the real manta man

The purpose of this website is to debunk the incorrect perception some people on Yap, in the FSM, and the dive industry have of “the manta man,” or as he prefers to be called by his employees, “Pops.”  Hopefully, the debunking will result in the Yap State and FSM national governments stopping work with this person and looking into his actions. Still, maybe more importantly, Yapese will realize that his legacy isn't that positive for the development of Yap at all. I'll try not to mention the names of other people involved or his family. This informative content is to expose "the manta man", and only him. All the information I'm sharing on this website is based on facts.

 

Some will argue that this website is purely a personal revenge and obsession to hurt  "the manta man". It's not,  and I hope that after reading this introduction and the content, you will agree that the information serves a higher purpose. I realize, however, that today's world is extremely polarized and that Pacific cultures are not used to airing their dirty laundry.

 

Let's go back in time.

 

I first came in contact with "the manta man" in 2006 via a mutual friend. "the manta man" was looking for a general manager for Manta Ray Bay Resort & Yap Divers while I, after being with the same company on the same island for almost 10 years, was looking for a new environment. Early 2007, "the manta man" visited me on the island in the Caribbean where I was working/living at that time. We had several talks, and he offered me the position of general manager at Manta Ray Bay Resort & Divers. While being there, he also visited a couple that he met a few years earlier on Yap. The couple in question and I didn't have a good relationship. They both had been employed with the company that I managed but left to start their own restaurant. The disrespect between the couple and myself were mutual. During his meetings with the couple, "the manta man" got fed with extremely negative and untrue stories by the couple about me. I didn't pay too much attention to it and suggested visiting their restaurant on the night prior to "the manta man's" return to Yap.

 

In the meantime, I resigned from my job on the island that I worked/lived on for almost 10 years.

 

The night at the couple's restaurant ended up in quite a drinking session, and we left in a good mood a few hours later.

Two days later, after "the manta man" left, I got an email from the aforementioned couple that I “apparently forgot to pay my tab, and the request to correct that.”

I indeed remembered that "the manta man" and I didn't pay any tab and replied to the couple that I would pass by to do so as soon as possible. In my open-book approach, that I always tried to follow, "the manta man" was copied in on my reply.

 

Not long after sending my reply, "the manta man" sent me an email that he was not amused with my reply to the couple, and he informed me that he wouldn't hire me anymore.

There I was, just resigned from my job, a mortgage on a house we just bought in my home country, and my new employer didn't want to keep his word to employ me anymore.

 

Flash forward: in 2009, I was employed with another company on a different Caribbean island, and while attending a trade show in the US, I met "the manta man" again. In a brief talk, he apologized to me and said, “you were right about the couple.” I thanked him for his honesty and really didn't talk to him anymore until 2014/2015.

 

At that time, I approached "the manta man" with the question if he could help me with getting in touch with a dive resort in Indonesia or the Philippines as working in the Pacific had been on my bucket list for a long time.

 

After meeting him at a trade show in Europe, he surprised me by offering me—again—the general manager's position at Manta Ray Bay Resort & Yap Divers. He wanted to retire, and none of his kids were interested in following in his footsteps.

 

Long story short, in April 2016, I started as general manager at Manta Ray Bay Resort & Yap Divers. Despite a very difficult start caused by personal challenges, I felt that Yap would be my last stop and intended to retire there. That point of retirement wouldn't be until 2034 or so, though.

 

At an early stage of my employment, I found out the true character and attitude of "the manta man".

 

I was told that "outside your work, you're not supposed to have a life on Yap" and that "you're here to protect the family."

 

I accepted the bullying, lies, and intimidation as I really enjoyed Yap, wanted to retire there, and built up a new life.

 

Then the real nightmare began.

 

On April 8, 2022, my work permit expired, while on August 4, 2022, my entry permit would expire. An error by the Immigration department as they mixed April 8 (04-8) with August 4 (08-04) . In January/February, I asked about a new contract which expired on March 3, 2022, but was told no new contract was needed since the labor department/immigration made a mistake with the date of my work permit. Looking back, the alarm bells should have gone off, but I trusted their answer.

 

On June 9, 2022, I received a message from "the manta man" via Facebook Messenger regarding a meeting on "....the future of our company and your future based on our current situation."

 

On Sunday, June 12, 2022, "the manta man" stated that the expiration of the entry permit on August 4, 2022, and that he's not "comfortable" renewing my contract, which he believes he can't keep up with when tourism mitigation fund payments end in December 2022.

 

Again, some who don't know the details will say that I'm upset that my contract was not renewed. That's not the case. Already in November 2016, I asked why I was hired, as his adopted daughter was/is quite capable of fulfilling the general manager's position. So in that respect, no hard feelings. It's the way he got rid of me and handled me like trash that hit me.

 

Most, if not all, people will say: Why not let go? One of "the manta man's" best friends told me, “Life is too short to hold a grudge against anyone.” I'm convinced, however, that life is too long to let bad people get away with bad behavior over and over again.

 

On this website, I will expose the character, attitude, and actions of "the manta man" that I think the people on Yap and in the dive industry need to know. For too long, he has been allowed to bully, lie, and cheat his way away, hurting not only other people but also the state and country he has lived in for more than 40 years now.

 

Who am I?  People familiar with Manta Ray Bay Resort & Yap Divers and Yap will know. For those that aren't, send me a message via the contact form, and I'll get in touch with you. On the other hand, the purpose of this website is not to start a discussion or to convince, but rather to start a phase of realization on Yap.