The CR government indicated that 4 "feared" staff at Dundee were deported to Jamaica.
Kay says 'absolutely false'.
He speaks of Lichfield (Dundee) as if they were perfect strangers. The media can be a powerful tool when one wants to spin a web of illusion.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/htm ... ty_bay.aspJamaica no problem, says Tranquility Bay
BY PETRE WILLIAMS Observer staff reporter
Sunday, June 08, 2003
Excerpts
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At the same time, he [Kay] expressed reservations regarding the allegations about the Costa Rican facility, but said he would be outraged were they found to be true.
"If there are substantiated cases of abuses that have been alleged then I would not only be disturbed but I would be outraged. I fully support the government's investigation into such allegations. I think it's mandatory but I do feel the government could have approached things on a more proactive basis so as not to create such a chaotic situation at the school as has been reported," he said.
Added Kay: "I mean, I've been doing this about 10 years, and after dealing with thousands of kids quite often you'll find many embellishments in their report and that's not to say they are not accurate. But kids clearly operate on an agenda.
"A number of the kids that I have spoken to were at the facility in Costa Rica. First hand, they have not substantiated the allegations. But I haven't been there so it is hard for me to comment..." said Kay.
"Tranquility Bay is not abusive and I can supply kids who will say we are not abusive and who were there for two years..." he added.
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"We don't USUALLY have a problem there (at Tranquility Bay) with sanitation," a Health Department official WHO REQUESTED ANONYMITY told the Sunday Observer.
Added the official: "We do not have checks like monthly and so, but I would say once every three months. We look for wastewater disposal, sewage disposal, and pests. We look at the drainage, the canteen, and the bathrooms. And over the period we have never had any adverse conditions as such," the official said.
"You will find little things here and there that need to be remedied and we usually get that done. For instance, like at the canteen you would find a broken window or so and say, 'okay, get this put in place' and they USUALLY comply."
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Anonymity.. Usually..leaves alot to the imagination. Cleaver. Put ALL the focus on sanitation to minimize the abuse.
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"We haven't had any more incidents happening there since that one (suicide)," Corporal Allecia Stewart of the Constabulary Communication Network told the newspaper.
But she said the cops on patrol DID NOT ACTUALLY GO ON THE COMPOUND. "They just speak to personnel FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE GATE to check to see if everything is fine."
Kay said the facility enjoyed a good relationship with Jamaican state agencies and he dismissed charges that his operation lacked transparency, saying he had no problem with people touring the facility, as long as the privacy of the teenagers was not compromised.
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"Everything's fine" must imply that there are no student uprisings or suicides. They obviously aren't there looking for abuse or neglect.
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The paper provides a message board and invites folks to "Talk Back" about this article. There is only one post which reads:
Posted by: Lou St. John
Posted on: Monday, June 09, 2003 at 12:22:33 AM
Location: Malvern, Jamaica
Occupation: company director
Comments: If "the cops on patrol did not actually go on the compound" how on earth do they know whether there are problems there or not. Maybe Jamaicans for Justice should drop in unexpectedly, or Amnesty International.
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Deborah
