The Bahamian People Answer.

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From: "candr rolle" <candrr@hotmail.com>
To: sandy@cutlass-bay.com
Date: Thu, 05 Jul 2001 15:56:52 -0400
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I have no interest in having this message posted on your web page nor do you 
need to respond. I just wanted to say that I do feel for you but I also feel 
this web site will do no good what so ever and if it is bringing you comfort 
and a sense of partial revenge that is sick. It disgusts me.
- Local White Citizen.

To: <sandy@cutlass-bay.com>
Subject: Cutlass Bay Web site
Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2001 13:31:12 -0500

Sandy's Answer:

Sandy's  Answer: (note Mr. Osborne's mail returned )

Ms. Gay from Nassau:  

Dear Mrs. Robertson:

As a resident of the Bahamas, I am shocked and saddened by your

story.  I am even more shocked and saddened by your website, which is,

as far as I am concerned, a very derogatory statement that reflect on

the whole country, which is populatd by a majority of law abiding

citizens and residents like myself, trying to make honest living and

doing so with tremendous dependence on the outside world.

First of all, let's look at the Cutlass Bay Resort.  I have lived in the

Bahamas, 18 years, and often heard about various resorts and hotels that

ncouraged nudity on the beaches by their patrons.  for the majority of

Bahamians, who consider themelves to be very Christian people, this has

caused a lot of controversy.  Behaviour that is contrary to the

teachings of the Bible is strongly frowned upon here, and by all

accounts it seems tht your nudity policy at Cutlass Bay set you aside

from the community to some extent.  It seems to me then, that if you

show yourselves as being supporters of immoral behaviour, you are going

to attract the attention of others who also engage in illegal or immoral

activities. And in every community there are such individuals, whether

it be in the Bahamas or the United States.

So let's turn to the United States.  Judging by the influx of TV

channels that contain  violent material, movies about drug busts, sexual

crimes, abuse of women and children, and the constant barrage of news

stations covering live stories of such events, it sems to me that over

there you do not have a lot of room to talk about others, and with the

corruption that has been exposed in the US government, police forces,

and armed forces over the years, apparently you have it on a much

grander scale than we do.  Afer all, you have a population of nearly 300

million, as opposed to 300,000 in the scattered islands of the

Bahamas.  We have to struggle to police our islands because of the

demand for drugs in the US, and if you recently saw on Fox News a CIA

agent who has written a book about corruption in the US drug enforcement

agencies states that deals are made between the US government and the

Colombians to allow half the cocaine into the US as long as they get to

catch the other half.  think about it for a minute, and then tell me how

the heck you expect that to impact a small island nation that has had

American materialism suddenly thrust upon it during the last 30 years or

so, while it is still an emerging nation.

And now. let's talk about being in fear when travelling abroad.  My

husband and I are a bi-racial couple, and from what we have seen and

heard on your television news programs, there are parts of the "free"

United States of America that we would be terrified to set foot in for

fear of being murdered just for being who we are!  One black and one

white, who just happen to love each other very much.  At least here in

the Bahamas, while I cannot pretend that prejudice does not exist, I can

t least feel that I am safe, and my only concern for anyone who has

racist ideas here is for their immortal soul, not that they wish me any harm.

I am truly sorry that you have had such a terrible experience in the

land that I have come to call my home.  However, I do feel that there

are always two sides to every story, and while you have the right to

tell your side of it, I hope that in writing your book you will take

time to do some soul searching and evaluating.  Exacting vengeance of

this sort on a majority of peaceful, friendly and law abiding people is

not going to help you find peace in your life, on the contrary, every

penny you make from the sale of your book is going to feed the anger and

hate that is consuming you now.  I can speak from experience, as I too,

have been a victim of violent crime and police corruption.  It exists in

all countries, not just the Bahamas and the United States of America.

May God be with you,

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Gay

 

Sandy's Answer:

Dear Ms. Gay

 

        Thank you for your letter, let me tell you that I am aware of

that the majority of the citizens of the Bahamas are law abiding.  I

encourage you to go to the memories sections of the www.cutlass-bay.com

and read the comments from the guests of Cutlass Bay Club.

        Prior to August 1999,  Cutlass Bay was the largest private

employer on Cat Island. Most of the staff at Cutlass Bay, I considered

either my children or my friends.  I really loved most of them.  "Sand

Money"  is  about them, my husband and my relationship with them. It is

about the guest who came to Cutlass Bay.   It also includes the

arson,  attempted murder and the harassment that my husband and I

experienced on Cat Island.  These acts were not done by up upstanding,

God fearing Bahamian people.  These people are criminals,  drug dealers.

 

        Although your letter indicates that it is ok to assault with the

intent to kill and set fire to property if you disagree with someone in

the Bahamas.  I  hope that is not what are advocating.

I wonder how you would feel if what happened to me happen to you or your

daughter.

 

          You are right about the violence in the United States. I

however do not  know any drug dealers in Tampa;  I knew many in Cat

Island. They are here, but I don't know their names and neither does the

average Tampa resident.  If Senator Bob Graham of Florida spent the

night in a convicted drug dealers house in Tampa, the U. S. newspapers

would carry the headlines the next day.  When Bahamian Members of

Parliament spend the night in a convicted drug dealer's home in Cat

Island, it is an accepted, No one blinks an eye.  The Bahamas have less

than 300,000 in population and Cat Island has less than 2,000. The crime

in the Bahamas and Cat Island per capita is much higher than the  United

States.   Check the new articles listed on www.cutlass-bay.com.  Did you

know the percentage of murders per capita in the Bahamas, I didn't until

after August 1999.  I will continue posting current new articles to the

www.cutlass-bay.com.

        I assure you "Sand Money" and www.cutlass-bay.com will deal

with the ineffectiveness of the DEA in the Bahamas.  Continue visiting

www.cutlass-bay.com. "Sand Money"  will include letters  to and from

the American Embassy in the Bahamas, U. S. and Bahamian Government

officials prior to the August, 1999 arson attempted murder.

 

        Ms. Gay in your letter you do not address why the people

responsible have not had to answer  in courts for the arson and

attempted murder.  The web site cutlass-bay.com would not exist had the

Bahamian judicial system worked.  There would be no need for it.  Maybe

"Sand Money" would have still been written because it has been therapy

of me.  Do you know how many nights I woke up screaming?   I couldn't

stay on Cat Island, and it took months before I was able to stay in my

Tampa home alone.  I went to my daughters house every night, I was a

"basket case."  I am much better now but I have a gun in my house. Until

August 1999 there was none.  I do not believe I will ever get completely

over the incident.

          Ms. Gay I am having my day in the Court of  World Opinion, the

Bahamian Judicial System has not acted on  this crime. I was accused of

trying to put a curse on Cat Island.  Ms. Gay,  the God fearing

Bahamians,  who are not outraged when drug dealers, arsonist, murders,

and rapist are walking the streets of the Bahamas, are putting a curse

on your entire country. When Bahamians  do not protest when

incriminating evidence is missing from court files the curse is being

cast. When any country ignores corruption within the government, it is

doomed.  The outside world has a right to know the true story.  Much of

www.cutlass-bay.com references other web sites.  My story is only a

small portion of the true story.

        I have been asked, how long I would keep the web site up.  It

will stay up until those guilty of the Arson and Attempted Murder are

behind bars.  Until Justice is served.  I am sure you are familiar with

the O. J. Simpson's murder trial.  Ron Goldman's and Nicole Simpson's

family are regularly  on U. S, talk show programs, six years later.  Do

you think there would be an interest if O J. Simpson was behind bars?  I

will notify you as soon as "Sand Money" is published, I am sure you will

find it interesting.

Sandy Robertson

 

Sandy's Note: The criminals I referred to in my letter are definitely Bahamian.  Commissioner Farquharson was appointed shortly after August 1999.  I have written him letters. "Sand  Money" deals  favorably with Inspector Mortimer, the highest ranking Cat Island police officer at the time of the August 1999, attempted murder and arson. 

Dear Sandy, I understand many of your points, and am painfully aware of the murder situation in our country.  I almost became a statistic myself, having had a gun held to my head and been told I had till he counted to 5 to get the money.  We do have serious social problems, and if you refer to my first email, where I talked about the influences of television and movies from the US, you will see tht I attribute many of our problems to this .  It has become a society where instant gratification is the norm.

Whether it has anything to do with your case, I don't know, but I do know that our new commissioner of Police is doing a great job in cleaning house on the force, and bringing the crime figures down.  It isn't going to happen overnight, and I am afraid that the damage that you may do with your book will only hamper the good work that Mr. Farquharson is trying to do.

Of course you should never give up trying to see to it that the perpetrators of ths crime against you are brought to justice, but if as you say, you have many friends in Cat Island, (and I notice that you did not say these criminals were Bahamians, so I am assuming they were foreign too) do you not think that pursuing your case through proper legal channels through the US embassy and the Bahamian government would be more appropriate than risking the livelihoods of many innocent people?  I wonder how you would feel if a country more powerful than the US was to

start accusing your government  of corruption, or your people of being drug dealers (and no, even after 18 years I cannot say I know any dealers personally, but I do know a large number of people who have suffered from drug abuse problems, and worked with the National Drug Council in the past, and I am very much aware of how foreigners brought drug trafficking to the Bahamas).

I love this little country very much, and I am seeing lately that much is being done to try to right the wrongs, and rather than seeing you tearing us down, I wish you would  if you love the people so much, reconsider the book and what you are doing with the website, and since you come from such a powerful country, do something to help us keep the Bahamas a peaceful and welcoming place for tourist to come..  Try lobbying for stronger measures to be taken to slow down the demand fro drugs in your own country, stand up for moral decency, gun control, and against the corruption within the ranks of your own leaders.  The Bible says he who is without sin may cast the first stone.

We have only been an independent nation for 27 years.  We have a lot to learn and a long way to go before we can say we have caught up with the rest of the world in maturity, and I am sure many mistakes will be made along the way, but the rest of the world seems to be disintegrating around us, particularly in morality, so it is extra tough for us.   My husband and I often do what we would like to see more people doing, and that is turning to God to seek peace, wisdom and love.  I hope that you will do the same, and I will remember you in my prayers, in the hope that you will find peace of mind and relief from the trauma that you experienced at Cutlass Bay, and that the perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice in due course.  Peace be with you, Ann

To this "Ms. Gay":

  The way you describe nudity at this resort is really out of the realm of

reality to most people. You make it sound like there is people having sex

acts all over the beach and saying it is immoral and quoting the bible is

just the worst part of what you're trying to say. Simple nudity is one

thing, leuwd nudity is a whole other thing. You are obviously a church going

type who is seemingly narrow minded about simple nudity on a beach. Being

nude and not leuwd, is something that the majority of people practice on

these types of beaches. And in this world, majority rules period. You are

NOT in the majority with your narrow minded or conservative views with

nudity on beaches. The few who ruin it on the beaches for the rest of us are

the ones the uptight people focus in on right away. How about opening up the

mind and slowing down and thinking before speaking and focusing on the

things that are in the minority. You need to figure out quickly that you

are, and will be, in the minority forever most likely. People simply go to a

beach that is CLEARLY a clothing optional beach/nude beach, and sit around

in the sun and get a tan,swim, and hang out with other like minded people.

We are not sitting aroung in the sun thinking about raping this woman over

there, or look at her ass I think I'm going to kidnap her and make her my

sex slave......Good god settle down! You're the squeeky wheel that WON'T get

oiled believe that! You have the right to your beliefs obviously, but get it

through your head that you need to accept that your ideas are just a tiny

little speck of sand. Very important yes, but the MINORITY. I always say

home is where the heart is, and I think the WORLD is a big s@#thole with

drugs and corruption in every place and I think these people at the Cutlass

Bay Club realize that. I don't think that they are whining about what a

pathetic place the Bahamas are, rather simply telling THEIR own experiences

and what THEY think should be done about them. We all make our home what we

want it to be even though out our windows it might be a rather scary place

to some degree. I took their website to be more of a informative message of

what they feel is happening on Cat Island. I know you have lived there for a

long time as you have stated and you must know about these drug idiots

running all over the place. They are everwhere-but still need to be shot,

period. Everywhere meaning planet earth. I think not accepting topless

people and nude people in some areas is just plain a waste of time. How can

you be happy? You can't change it and I can't. I go in areas where there is

these types of beaches and they ARE very few. The beaches you like

apparently are ALL over the place. They are the majority, period. Why

complain about a handful of these around the world when there are 99% of

them just regular public beaches. Birds of the feather flock together. You

stay in your flock and we'll all stay in ours and everyone will get along

just fine. Let's all quit thinking we know what is going on with everyone

when really we shouldn't care. I definately don't care that you have a suit

on, nor does anyone else. I'm a 38 year old male who has been married for

almost 17 years and have a 6th grade girl and 5th grade boy for the record

and have lived a little. In Minnesota in the US, but have traveled some and

I don't like alot of people. I just don't have the time to disect the world

around me. I treat people as I want to be treated with repect ect. and

everything will take care of itself. All drug dealers and users should be

shipped to the moon, or shot first ask questions later.....that's my policy.

Yes, one person can affect the world(look at what Hitler did), but the odds

are that people all over the world are too busy worrying about their

neighbors business. Let's all sssssettle down, get off our soapboxes and try

to get through life with some love. What can I say, I'm wordy......Thank You

Mr. "B" from Minnesota

---

Hello,

I am an American married to a Bahamian and we live in Nassau. I wish

there was something I could do to help your cause. If you need any

assistance, as far as petitions to sign or letters to write, please let

me help. I have an 18-month old (born in Nassau) and I am at wits end as to what his life will be like if nothing is done with the political and

judicial systems of the Bahamas AND the United States.

I do not blame television for the crimes that our young people are

committing. It is a lack of guidance by parents and teachers, law

enforcement and political figures that is ruining whatever future they

might have.

Thank you for your time,

Tracy

---

At 06:15 AM 02/13/2001, you wrote:

what do these people do to make a living?  just curious.....  where do they come from? England ?

Sandy Answer:

I really am not sure what people you are talking about,  if it is Sandy and Robby Robertson.
Robby ran the Cutlass Bay Club for  10 years on Cat Island Bahamas.
It was closed  permanently on January 8, 2001.
The assailants and arsonist are still on Cat Island. 
Robby and Sandy both are United States Citizens.

Ezra Russell according to the DEA is a convicted drug dealer
His family are known drug dealers. His father is a convicted drug dealer, out on Appeal.

If this e mail did not answer your questions, please feel free to e mail me again

Sandy

Didn't mean to come off sounding nasty .... guess I did.  Just concerned
about your troubles as my daughter is an American and lives in Nassau ...
sometimes she seems "anxious" even tho she is married to a Bahamian.
Had occasion to be in Nassau / Eleuthra over Christmas ..... there does seem
to be an element of suspicion/haughtiness by the natives ..... not all of
them ... but some.

Sandy's Answer:

No problem thank you for your concern.  You are correct that sometimes there is reason to be "anxious"  I am afraid I did not realize the extent that it could develop until  it was too late.

I could not live in the Bahamas again, however there were a few years in Cat Island,  and a few   Bahamians  that I will always cherish,

Sandy

---

To <sandy@cutlass-bay.com>

Subject What a story

We have a house on XXXX, Abaco and our caretakers (American) sent this URL. It frightens the living daylights out of me. They too are having problems with the local government regarding their rental home and unknown rental licensing rules. The government has shut down their US based website and threatened that if they found their house on the net they both would go to jail. Also, payments to the government were made to "pacify" the local government until a year residency permit could be established. The government official would not provide a receipt for the money. We have our doubts the money ever made it to Nassau.

Please reserve a copy of your book Sandy Water for me.

I wish you and your family well.

Sandy's Answer:

There are many foreign owned  private houses on Cat Island rented from the web. I know none of them have a license.   It is my understanding that guest houses do not have to be licensed.  I would call the Ministry of Tourism and ask the question. If your friends can't rent their house then there are a lot of houses in the Bahamas being rented illegally.

         The Bahamian government has no authority to shut down  privately owned web sites . I find it hard to believe that they would even try.    Some low level government official may have threatened your American friends if they advertised on the web.  If the Bahamian Government really did shut down a  privately owned U. S. based web site,  have your friends give me a call or e mail me.

          I know of an instance on Cat Island, where one of the members of the local board went to an American who had rental property and told them they needed a license to rent the property.  They did not comply with the request, they are still renting the property.

 You would not believe in our 10 years on Cat Island, the things we have been told by low level government officials and the threats we have received by low level government officials.  It is just a form of extortion used by many local government officials. 

The book title is "Sand Money,"  reference "cocaine."  I will reserve a copy for you.

Thank you for your e mail, www.cutlass-bay.com will continue to be updated.

Sandy

---