Andrews Guantanamo Bay business plan. (First posted in 2009.)

Objective:

Create a business model to generate $2 hundred million annual turnover using the resource of Guantanamo Bay by identifying existing demand, harnessing that demand and turning it into a functioning business.

The participants:

1. World Heritage organisation.
2. International War Crimes Court.
3. The Guantanamo business fund.

Step one:

Create the ‘Gauntanamo Bay living memorial’. Designated as a World heritage site, Guantanamo Bay Living Memorial will be a magnificent glass structure incorporating the current facility – metaphorically demonstrating the importance of transparency in politics. This structure will readily accommodate 2 million visitors annually. An architectural design encompassing 24 glass cells through which a tourist walkway weaves. The glass cell design should be all encompassing. Even the in cell toilet facility should be glass.

Visitors will enter a visitors centre, much like the gateway for Robben Island visitors in Cape Town. The facility will be open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year – metaphorically demonstrating that evil never rests.

In the visitors centre, guests can view informative displays preparing them for the sights that lie ahead. Including statistics demonstrating the extent of the atrocities committed by the inmates as well as the findings of the International War Crimes court.

Upon entering the facility itself, visitors will follow a glass pathway that weaves through 24 cells. They can stop and view the cells in-mates for no more than 5 minutes per cell and will be allowed to take photographs.

The 24 cells will start with the lowest, least well known of the war criminals, working up to the show piece cells at the very end of the tour. These last 2, numbers 1 and 2 in the countdown, will be occupied by what will almost certainly become the biggest crowd pullers. The two B’s. Blair and Bush.

Step 2:

While the construction is underway, an International War Crimes Court, empowered for this purpose, convenes to try the most obvious War Criminals of the past decade, those responsible for the Million deaths in Iraq and the atrocities committed against the Afghani people, not to mention the atrocities they have committed against their their own countrymen in America and Britain.

This Court will identify the worst 24 offenders, handing down 24 life sentences accordingly and also rating them from 1 to 24 in terms of the extent of their culpability. Obviously Blair and Bush will compete for cells 1 and 2, although there will be many shoe-ins for others similarly well qualified. Rumsfeld, Cheney and so on.

These top 24 war crims will serve their life terms in the glass cells of Gauntanemo Bay living memorial correctional facility, on display 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Step 3:

With diligent marketing and a little help from the Cuban tourist board, a target of 2 million visitors in year one is entirely realistic. Given the quality of the spectacle, an entrance fee of $100 is appropriate. Door receipts would therefore be some $200 Million in year one, with tremendous growth potential in subsequent years as the Cuban tourist board exploit the associated possibilities of having so many visitors to their Island. An annual Rock concert featuring Queen and friends could further bolster the funds coffers.

Amortised over a ten year period this revenue should be more than enough to underwrite the cost of the trial and the building of the ‘Gauntanamo Bay living memorial’ or the GBLM as it will be branded.

Once the ‘Big 24’ are made accountable and put on display in this way, it will be a lot harder for future politicians to get away with the dreadful abuses of power that characterise this sorry lot.

The music franchise:

Each cell will feature powerful surround sound speakers connected to a Juke-box front end, where visitors will be able to pay a fee to choose a song. For an additional fee they will be able play the song louder. In this way viewers can provide a suitable soundtrack for their experience in the knowledge that they will be helping the inmates karmically redress the weight of the sinful past. For instance, visitors to Mr. Blairs cell could elect the Sex Pistols ‘Your so pretty‘ and have it played at super loud volume during his prayer time. A family whose infant son might have been incinerated by one of Mr. Bush’s Iraqi missile’s could play Don Macleans ‘Wonderful Babies‘ each time they visit, ensuring the point is  made to Mr. Bush regarding the connection between his decisions and dead children.

The musical directors position would go to a renowned musical authority, versed in popular song as well as karmic balance, whose appointment would establish a library of music per Juke-box, per cell, to cater for any specific visitor requirements and make the experience the best it can be for all parties. This office would rotate on an annual basis to ensure the inmate to not become overly familiar with any particular musical trend.

A family day out:

For children, visiting GBLM will provide a living History lesson as well as an insight into how the world decided to start making mass killers who hide behind God and profit driven political-office accountable for their actions. An important lesson for any youngster looking at the world today.

Visitors will be able to see the look of remorse – or not as the case may be – on the faces of the inmates. Seeing this might provide a nice degree of closure for the family members of the Million plus dead because of Bush and Blairs ego.

Would you visit Cuba and pay $100 to see that?