13/6/83

We spent most of yesterday trying to assure her of that. Guy & Marion called a special meeting of a small number of concerned PCV’s to talk with Elizabeth. Fact was that P.C. in B’dos received a letter from Lisa stating her concern over her safety in remaining here. Apparently (and stupidly I think, though I was tempted to do the same) she wrote “Rapist” across Kelly's van with red paint (watercolor). She also ‘attacked’ the van when it pulled up to Liz's house one afternoon. She hasn't reacted well to Liz's rape because I don't think she ever resolved her own. In Lisa's case, the man was a Gov’t official (her supervisor) and P.C. never pressed prosecuting the man. I think that left Lisa with a lot of bad feelings that she still needs to express. Likewise for Marion. Anyway, Lisa's actions and Liz's lifestyle convinced P.C. B’dos that there was a real threat to her security. So they ordered her and Lisa off the island. Lisa is taking an early COS but Liz doesn't want to even leave St Vincent. That was last night's issue. Liz wanted to stay and we as a group of concerned PCV’s had to decide if her decision was prudent and rational. If so, how were we going to support her? We decided, among other things, to support Liz in her decision to stay by threatening to ‘walk’ out of here if P.C. retaliated by issuing a ‘field’ COS (that essentially divorces you from P.C. on the spot no plane tickets, no help, no nothing..). Well after an hour+ ( $120) on the phone with Tom Ferguson (P.C. area director who is very persuasive, by the way) Liz decided to leave the island for a limited amount of time. 10 days. She is leaving her belongings and her sister (I think) behind to guarantee her return. Her fear (and our fear too) was that they would her get off the island, prevent her from returning and eventually get her stateside. That, in that way, the whole thing could be forgotten. Apparently, a similar thing happened with Lisa in Dominica. She was taken off the island, transferred to St Vincent and the matter was forgotten. I guess the bottom line is that no one trusts P.C. and we were not willing to risk Elizabeth on a vague promise to return her when things ‘cooled down’. But in the end we had to trust them. But as Guy said “I barely trust them now. If they blow it this time I will have no trust for them”. So now all we can do is wait. Wait until things cool down. wait until Tom Ferguson comes to visit.

I have a mixed response to all of this. First, I really have concerns about Debbie's safety. With carnival coming on and all this recent furor about P.C. women being raped it wouldn’t take much for some loony (of which there are many here) to put 2 & 2 together and get 5 and rape somebody. That is my most overwhelming concern. For Debbie's and my (Guys assailant is still loose) safety. Second, I've got some reservations about P.C. sincerity. I just don't trust them. I can't really explain it. I just feel like something is being covered up (Watergate syndrome) or left out. Sure diplomacy is important in a case like this, but still we need some answers and some reassurances about our concerns and PC isn't providing any. I have trouble with that. I don't feel comfortable. We are going to press for Tom F. to come and talk to us. Soon. Meantime, we just have to hope and pray that nothing else happens.