What an interesting day!

It has been the hottest day of the year thus far. It's almost 87 Degrees, but it's EXTREMELY Humid. It feels like we have a monster storm looming off shore. Last time I looked it was supposed to be clear but....we never really know in the tropics. I finished all my admin duties at the office and decided I would go onto the port to chat with everyone and get some pictures.

Well it seems that I was told by a security guard that I don't have the clearance to take photos on the port any longer. This situation is new to me because having a camera with me and taking photos of things that I see that are hazardous and such is in my job description. Some rookie security guard, whom I didn't know nor have I seen before, tried to confiscate my camera and we about came to blows. I told him if he reached for my camera again I was going to show him his southern polar region up close. Of coarse this fine illustration went right over his head and I had to resort to island vernacular. He did however get the point, in no uncertain terms, that he wasn't getting my camera, and that he was going to get hurt if he tried to take it again, but he REALLY wanted it.

I called the head of security for the port and explained what was happening and he asked to speak with the guard. I tried to hand him the phone but he wouldn't take it and was trying to walk away. Now by this time the head of security was upset and said he would be right over. I told the security guard that he needed to remain with me but he tried to leave, so I signaled to my people who then stopped him by force, and held him.

I couldn't figure out why he had wanted my camera so bad, I mean it's a nice camera and all but he was down right animate, so much so that it set an alarm off in my head, so I started reviewing the images I had taken, which wasn't many, but I realized that in the background of one of my photos was this same guard coming out from between a row of containers.
Now anyone with any experience on a Marine Cargo Port knows you don't EVER walk between the rows, because the Straddle Carriers can't see you and you'll get run over. 100 ton piece of equipment against a human body....you get the picture! So we cordoned off the area and conducted a little search. It seems that there was some.....shall we say....illegal activity going on in between the containers.

When the head of security came to the scene and I explained what had taken place he took the guard away and up to the writing of this post I believe they are still interrogating him. I had to surrender the photos I had taken, but I'll get the ones back that they don't need.
Battling corruption where we can, and talk about being in the right place at the right time.
I am now heading to the British High Commission for a briefing. I don't expect it to be fun or entertaining but, at least I get to end my day when it's done. Whooo Hooo.

Until next time,
Latah Mon!