ile-de-la-tortue

Here is a picture of Mr. Grey Pierson he was he was visiting Tortuga Island in 1972.

In 1968, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier needed a radio ship that could transmit his propaganda across the Caribbean and to Latin America. It was then he came into the contact of Don Pierson, a Cadillac dealer from Eastland who had two abandoned radio ships, but both were moored across the Atlantic off the coast of south-east England. Pierson struck a deal of $70 million for the ships and 'Papa Doc' though could not afford to pay the amount, leased Tortuga Island instead in 1972 on condition of equal sharing joint venture between the Haitian government and "Dupont Caribbean Inc". When in July, 2014, the Miami based Carnival Corporation announced its investment plan for US $ 700 million with the Haitian government for constructing a cruise port in the Tortuga island and transform that into a tourist Mecca, nobody was aware that one Texan named Pierson has inherited the absolute right on the island from his father on a 99 year lease contract, dated April 5, 1971. However, subsequent to that date, the Haitian government absolved itself from entire financial and all other responsibilities and granted 99 years exclusive leasehold right and full commercial authority to the Pierson 's corporation as then the Island of Tortuga was a barren place without any road, electricity or public utility services. Pierson's 'Dupont Caribbean Inc' immediately started investment and promotion activities to improve the image of Tortuga Island. As of the agreement "Dupont Caribbean Inc" was given all authority to issue licenses on trading at Tortuga and it has still remained effective.

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L'Ile de la Tortue - Tortuga Island in Haiti
Perhaps coming in handy to the 17th and 18th century inhabitants, and thus lending to its history as the pirate haven of the new world during this period, Tortuga has an almost impenetrable north side, so jutted and littered with dangerous cliffs it has garnered the name, 'Ironside'. On its beautiful southern coast, the pirate inhabitants could easily guard their island of fortune, with the inaccessible north side giving fortress at their backs.

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L'Ile de la Tortue - Tortuga Island in Haiti. Tortuga in the golden age of piracy could be called the Switzerland of the pirate world. It was a common place for pirates from all over to hide their loot; therefore, it is little wonder that depictions of the small island are so numerous in various books; from James Michener's aptly titled, 'Caribbean', Valerio Evangelisti's even more aptly named, 'Tortuga' and Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes, to songs; like Styx's 'Jonas Psalter' and The Lonely Island's, 'Jack Sparrow', to movies; such as 1942's 'The Black Swan', and 1952's 'Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd'.

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Given the stories that have survived through time about the infamous Tortuga pirates, it is little wonder the site is still stereotypically known for that period. In the early period, before piracy and Tortuga became almost one in the same, a French governor brought over 1600 prostitutes to the island in a bid to bring more harmony to the rowdy band of pirates.

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