January 22, 2010
Four For Friday - The Haiti Edition
Q1 - Tourism: Despite numerous steps to assist with the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti -- including a $1,000,000 donation; donating 100 percent of its net revenue from visits to Haiti; and using its vessels to drop off food, water, lounge chairs and beach furniture -- Royal Caribbean cruise line has come under heavy fire for making a scheduled stop at a private resort in Labadee, Haiti, where it maintains a private beach approximately 60 miles from the earthquake-ravaged city of Port-au-Prince. Do you think Royal Caribbean is right to continue visiting Labadee, Haiti during this period of extreme hardship, or should they divert their ships and go elsewhere?
Q2 - Donations: A new survey finds two-thirds of U.S. adults (64 percent) have given or plan to give to relief efforts following the earthquake in Haiti. Thirty-three percent have already made a donation and another 31% plan on doing so. Have you donated to Haitian relief efforts? If so, what organization did you go through to make your donation?
Q3 - Volunteers: Thousands of aid workers and volunteers from all over the world have flocked to Haiti to assist with earthquake relief efforts. If you could take a week off from work with pay and travel to Haiti to assist with relief efforts, would you?
Q4 - Descent: Approximately 2,000,000 Haitians currently live in the United States and Canada combined. Do you personally know anyone of Haitian descent?
Posted by Mikal at January 22, 2010 9:00 AM
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1. They should be able to visit that part of Haiti still. It will continue to help bring in some money.
2. I have not donated to Haitian relief efforts.
3. If I could afford it, yes I would.
4. Not that I know of.
1. Does Royal Caribbean have a right to visit Labadee? Yes. Is it extremely insensitive and in bad taste? Yes.
2. Yes, I donated to the World Food Program so they can supply high energy biscuits to those in need. Although I think water and medical supplies are more of a priority.
3. In my 20's, you bet I would get down there and volunteer. Now that I have a wife and young son, I think it is too dangerous and risky.
4. I don't think I know anyone of Haitian descent.
1. Yes. If I were on the boat I would feel horrible that I was there on vacation living it up when millions where without shelter, food, or water.
2. No. I fear that any money donated goes into the coffers of who is collecting the money and never really gets to the people.
3. Yes. I think that it would be a life changing experience to go over there and help. However, I would hate to go there and feel like I couldn't do anything because no organization was there to coordinate volunteers. If there were, I would go in a second.
4. I don't know anyone of haitian descent
Q1 - Tourism: I'm not sure how a destination's proximity to Port-Au-Prince should be an issue, other than psychological. I guess if your customers are getting upset, then it's a bad idea.
Q2 - Donations: I considered it, but have so far decided no to. I can't say with certainty that I absolutely won't, but probably not.
Q3 - Volunteers: Well, I could, and I'm not there, so no.
Q4 - Descent: I used to be neighbors with a Haitian family. Husband, wife, and three sons. I would see them in church and visit them every now and again, but I moved out of that neighborhood a couple years ago and haven't seen them since.
1. I heard the PR rep for Royal Carribean on NPR - He made it sound like they were doing a positive thing for the country. I'm not sure I totally bought it. I think it's awesome they are donating and helping transport supplies, but I'm also guessing that cruise ships aren't full of people with the economy as it is. So they are probably doing all they can to keep that revenue. I think it would ruin my trip to try and have fun at a place that is completely destroyed.
2. yes, Red Cross
3. yeah, I definitely would.
4. Nope, not that I know of.
1) It's a private beach, delivers aid, and keeps Haiti top of mind with non-Haitians. So despite it being of questionable tact... I won't lose any sleep over it.
2) I donated to the red cross via SMS
3) Absolutely. I would love to help comfort some of those kids.
4) Nope.
1. I think it's tacky that a cruise ship line would be going to Haiti at this time. And if I was a passenger, I would be horrified that we were stopping there. I have heard that the cruise line only employs about 250 Haitians so it's not like they are adding to the country's economy, and perhaps if Royal Caribbean really wanted to act magnanimously, they would dedicate one of their ships to transporting supplies for a week.
2. I have donated to Doctors without Borders and the Red Cross. I plan to do more in about six weeks. And we are hosting a fundraiser for a friend who owns a communications school/firm in Haiti.
3. I would love to say yes to this question, but I'd be afraid I would get in the way more than I would help. I just have no skills that would help them now. Plus, I would fear I'd be too empathetic to the things I'd see and they don't need a bunch of Americans standing in shock, crying.
4. I do not.
1 - May not be viewed as the best move, however, it is directly benefiting the nation by pumping tourism dollars directly into the country.
2 - Yes. Soles for soles through the University of Utah.
3 - Absolutely.
4 - For some reason my old apt. building had a large population of Haitian and Somali families so I was able to make many Haitian acquaintances. Unfortunately, my French is horrible so I was unable to interact as much as I would have liked...
1) Hmmm. I'm ambivalent about this one. First and foremost, if dropping people off on the private island is going to interfere with relief efforts, then heck no. That aside, the question to ask is this: Is Royal Caribbean being insensitive by continuing their tourist operations so close to so much suffering? Yet there's something else to consider: By continuing their tourist operations, they're allowing people to see that part of the world, and by visiting an island in Haiti, people may gain more love, appreciation, and respect for Haiti and its people. THAT could lead to greater sympathy for the relief efforts. So, in short: I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards letting them continue tourism there.
2) We have donated. I say "we" because my wife has done almost everything, and I've done very little. Anyway, we donated a bunch of medicine, kids clothes, shoes, and first aid supplies, and we (aka my wife) also collected a bunch of other supplies from neighbors and friends. We donated to Helping Hands for Haiti.
3) Heck yeah. If I felt like I could actually do some good and not just be in the way, I think that would be a great way to spend a week.
4) My wife and I know a girl named Mika from Haiti. She lived in our last neighborhood. She was the one who collected our Helping Hands for Haiti donations. Let me tell you something: If all Haitians are as determined and hard working as Mika, I think Haiti is going to make it.
1. I don't see how it's any different than stopping somewhere else, unless all of the passengers are going to Port Au Prince (sp?) and flaunting that they have money and aren't injured.
2. Yes, I donated at school, though I'm a loser and didn't see which organization so who knows if it will get there ;).
3. Yes I would go if I could, but since I don't think it's feasible for me at this time, my money will have to do.
4. I was going to say no and then I saw Stu's response so I take that back ;).
Q1 - It is probably not politically correct to vacation there at the moment, there was a lot of suffering there before the quake; remember that this is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. If there is some infrastructure at their port that is usable where other ports are not, that would change the issue for me.
Q2 - We donated to Shelter Box. Shelter Box is a project of Rotary Clubs. They provide a box that contains enough supplies to sustain a family for 6 months.
Q3 - Due to my age and state of health, I would be pretty useless there.
Q4 - When I worked at Wellcraft Marine, I knew many Haitians. The crew that did the lamination of the decks and hulls were greatly Haitian.
1. They're well within their rights to visit, but it's certainly tasteless and a potential public relations nightmare. Also, I don't necessarily believe the argument that their visits are pumping money into the local economy. Private resorts and all-inclusives like Sandals encourage their patrons to stay on-site and tend to bring in a lot of workers from outside rather than use native workers.
2. Red Cross
3. Yes, I would if I thought I could help, but I'd be afraid that an influx of untrained amateurs would get in the way do more harm than good.
4. I don't believe that I do.
1) I think it's important that they stop there. They are a major source of income for that area. I think it would be wrong to completely ignore them at this time.
2) Through my church.
3) I would go with out pay... if I had the money to get there, I would be there today. In an orphanage, doing everything I could to help the little ones.
4) I do! Her name is Marie. We call her "Sweet Marie" and she is suffering and feeling so helpless right now! I have not wanted to ask as of yet if she has lost family. My heart aches for her.
q1 um...I'm glad they are donating money. It does seem a bit odd to keep sending people there. "Hey if you ride our cruise you get to go see the disaster."
q2 yes I have via the UN's WFP. I will probably also donate to my church's humanitarian program.
q3 I would really enjoy being involved in something so helpful. However, your question suggests that I pay my way to get to Haiti. I just checked and it's $660 minimum round trip from SLC. I'd probably make a cash donation instead of going because it's so expensive. If I were part of some organization that could get me there for a reasonable price I would want to go.
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