After finding out about these institutions from a friend that has actually experienced them I was horrified with what he had to goo through. After doing much research on the topic and reading all of the court document on the Gina Farmer case (406 pages) I have come to a solid conclusion that these wealthy parents are just too lazy to correct a very simple problem, attention. If they would have enough thought to look past themselves they would be able to see that Johny sneeking out for the first time in his life is as close to perfect as you are going to get. And quit frankly if I met a kid and they had done nothing at all in their life to be even a little defiant or rebellios I would be scared. I am currently in trouble with the law and am on brobation till the 17th of October for battery and have skipped school at least twice and did my parents, which could have easily sent me to this place, send me no they sat down and laid down the rules and I lerned my lesson just fine. And I was sent away to be twisted and corrupted to my wits end. And with this done i would like to see the wwasp shut down and no longer have the right to brain wash the kids which will in turn lead to the parents prime example of this is them believing that all complaints from their child is a manipulation. And if and Kay affiliats read this I would like to personally damn you to hell!

Well, the best you can do is spread the word.

Don't let any secrets lie.

Good luck...

- g

Early this year (2003) I vacationed in Jamaica. I had heard the stories and had spoken to some press that were investigating the issues. My curiosity was somewhat peaked, and since I was staying in Jamaica for about a week, I decided to hire a driver and see, for myself, what this facility looks like. My experience and the pictures I personally took of the facility are available for the asking. For those interested in an abridged version - - here it goes:

First and foremost, you must understand that this place is in the middle of nowhere. It's a shock to travel Jamaica's countryside to begin with, because driving in general is so dangerous, away from the resorts (I happened to be staying in Ocho Rios) and the poverty is omnipresent. The city (Treasure Beach) is as remote as it gets, and when you arrive and ask where Tranquility Bay is (or to it's local folk the "Olde Warf Hotel"), you are outrightly lied to -- they say they don't know exactly where it is. Once you arrive in town, past the Motorcycle merchant, look for an old Jamaican (looks to be 300 or so) sitting on a rock, for it is at that dirt road you have to turn and follow a path about a half-mile long to the rather un-glorious "Tranquility Bay".

My first awareness that I was in the right place, was that I saw 10 or 20 boys riding on the rim of an old Pick-up Truck in front of us. They all looked unkempt and the ride looked dangerous. They were allowed inside the gates (the children and the dilapidated truck) and I had the driver stop so I could take in this nightmare, that I had only previously read about or had seen by way of very unclear pictures on the internet.

It's bad -- the first thing that catches your eye is that all of the windows (99%) have been "boarded-up". It hales from something out of a Hitchcock movie. The place has an odor and it is not pleasant at all. The beach could never be utilized because it looks as though the sewage is emptied on it regularly. If that's not the case, then a blanket statement that the beach is in horrible and unusable condition for whatever reason is a completely fair assessment of the situation.

The place has guards; it's ominously quiet (it was while I was there). Even if you did manage to escape, I don't know where any of its "guests" would run to. The trip just to the main road (if you could call it that) would wind even the most fit athlete, and the townspeople are rumored to get rewards for turning run-a-ways in. Remember that many Jamaicans work for the facility and even if the reward does not exist, they have a stake in making sure the "guests" stay imprisoned.

Obviously, I could not go inside, but I snapped many pictures and they clearly illustrate, that the place is a broken-down second-rate motel from the past, and should have been leveled many years ago, and that any beauty that the structure or the beach on which it sits may have once possessed is gone. It's a frightening site (and this is just from the outside). Notably, there is garbage in large cages outside the structure and I did have the feeling that something or someone, other than it's intended contents, may be placed in there from time-to-time.

Interestingly, I was not approached, although I was taking pictures like crazy (and my presence was somewhat obvious).

Another important fact, for people to keep in mind, is that this "hell-hole" is hours from both Kingston and Montego Bay Airports -- it's a drive you will never forget and it runs upwards of $300 round-trip.

Truly, all of this is moot, because the Headmaster (and I use this reference loosely) has no credentials at all which justify his position of management over this facility. The parents are bad parents -- plain and simple -- for taking part in this plan. An inquiry about this program by any parent, by itself, should result in a parent being jailed with no due process for the rest of their life.

Eventually, the United States Government will have to deal with this mess -- hopefully by invading Utah again -- it is time for that (government intervention) -- they have short memories from the last time (The Invasion of Utah.) Utah's inhabitance (and others) need desperately to come to terms with the fact that troubled children are a part of normal life and that having them kidnapped by paid morons (mostly because the parents are too cowardly to do this themselves)and then surreptitiously smuggling their child/children off to a foreign country to be tortured indefinitely is contrary to the mores and values of a civilized society.

Do not send your kids to this place! It's awful to look at, the manager is unqualified and all your doing is stuffing the bulging coffers of the nuts and religious fanatics that run these torture chambers.

Richard R. Titsch, III
New Jersey

ricktitsh I would like to see these pictures please e-mail them to ace_killer11@yahooh.com

For anyone interested in this subject, I have started a BBS which deals specifically with Tranquility Bay.

http://www.bulletinboards.com/view.cfm?comcode=Titsch

actually i have a question
my sisters b/f always hits me
sometimes for playing and most times because hes angry at me
i wanted to know
how do i make him stop?
ive wanted to call the police so many times but i know my sister would be angry
and ive told my mom lots of times to kick them both out
they said i always cause trouble
when mostly
its him

I was there I know what it was like if anyone wants to contact me I'm 21 now in San Francisco.