Dear Editor,
It is both sad and regrettable that the situation with Hodges Bay Club has become a white and black issue.
This is very dangerous for the economy of Antigua which is so completely dependent on tourism. If this island becomes known as one that is racial, tourists will stop coming and then our country will starve and die.
Akon is black and African and many of the folks that I saw in the video which has been widely circulated are not white.
The issue therefore is a double policy – one for tourists and the other for locals and while I fully understand why this policy exists so that hotels can be opened so that our people could earn a living, this policy could have been better and more sensitively handled by the government.
I blame the Minister of Tourism who seemed hell bent on doing everything to make himself look good. Even the award he got is a joke as we were the only country open for business so who was he being compared with?
It is time we understand that a tourist is not only caucasian. Black tourists also exist. In fact under the UPP with Harold Lovell as Tourism Minister, a big push was made to the African American communities in NY and Atlanta and to the diaspora, to visit Antigua on vacation.
Maybe the time has come, like in other countries, for local laws that deal with racial incitement. It is wrong. It is dangerous and Antiguans and Barbudans come in all colours.
Regards,
Dino Martin
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The problem with this letter is that the author doesn’t address the fact that it is the hotels that also create and sometimes encourage the double standard. Maybe we aught to tackle that issue first.
The comment in this letter and nothing is the same thing.
Mr. Dino Martin. You should know that the views express on social media and the radio do not necessarly express the view of the majority of Antiguans and Barbudans. We have many of our citizens working in the hotel and tourist industry and understand the issues very well. There is something called a silence majority. You need not respond to all this negativity on social media. It doesn’t serve your cause. You may want to do a public education
That Hotel Management seems to be the problem.The Administration needs to set standards and enforce them.Because no businesses in Antigua and Barbuda could break the laws without consequences. Unless they are given the green light so to do.Is this the same Hotel.That had fireworks at 2:00 am and disturbed their neighbors.How could they be allowed to openly have gatherings. While poor mom and pop businesses are closed. Who are in their pockets? Who are eating at that Hotel’s trough,daily?
Yardy yardy yaw. All you following Dem Americans wid dis racial shitick. When all the White tourists stop coming to the island and also telling their friends about all you predugice people on the island, all you go feel it. Americans doh give sheet about all you. Stap following their stupidness.
Is Dino Martin white because I know a lot of white people living here like to gaslight black people into believing race isn’t an issue. Anyway, I find the rhetoric spewed by the author to be equally as dangerous as he thinks the current narrative is. He says,”This is very dangerous for the economy of Antigua which is so completely dependent on tourism. If this island becomes known as one that is racial, tourists will stop coming and then our country will starve and die.” I find this quote to be hyperbolic in an attempt to make people veer away from addressing racial issues by stating the absolute worst he believes can happen. People are not afraid to talk about race anymore, Dino. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’m sorry for you but we don’t hide from discussing racial matters in 2021. If however, you don’t think the issue with Hodges Bay is racial just state that but heading straight into fearmongering says something about you. Also, your personal jab at the Tourism Minister’s award indicates you have a personal issue with the man. Are you a white person trying to police black people’s feelings or are you a tap dancer? Asking for myself.
Found the letter confusing. Seemed like the writer could not control his emotions. There was the need to attack Max plus the need to send a shout out to HL. Recall JA, SLU, Grenada being opened at most a month or so after us. The writer himself pointed out the guests involved here were not white, yet to his mind only HL has reached out to non-white tourists. Promo’s via BET continue.
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