- Freeport Tortuga
Freeport Tortuga was a
free port project by Dupont Caribbean Inc. ofTexas , which began construction in1971 based upon a 99-year contract with the government ofHaiti . The location of the freeport was the oldbuccaneer stronghold ofTortuga island located some 10 miles off the north coast of the main Haitian island ofHispaniola , which is also shared by theDominican Republic . Freeport Tortuga ended with its expropriation by the Haitian government in1974 .Origin of the freeport
In 1967, during the time that
Don Pierson of Eastland,Texas was attempting to lease a radio broadcasting ship that had been the former homes of "Swinging Radio England " and "Britain Radio" off the coast ofEngland , he received a response from the Ambassador forHaiti inWashington, DC . Don Pierson's original plan was to lease or sell the ship to the government of Haiti for it to establish two powerful 50 kW commercial radio stations.Dupont Caribbean Inc.
This offer emerged into a plan to develop the island of Tortuga as a freeport and he was asked to assist the government of
Haiti to encourage business investment in that poverty-stricken land. This privately financed, privately managed free enterprise zone became a reality in1971 when Haitian dictatorFrançois Duvalier (known as "Papa Doc") and the Haitian government entered into a 99-year contract with Don Pierson's company called Dupont Caribbean Inc. This contract provided for the establishment ofFreeport Tortuga .Construction
Within 18 months Don Pierson succeeded in building the island's first airport, a loading dock for seagoing vessels, a rudimentary water and sewer system, an electricity generating facility, and six miles of paved road. Of equal importance, the project created jobs for some 400 previously unemployed Haitians and resulted in the establishment of a small school to teach various job skills. During this period he also became Honorary Consul of the Republic of Haiti to Texas from 1969 through 1974.
Expropriation
The project came to abrupt end in
1974 when, after it was announced thatGulf Oil Corporation was contemplating investing more than $300 million to build a resort on the island, the government ofJean-Claude Duvalier (known as "Baby Doc "), summarily expropriated the project, resulting in its collapse.ee also
*
Wonderful Radio London - Don Pierson's first offshore radio station.
*Swinging Radio England and Britain Radio - Don Pierson's 2nd and 3rd offshore radio stations on board the former MV Olga Patricia. It was the process of leasing of this ship that opened the door to the project on Tortuga.
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