Buggery on the balcony.............or reactionaries in Roseau ?
Kirstin and I are sitting in a lunch place in Roseau. We've moved the boat south to Dominica's biggest town. As we're waiting for lunch, the local paper is sitting on the table next to us. Three inch headlines announce "Buggery !!!". Two forlorn looking perps are on the page.
First of all..........neither of us know what "buggery" means. What could these guys have done ? Sounds like they asked the same question 3 times and are being prosecuted for it.
Anyway, as Kirstin reads the article it becomes apparent what buggery is. Apparently a Celebrity cruise ship stopped in Roseau, and these two guys were doing something on their balcony (facing the whole town) - twice - that is best done in front of a smaller audience. Cops run onto the boat...............and somehow find these guys still at it. Busted..........actually for indecent exposure vs. buggery (which probably carries some medieval penalty in Dominica.....like 2 weeks in the rack)
Having the legacy of an English judicial system, the presiding judge actually told these guys that they were deemed "rogues and vagabonds" as he collected their $2,400 fine........about $1,000 in USD. Worst part was that they missed their cruise ship and had to find their own way to St. Barth's to rejoin the group.
If you've seen some of our pictures of the island or have been here yourself, you realize that Dominica needs tourists. We asked our tour guide today what would have happened if it had been a guy and a girl instead. He grew up in the cruise terminal neighborhood and even knew some policemen. He said, "probably they watch and maybe make movie". Of course, doing anything along these lines in public at 10:00am demonstrates a monumental lack of judgment regardless of who is doing it.
Hopefully both sides learned something from this and most importantly.....tourist dollars won't stop coming here.
First of all..........neither of us know what "buggery" means. What could these guys have done ? Sounds like they asked the same question 3 times and are being prosecuted for it.
Anyway, as Kirstin reads the article it becomes apparent what buggery is. Apparently a Celebrity cruise ship stopped in Roseau, and these two guys were doing something on their balcony (facing the whole town) - twice - that is best done in front of a smaller audience. Cops run onto the boat...............and somehow find these guys still at it. Busted..........actually for indecent exposure vs. buggery (which probably carries some medieval penalty in Dominica.....like 2 weeks in the rack)
Having the legacy of an English judicial system, the presiding judge actually told these guys that they were deemed "rogues and vagabonds" as he collected their $2,400 fine........about $1,000 in USD. Worst part was that they missed their cruise ship and had to find their own way to St. Barth's to rejoin the group.
If you've seen some of our pictures of the island or have been here yourself, you realize that Dominica needs tourists. We asked our tour guide today what would have happened if it had been a guy and a girl instead. He grew up in the cruise terminal neighborhood and even knew some policemen. He said, "probably they watch and maybe make movie". Of course, doing anything along these lines in public at 10:00am demonstrates a monumental lack of judgment regardless of who is doing it.
Hopefully both sides learned something from this and most importantly.....tourist dollars won't stop coming here.