, I think I'll start a new post about possible places so as not to divert this thread's original discussion.)

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Hi, have a look at myturksandcaicosblog.com, theres tons of gorgeous plants and flowers in T&C, if she is orig from Trinidad would you not consider Tobago?

St Lucia is very lush but seems crime is increasing, plenty of info here again!

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TCI does seem to have some decent flora, but what my wife really wants to see is more fruit trees. I'm guessing TCI isn't really known for that kind of flora?

Tobago would be nice seeing as my wife still has her Trini citizenship, but so far it seems to have a few issues for us (please correct me if I'm wrong):

- Real estate costs in Tobago seem a bit high.
- Some of Trinidad's high crime seems to be slowly spreading to Tobago because of it's close proximity.
- There's no direct flights from Toronto to Tobago's airport. Instead, we would also have to take an "air-bridge" from Trinidad that seems a bit inconvenient.

But I'll keep doing some more research on this...

Re: Pis**d off
 

Nomad, to be honest the vast majority of people who go to St Lucia are not affected by crime, I know many people who live on the island who have never been affected directly, and we have had a family home in Reduit for the past 7 years and have never had a problem touch wood. However I raised this post not to scare people but to make people more aware of an incident which happened to a couple I personally know. Crime throughout the Caribbean region has increased, even in the most unlikeliest of places such as st Martin.
They live off the beaten track in a small local village called Babonneau where you as a tourist are unlikely to venture and I would not recommend you going there.
Do not flash cash about
Do not wear flashy expensive jewellry
Do not accept lifts off strangers just because you are in the Caribbean.
Get your taxi from the licensed taxi rank, don't just jump into any car who says they are a taxi.
Keep off the secluded beaches after dark and try and travel in groups.
Do not leave good unattended in cars or on the beach.

There are parts of Castries I would recommend you avoid, until you really get to know the place.

Get a recommended guide to travel with you if you are going to do an island tour. The first couple of times I did this with a taxi driver who doubled up as a guide for the day. Excellent way of getting to know the island.

It surprises me the amount of people who go to the Caribbean thinking its paradise and just seem to lose all common sense.


If you are going to live in the Craibbean, stick to established ex pat areas where you have a community of neighbours who look out for each other.
Do not go into a local area and build the biggest flashiest house you can and drive the most expensive vehicle you can get your hands on. Some of these people will resent you for this as you are rubbing your wealth in their faces.
Remember a lot of them are on very low wages and when you come out of no where flaunting all your stuff in their faces which they may never be able to afford, jeolousy arises. This is what I think is behind what happened to the couple in Babonneau. Even be careful who you hire to do your gardening or if you have a maid get proper recommendations.

You should be fine on your holiday, I have friends who have just returned from a trip to st lucia, they stayed in Rodney Bay and Cap Estate and had a ball of a time.

Re: Pis**d off
 

Hi PG & everyone

I haven't been on this site for ages so thought I'd take a look at what's been happening.

I am astonished to hear about this couple. How awful for them. Are they going to stay on the island?

I know the Babonneau area very well as we have relatives there & spend lots of time there during our visits & I am sad this has happened there. However, it doesn't surprise me as the crime in SLU in on the increase. Just last Dec my brother-in-laws son was stabbed & killed in Babonneau.

It is a pity because the people of Babonneau are lovely & will go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

It does actually make me have second thoughts about moving there but, if I do, I will most certainly be getting a few big dogs.

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pgtips: thx very much for the info. It's 3:17pm in the afternoon here on Wednesday in Coconut Bay and it's beautiful as usual (we'be been here since Sunday. Yesterday, we paid extra for a private tour guide to drive us around St. Lucia. Very impressed. No problems whatsoever. Everyone's nice.

Our guide told us about the areas popular with expats -- Rodney Bay, Cap Estates, Marigot Bay -- but what my wife really likes so far are the flat areas around Vieux Fort and Laborie. Not ex-pat areas we know, but perfect for the 'large-scale' gardening that she wants to do.

Oh well, still have until Sunday to see and enjoy more of St. Lucia...

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Excellent idea, having a guide to take you around St lucia, I hope you got lots of pics.

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Definitely. It's quite amazing variety of scenery on one island.

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HI, glad you are having a wonderful time, I am jealous although it is +4today...LOL!

Have a swim and a lobster for me!

Take Care, Pam

Re: Pis**d off
 

Quote
"Here I was busy scouring the internet for a flight deal to St Lucia during the summer holidays. Peak time fares or what 800 pounds a seat x 4, well a bit cheaper for the kiddies. Well hey that pissed me off a bit, but not as much as this e mail I recieved recently.




HI everbody,
This is a true stoty. I happen to know the couple personally. The Criminals seem to be targeting returnees from the UK and USA.I just have to be very watchfull and carefull.



Subject: Fwd: Fwd: Kidnapping/Extortion reaches Helen- Big Time.




Sounds so much like Trinidad!! Like its getting contagious. So sorry to hear this."

Sorry to hear this news. St Lucia is so beautiful and the people are generally very friendly. A minority are spoiling the traditional community spirit and closeness that we love and cherish.

I have a theory, I have to say development is good but there must be development throughout the population. Years ago in St Lucia there was employment in agriculture as well as tourism so people with different skills had an opportunity to earn money build their own homes etc and there was probably less unemployment and less resentment.
I read somewhere that where there is wide inequality the crime rate increases which probably explains why the crime rate hasn't increased in Dominica - to the same extent as other islands.
I hope the government will look at improving employment opportunities in diverse areas and not just tourism. Development must benefit everyone.
I'm sorry once again to hear this news I can imagine how hard the couple worked to make their dreams come true and there is no excuse for these crimes.
Peanut Punch

Re: Pis**d off
 

Well the police and government have said it is their number one priority to rid the island of this low life mentality. Generally with rapid development it takes a long while for the fruits to trickle down to the general population. It's more the case of a few fat cats lining their own pockets and leaving the rest to fend for themselves.

To be honest land prices have sky rocketed in St Lucia, but so have they on many other parts of the world over the last few years leaving some people feeling vunerable and unable to get on the property ladder in their own area. The difference between london and St lucia, who have both experienced rapid prices of goods and commodoties is England has a social welfare program. People who cannot afford housing are given council homes after a period of being on the waiting list. If they are not working their rent is paid and they are given an allowance to survive on. In St Lucia if you have no job and money, you better get use to digging yam !!! Thats presuming you can find some growing on a piece of land which has not been sold off yet :)

A lot of people live off the land in Dominica, the smart ones anyway !!! They are the most healthiest and live the longest. Dominica and St Lucia are both 'gardens of eden' with such rich fertile soil and can grow enough produce to feed everyone. But they are so blinded by development and keeping up with the west, the very thing which should keep them truely independent they are destroying. Now they have to import food at ridiculously high prices when their own backyard is capable of supplying all their needs.

I wonder who has been brainwashed.

Re: Pis**d off
 

Lets hope the Government, the police and the community work to sort out these criminals.

I also hope that the Government starts planning to ensure that local people have enough affordable ringfenced land available before it's too late.... possibly through tax policies... anyone else buying land could pay more tax to help with the economy and subsidise the cost of land for locals ... I guess that's much fairer.

The Government should also start taxing the fat cats as they're not going to give up their money easily.

I agree with you people need to go back to gardening for their own use, the wider community and I think hotels should be buying more local produce...which would create a market for the produce grown.

With the recession who knows perhaps things will change.

Anyway that's my manifesto for St Lucia :)

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And when I suggested I was going to do this most people said don't grow too much as people will just steal from you. Great eh!