Jolly Harbour Tenants Appeal to Prime Minister Over Alleged Discrimination Against Black-Owned Businesses

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Below is a letter from some Jolly Harbour tenants to Prime Minister Gaston Browne:

Prime Minister Gaston Browne I would like to bring a matter to your attention. I have been a tenant in Jolly Harbour since 1994.

My business was owned and operated by the late Hans-Bert Kupin from 1992. Recently with the new developments in Jolly Harbour, myself and the other tenants were excited.

The tennis courts, pool, pickle ball courts and other amenities were being rebuilt and other major developments which spells good for the Jolly Harbour community. The derelict casino is being demolished.

At least for the first time, since 1994, we have seen major improvements and some exciting developments. The problem is that the current tenants have been left in limbo with no clear indication about their status and the future of their business in JH.

The average monthly rent is about EC 2500. Now we have been sent emails (see attached) with units that will cost over EC 10k per month. The issue with this, is that other tenants have been sent emails with half of this size and whilst I am not one to make an issue about race, it seems like those receiving the lower sized units are white and those with the higher priced units are all black owned local businesses.

There is seemingly a concerted effort to force all the black owned businesses out of Jolly Harbour. Recently, the guy from the golf cart rental office asked where he can park his carts because they needed the land that his cart is parked on for development. The response from the CFO was, “you can park it in Orange Valley for all I care.”

 I asking you to please look into this issue because the tenants are at their wits end. There is a concerted efforts by those in charge to change the face (remove the black owned business) of Jolly Harbour.

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13 COMMENTS

  1. 🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱
    Ah marning yet? RICH PEOPLE AH CRY CROCODILE TEARS OR IS IT THAT THEY SMELL, SEE, FEEL, TASTE THE SPIRIT OF SOUTH AFRICAS BOTHA.
    WELCOME TO GASTON’S SOUTH AFRICA.

  2. Time for Fair Play in Jolly Harbour,
    Now that the cat’s out of the bag, let’s take action!
    – Time for the powers that be to step up and get to the bottom of this mess.
    – If these allegations turn out to be true, they need to fix things ASAP and make sure all tenants are treated equally.
    – Jolly Harbour’s makeover should be a chance for everyone in the community to prosper, no matter their race or background

  5. Does anyone really believe this possible?
    The developers in JH are openly telling black owned businesses that they can go to hell – or Orange Valley – and that the rents to be charged for black owned businesses are going to be double those of, presumably, white owned ones?? This is beyond the realms of idiocy if they are in fact doing this.
    It now begs the question – why would this be so? Obviously, there would be a huge, and well-deserved reaction from the Antiguan people and Government should this be the case.
    Without further investigation, and proof, may I humbly suggest that your readers think before jumping to conclusions.

  6. Lol.$2500 for rent in Jolly harbour and in town a space to rent is so expensive ? Black owned businesses paying more .
    No sa, nothing cannot go like that. Mr PM, you have to step in quick and deal with this situation before it ruined out tourism.
    No white man should ever come to a black man country and bosses them around telling the young man to park his bike in orange valley, for all he cares. If he said that ,this man needs to apologize to the young man . He is rude. We don’t need no disrespect and bullying from no one. We need peace and tranquility and transparency. Get to work, Mr PM.

  7. Hey heyyyy! Aru vote fu de Apartheid. Btw, aru ain’t seen nuttin yet! Dis ah jus de beginning! Dem started wid de no access to de beach, an plenty ah aru defended dem by sayin “ah private property”… aru no min ah 👀 de biggah picture. How many of you went and picketed for beach access? If only 🇦🇬ns had placed a higher value on having access to ALL of Antigua’s beaches regardless to who was carrying the torch, then maybe 🇦🇬ns would have a govt. that would advocate for it’s citizens when it comes to these matters. Antiguans party loyalty and apathy allows for the relegation to second class citizens. Sadly, 😢 ah tun mo💧💧 deh fu com.
    It’s going to be and economic POWER house for a few, and an economic POOR house for MANY

    Give them and inch they take a yard — Give them a yard they take a mile!

  8. If this price ganging continues, then we will rather buy a property in Monaco. More expensive but you get value for you money and a decent place to live with no Taxes either, much more attractions, events etc.

  10. Can I just grow more HEMP, I will get to a beach?

    The use of the term “Black Owned Businesses…”

    Kum een Brother Bob…
    …U too rude!!!
    …Oh! What a Rat Race!

    Hail – Ah Wey de #Nuff_N_Edge Kru Dey!
    …AH HEAR DEM SAY!!!

    …WAH DEM SAY! AH BEY!
    …TINGS, AH GOH BETTAH WID LABOUR!

    Now…

    …EVEN, BLAK_WHITE! WHITE_BLACK.
    …DEM, DAT NAH BLEACH!
    ..,BUT, JUS #JAM_DUNG!
    ..,PAN DE BEACH! ELI 😭
    …DRY U EYE! U PASS DE TEST!
    ..,BUT, WAT ABOUT DE REST!
    …SO, PLEASE HELP US TO UNDERSTAND!
    …IS THIS SOUTH AFRICA?
    …STYLED, AND FASHIONED AFTER BOTHA?
    …HAPPENING IN JOLLY HARBOUR ANTIGUA?
    .,,GOOD GOD, ANY BODY, POSEIDON, ZEUS, MAMI_WATA
    …IF THESE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE
    …WHAT, THE FUCK WILL BECOME OF BARBUDA!

    Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
    De’Ole Dutty Peg👣Garrat_Bastard

    Vere C. Edwards

  11. Is it just me, or are these comments by Antiguans racist? All this hatred from an unproven and un-investigated allegation by 1 vendor!!???
    I am Antiguan and what I am reading here does not bode well for the future – the white man leaves, you have the Caribbean version of Zimbabwe.
    Shame on you racists calling for the eviction of any other race, calling the country an apartheid wannabe.
    Fools.

  12. Whatever the situation; can you realistically expect the perpetrator to be the arbitratior? You need to appeal to someone else.

Comments are closed.