International tourists abuse in Savusavu, Fiji - Report

ITALIAN TOURISTS VISITING ON A YACHT, ABUSED IN FIJI.

The Italian yacht Parmelia has spent the last 5 months on a mooring of Savusavu Marina in Fiji. The marina has no clear cut rules, regulations or guidelines. And acts the Fijian way of ‘do nothing’ to safeguard the interest of its international yacht clients.

Local youths have big swimming beaches at their village but invade the small marina haulout beach to swim everyday. They occupy the dock. Crash dive over the dinghy that is busy filling up with water. And laugh about it as if it’s the biggest joke.  The Fijians speak English until they can see one is upset about their vulgar abusive language and behaviour then switch over to the local language with hard, mocking laughter.

Going to the shower a police officer who was part of the group accused the crew of sv/Parmelia of being lesbians and jeered them. The choir of questions “where’s your husband?” called out from the group. Then one man dropped his pants in front of the crew showing his manhood with “where’s your husband?”

Terrorising women who happen to be single is unasked for in today’s life. The office manager was upset and went to the police. (The police who have not solved one out of ten International tourist involved cases in Savusavu since August 2014.) The marina strung a small chain in front of the dock. (Which five days later lies flat on the ground permanently). Men who need to apply authority, shine in their absence. Jose, wife of the local vet and involved in the marina, intimidated the group of international yachts people who went on a goodwill meeting with the local chief a few months earlier, saying that was not the time to address the issue. The result – more abuse to more tourists as this report shows.

Verbal sexual abuse was also reported to the Savusavu Marina in November 2014 by sv/Mylady – out at the mooring, at night. Verbal abuse was reported twice at the anti-crime meeting of ISACC 26Feb2015 by land owning people with police who come to investigate asking ‘where’s you’re husband’ and more. Never asking ‘what was stolen’ or relating questions. 

The crew of sv/Parmelia is afraid to lay charges for more ‘where’s your husband’ interrogation - worse – fearing REVENGE by the culprit and unlawful boarding of sv/Parmelia that is also moored at the furthest point of the mooringfield.

In total is Savusavu Marina an unsafe place. Sv/Parmelia plans to leave Fiji as soon as the rest of the crew arrive. Marzia, captain and owner of sv/Parmelia, a 45ft steel sloop, wish to sell the yacht and can be contacted via https://www.facebook.com/marzia.pietrantonio?fref=ts

Curly Carswell addressing (wednesday 19 November 2014) all the international yachts people of all marinas in Savusavu, Fiji, in a brief of the why, what and how of the official sevusevu [goodwill] ceremony to the chief of the local villge in a bet to fight all the theft, breakins on yahts and abuse that were mostly happening in Savusavu marina area.

Savusavu Marina Security issues

Letters to : Savusavu Marina
Gross disrespect by local youths fishing in your marina.

Evening of 17 Nov many fishing lights slowly but surely moved all along the shore to the reef. Normal - it is after all dark moon. 3 Lights worked the area at the end of the creek next to the steel yacht Parmelia. The night was silent. A long while later, we noticed the decklight of Parmelia and shortly after that Parmelia calling on the vhf for boats attention. The fishing men were diving against her boat. They fled away quickly when she came on deck. Yacht Mylady responded to Parmelia and then put a search light on. They were then in the red dinghy at the stern of yacht Viva la Vie. One standing on the dinghy with the pole, one sitting and one with snorkel in the water between Viva la Vie and the dinghy.  The dinghy slowly poled a few meters away from Viva la Vie. Lots of loud talk and laughter from them. It must have been around 10:30 / 11pm. They loudly called Mylady with a defiant mock.  Skipper of Mylady told them they have two choices, 'either to fish, or to get moving'. A moments silence before loud mocking laughter filled the air.  They stayed (one diving occasionally), loudly mocking, talking disgustingly filthy and indescent under my dress. My husband was furious. He phoned Lela. Got an answering machine and left a message. Their mocking laughter and dirty talking continuing. Around midnight they suddenly started paddling towards the village. Keeping Mylady all the time in the beam of their strong search light.

The breach of privacy in this marina is unreal. And we are paying clients?!

I expect of you to bring across in the sevusevu of tomorrow that
- the young men of this village have already shown that they have no respect for other people. Also not for local businesses who render services to boats, which in turn benefit the village. In other words, the young men of this village do not act to the benefit of the village.
- therefore, a clear line to be drawn what is the marina and what not - (probably a thin drift line between the white poles on the reefs).
- and in the marina, NO fishing. NO other activity - private property. (you did pay your dues?)
Safety is a world wide concern. Where there is no safety, there is no florishing bussiness - except crime.

It is heartbreaking to have heard a dead silence of reaction on the vhf radio when all this was happening, apart from Anna X.
It is shocking that there was no sight of the dock master. Not even the day after.
It is extremely sad that this marina has robbed me of my peace of mind. And we are paying?!
It is inevitable that these horror stories will be broadcasted far and wide.

Is Curly coming along to the sevusevu? Being the CEO of anti crime and also a marina and also a boatie and also a local, his pressence might be valuable.

My sadness is endless.
Mi-sA-lê
sv MYLADY (it's not a sentence, it's one name, therefore one word - MYLADY)

Savusavu Marina
re: security

Attached some pictures
Saturday evening at sundown time 9 youngsters came from the village to the creek. 6 swam to the yacht 'Intention'.  They dived around the yacht. We thought they might be fishing.
When they noticed us watching and filming them, they swam to the empty mooring of 'Lariekoek' and dived down the mooring.
After a little while they went ashore. We didn't follow them but heard laughter direction the marina dock.
Sunday morning at breakfast time there was a mbilibili with 3 younsters on and 2 men in the water at the mooring of the yacht 'Viva la Vie' . The 2 men dived. The raft went out of our sight towards the back of the yacht.
A little while later the 2 men came in a dinghy from behind the yacht towards shore.
Yacht 'Anna X' whom witnessed both happenings, informed us that thát was the dinghy that went missing and was used in the first burglary. The question they raised was, How did these youngster knew where to search for this dinghy?

My concern is:
-Having divers around my boat, at funny times, with no known agenda, does not make me feel safe at all. Did the police know about the search?
-It is one thing that I'm concerned about my personal safety, it is a total different and more dangerous issue that people can do things under my boat that I can not observe or control.
-How safe is the moorings itself if any and all divers go fiddling down there?
-Young village kids take the rafts to go 'whatever'. Fact is they cannot handle the rafts in any kind of wind and drifts onto the yachts to hang-on (and play?). We had on such occasion chased them away from Mylady. We do not need any more scratches and damage.

I do not appreciate any of this. I am sure many other yachts will agree.
In this known situation it is sorry to not see any presence of the dockmaster who normally would have the authority to address the tresspassers.

We do trust you will take up this matter immediately for the benefit of all concerned.
Thank you for caring.

Mi-sA-lê and Eelco Fransen
sv MYLADY