Rebuilding Haiti

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Adrian Bye

Bronze
Jul 7, 2002
2,077
138
0
Haiti has to stay competitive - there's a lot of other islands the cruises can go to. This current kind of risk was factored into the $6/passenger cost Royal Caribbean pays right now - but I bet they're regretting it.

if they bargain too hard they might find Royal Caribbean pulls out of Haiti altogether.
 
F

Frank the Tank

Gold
May 12, 2005
8,564
271
83
Adrian Bye said:
Haiti has to stay competitive - there's a lot of other islands the cruises can go to. This current kind of risk was factored into the $6/passenger cost Royal Caribbean pays right now - but I bet they're regretting it.

if they bargain too hard they might find Royal Caribbean pulls out of Haiti altogether.
Click to expand...

Adrian, stop making sense. The kumbayah crowd here will get upset.
 
D

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
I would think every passenger traveling to Haiti would be happy to contribute US$50 to the building of Haiti, and more so if Royal Caribbean would make a statement that they too want to contribute, by matching the amount. I think that is good business. It would assuage the guilt of every passenger, enabling them to enjoy the stay since able to make a positive contribution with the stopping of the ship, beyond just continuing to dock there. I think it would be a plus public relations wise for Royal Caribbean that could give people a good feeling about the cruise line and help boost bookings to their other routes.
 
P

pkaide1

Bronze
Aug 10, 2005
539
40
48
Adrian Bye said:
Haiti has to stay competitive - there's a lot of other islands the cruises can go to. This current kind of risk was factored into the $6/passenger cost Royal Caribbean pays right now - but I bet they're regretting it.

if they bargain too hard they might find Royal Caribbean pulls out of Haiti altogether.
Click to expand...

You are confusing me. You are making too much sense.
 
G

Gabriela

Bronze
Dec 4, 2003
629
54
28
I think someone should start filming Survivor Haiti. Contestants could compete on how long they can survive buried under concrete, without water or food. Another challenge would be to buy the most children for pedophiles.
Kumbayah.

Adrian Bye said:
Haiti has to stay competitive - there's a lot of other islands the cruises can go to. This current kind of risk was factored into the $6/passenger cost Royal Caribbean pays right now - but I bet they're regretting it.

if they bargain too hard they might find Royal Caribbean pulls out of Haiti altogether.
Click to expand...
 
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Lando calrisian

Bronze
Mar 1, 2009
941
144
0
When you wrote they should film Survivor Haiti, that would bring attention to the island and not let people forget about the plight of the survivors. What a great idea.

The second portion of your post if I understood it correctly is not funny at all, but very sad.

Kumbayah?
 
C

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
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Santiago
Gabriela said:
I think someone should start filming Survivor Haiti. Contestants could compete on how long they can survive buried under concrete, without water or food. Another challenge would be to buy the most children for pedophiles.
Kumbayah.
Click to expand...

This post doesn't make sense to me.
 
C

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
I'm here in PAP and have a couple of observations:

According to seasoned relief workers, there isn't a lot of faith in many of the big organizations, specifically the UN and WHO.

In fact, they say the UN guys just like to ride around and look important and have "cluster..." meetings. I'll let you guess what the remaining letters are.

Also, according to an NGO here from Oregon, the WHO is now charging them for medicine that was donated to WHO.

On a positive note, we arrived after 9 pm from the DR with no problems, even though a Haitian friend of mine who was just here a couple of weeks ago said it would be too dangerous. There were numerous police, UN, and US army through the areas we went through on the east side of town on our way into Petionville. Also, the people we met in the streets when we got lost were very helpful and generally it seemed many people were happy and well fed and in fact celebrating the carnaval. At the clinic, the people are also very thankful as well.

Finally, I got a chance to have a chat with Sean Penn at our camp and even offered him some Brugal anejo, which he gladly accepted. He even offered to return the favor if we get over to his camp.

My hope is that all this momentum is not lost and real improvements to the infrastructure will be made. There is even talk that the capital may be moved.

au revoir
 
Squat

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
2,241
169
63
Good, Chip !

Keep us posted, observe, interview... take some pics...
 
W

woofsback

Bronze
Dec 20, 2009
706
233
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totaly stupid and purely sick

I think someone should start filming Survivor Haiti. Contestants could compete on how long they can survive buried under concrete, without water or food. Another challenge would be to buy the most children for pedophiles.
Kumbayah.

what in the world would make you post something so stupid as this on a post?

i hope the day never comes when you are your family ever have to go through what these people are going through.
 
C

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
It seems there is the opinion among some Haitians that the foreigners should stay for the long term as they believe when they are gone the corruption of the politicians will halt any progression.

I know a couple of things I have about the government laws that aren't conducive to growth:

- foreigners can't own property
- foreign businesses can be expected to pay a large amount of the net profit to be able to do business. For example, I was told a any foreign mining operations would be expected to pay 51% of the net profit.
- No dual citizenship - thus all the wealth of highly educated and wealthy Haitians living abroad can't come back and realy contribute to the country.
 
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pedrochemical

Silver
Aug 22, 2008
3,410
465
0
Chip said:
It seems there is the opinion among some Haitians that the foreigners should stay for the long term as they believe when they are gone the corruption of the politicians will halt any progression.

I know a couple of things I have about the government laws that aren't conducive to growth:

- foreigners can't own property
- foreign businesses can be expected to pay a large amount of the net profit to be able to do business. For example, I was told a any foreign mining operations would be expected to pay 51% of the net profit.
- No dual citizenship - thus all the wealth of highly educated and wealthy Haitians living abroad can't come back and realy contribute to the country.
Click to expand...


Almost - for example foreigners can own property but they cannot own private and business property simultaneously , I think, just one or the other. Either way this stunts foreign investment. Mountain Annie has more of the details.

Barrick mining are subject to international best practice as dictated by some international mining body or other. I think it sounds like a scam but if they are subject to giving over 51% to Haiti then good! They estimate costs of 300US$ per ounce to get the gold from the ground. The current bubble gold price is over 1000US$ per ounce. They are looking at a minimum of 70 million ounces of gold so a friend from the local partner tells me. So boo-hoo for the miners. They are set to make a stink load of money. Who the hell has the right to say that they should make more than the Haitian people from their own natural resources?

As for the Diaspora - yes that is a problem. Like Dominicans, all many of them want to do is get the hell of the island. Haitian expats are free to invest cash in Haiti. They do this avidly - they build houses and live happily in Miami off the super inflated rent. The rents have doubled over the last few years because the UN and NGOs and the property owners have pushed the price up to a ridiculous level - approx twice Santo Domingo prices.
What they are not allowed to do is run for political office. This is a problem because as soon as they have enough cash they are gone - never to return as there is nothing in it for them. They educate their kids in the US and make damned sure their kids are born in a US hospital, barring them from getting involved in Haitian politics but to say they do not invest in Haiti is not so. They invest alright and then take the proceeds and spend them in the US. Can't blame them really. I would probably be tempted do the same for my family.
This silly law needs to be reversed.

So it is not quite as straight forward as you have learned on your short trip to Port au Prince.
But you are learning how frustrating doing anything in Haiti can be.
Next you will learn how to get round the problems and live a happy fruitful life in Haiti - the honest way.
Not easy but it can be done.
 
M

margaret

Bronze
Aug 9, 2006
1,222
99
48
Haitian community in Montreal

Here's article on the response of the Haitian community and return of some of the professionals to help out. It also touches on how they feel unsafe, the object of jealousy and suspicion. While welcome in the short-term, some feel they are viewed as a threat politically and economically if they stay for the long-term or for good. I really hope that with all the money donated by Canadians, Haitian Canadians will have the opportunity to head up projects to rebuild because we have some very talented and well-educated people who do care about the community.

A 'responsibility' to help in Haiti - thestar.com
 
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pedrochemical

Silver
Aug 22, 2008
3,410
465
0
I beleive that a Haitian with a US/Canadian passport can give up the passport, renounce their new found citizenship and be eligible for political office in Haiti.
That would show a commitment....
 
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pedrochemical

Silver
Aug 22, 2008
3,410
465
0
margaret said:
Here's article on the response of the Haitian community and return of some of the professionals to help out. It also touches on how they feel unsafe, the object of jealousy and suspicion. While welcome in the short-term, some feel they are viewed as a threat politically and economically if they stay for the long-term or for good. I really hope that with all the money donated by Canadians, Haitian Canadians will have the opportunity to head up projects to rebuild because we have some very talented and well-educated people who do care about the community.

A 'responsibility' to help in Haiti - thestar.com
Click to expand...


One often hears of relatives of expat Haitians kidnapping their relatives as they return to Haiti. Not just for the money, but also because the family members who remain in Haiti often live in their rich relative's house.

This is purely anecdotal.
 
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