9:08 PM Sat 24 Jan 2009 GMT
 | | 'Drew Gollan - from Facebook'
.
|
In the midst of preparation for the 42nd Antigua Sailing Week, the largest and most spectacular regatta of the Caribbean, the island is in uproar and yachts are leaving in droves, as the yachting community grieves in anger about the shooting death of Australian 38-year-old yacht skipper Drew Gollan.
Some yachts have already left for neighbouring islands including St. Maarten, Nevis and St. Barts.
During a meeting convened yesterday at a local entertainment hotspot yachtsmen and residents alike openly and aggressively expressed their frustration at the incident that claimed a colleague's life.
Some of those gathered hurled expletives and chastised the police and those in authority for allowing rough elements to infiltrate the community.
'Some of the yachts have already decided to leave, others are considering it. Some have left,' one yachtsman's angrily shouted.
Another member of the yachting community announced that he had just received a phone call notifying him of a captain's meeting in St. Maarten, where a decision was taken that 'no single boat will return to Antigua.'
Reportedly, based on the discussions from that meeting, directives were given for the yachtsmen to moor their vessel in neighbouring islands.
One captain said he has been coming to Antigua for over 20 years and because of this incident, he will be pulling out of Antigua and added that he does not plan to return until the crime situation is brought under control.
Another boat captain, who said that he lives here, said he was given instructions to leave Antigua as well. He said he will not be returning until next year.
John Duffy, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Yacht Association said despite the tragedy he was hoping that the skippers would stay, but said the decision is solely theirs, adding that he understands the risk in keeping their boats in Antigua.
He said something urgently needs to be done to protect the industry, now at the brink of collapsing.
Tourism Minister Harold Lovell, who was present at the meeting and obviously overwhelmed by the situation, tried to offer some comfort to the yachtsmen.
He asked them not to leave and promised that everything is being done to bring the perpetrators to justice.
While expressing sorrow at the prospects of having to leave, one captain said that he cannot afford to put his crew at risk and told the minister he will leave today.
The Caribbean lies on the critical route between the gigantic drug suppliers of Colombia and the world's biggest market, the USA. Drugs are said to be the cause of much of the crime in the Caribbean. Cruising sailors have set up their own Caribbean Safety and Security Netto try to deal with the ongoing issue.
Drew Gollan's partner, Alena Sitkova, who was also wounded in the incident, said that Gollan had died trying to protect her and their baby daughter Carolina, when they were attacked by a would-be robber. He sustained three gunshot wounds to the chest and was dead on arrival at the local hospital.
The couple had been planning to settle in Hervey Bay in Queensland where Gollan had been previously employed as a Whale Watching skipper.
by Antigua Sun/Sail-World Cruising
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
  |
Mount Wellington, TAS
