Sunday, May 29, 2011

How tourism is helping the people of Haiti after last year's earthquake.

Our kayak tour guide in Labadee Haiti was great. He told us something near the end of the tour however that came as a surprise to all of us. In the middle of the water as all of our kayaks were bunched together, he gave us a heart felt thank you for visiting Labadee. He told us that we as tourists probably just think that by us visiting Labadee, it's just another stop on our vacation, but to him and other Haitians, we are helping them by pumping money into the economy and supporting their livelihoods. I discovered that as soon as a Royal Caribbean ship docks, the Haitian government automatically collects what is known as a "head tax". That means that the government gets a certain dollar amount from Royal Caribbean based on the amount of passengers aboard regardless whether they come ashore. Our tour guide also told us that Royal Caribbean also employees close to three hundred Haitians in Labadee to provide services to the guests, maintain the resort and provide security. He also mentioned the money that tourists pump into the economy by them buying from the local merchants. He acknowledged that Haiti is a poor country, and that he and others are very grateful for the tourists who come to Labadee. To liberals who might be reading this, let me put it another way. It's people with more money then the Haitian people who are actually helping the Haitian economy by spending their money there. That is how trickle down economics work. I remember last year in January when the earthquake struck Haiti, the media hung Royal Caribbean Cruise Line out to dry, because RCCL continued to visit Labadee after the earthquake.

Story from the uk guardian
Story from MSNBC



Don't associate The Young Turks with people who use common sense.It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand that as long as ships were docking in Labadee with tourists on board, Haiti was still collecting much needed money that it was using towards relief efforts from the earth quake. The media didn't cover that fact. The media also never researched how much money RCCL pumped into Haiti over the last 20 years leading up to the earthquake. The media also never stopped to ask the question on what would be the economic impact if RCCL did stop docking it's ships in Haiti out of "political correctness and sensitivity" after the quake. When the Haiti earthquake became "old news" to the media and they moved on to cover other stories and forgot about Haiti, this is what Royal Caribbean did that the media of course didn't cover.



The media never asked the Haitian people who rely on the cruise ships for their livelihood what they thought about the cruise ships continuing to come to haiti after the quake. They knew they would have gotten responses from the people that would have gone completely against the narrative they were trying to paint. This is what a Haitian guide and a merchant had to say about tourists visiting Haiti after the quake.



This is what the Minster of Tourism for Haiti had to say. His words along with what actual Haitians in Haiti had to say means way more then what the media and oversensitive liberals ever had to say on the subject.



The reason why RCCL was tarred and feathered by the press and some liberals was simply, because they saw Royal Caribbean as a capitalist enterprise making money while people in Haiti after the earthquake suffered. In the media's eyes, people who gave money as donations to help the people of Haiti were good and noble people, but the press as usual didn't want acknowledge that by Royal Caribbean continuing to dock in Labadee, they were helping just as much if not more. The media stopped talking about Haiti over a year ago, but Haiti is still being helped every time a Royal Caribbean ship docks. The capitalist action of tourism is still bringing in money to Haiti one tourist at a time, one cruise ship at a time. A feel good one time donation to the red cross can't accomplish that. If you get a chance. Visit Labadee Haiti and by you enjoying yourself and spending money, you will be helping the people of Haiti. I did, and I have no regrets only fond memories for doing so. I'll post my videos later.

7 Comments:

Blogger John B. Hefmier said...

Welcome back, Tyronne!! You were missed, but I am glad that you had an awesome time on your cruise, and thanks so much for sharing about your time at Labadee. It was really educational, and I am looking forward of hearing more about your trip.

3:52 AM  
Blogger p. anthony allen said...

Welcome back Tyrone. Hope you had a restful and pleasant vacation. Getting away from the daily work grind is good for the mind, body and soul. I've got to ask that you post some pics of the bikini-clad "hot babes!" All that sunshine and warm weather surely had to bring out the chick skin! That being said, lets get down to "brass tacks."

Haiti Tyrone?? How tourism is helping the "PEOPLE" of Haiti??? The correct statement would be; "How tourism is helping a VERY FEW people in Haiti."

First off, let me say that any money injected into Haiti's economy is a good thing. So, I'm not entirely against a vacation resort on the island. What rubs me the wrong way is the "method, motives and consequential results."

In doing a little research I found that the village of Labadee Haiti is a private resort built and leased by Royal Caribbean Cruises. The resort is surrounded by a 12ft. fence and has 24hr. armed guard patrol. What that tells me is that local or native Haitians, are for the most part prohibited, unless they work for the the company.

Secondly, lets factor in the well known corruption of the Haitian government. Does anyone know exactly (or even approximately) how much money the Haitian government receives from the resort?

Third, I'd ask if there were any Haitians (of the average native sort) who were vacationing along side of the Americans? With the average income of native Haitians being about 2 to 5 dollars a day, I'd be surprised if any could enjoy, let along "afford", attending the resort.

Thus, I believe both sides (those who are for, and those who are against vacationing in Haiti) have valid points. I'd like to know if the average Haitian see's the positive economic effects of the resort, other than ta few of the very small percentage who work for the resort.

11:59 AM  
Blogger Alpha Conservative Male said...

Thank you Hefmier, I had a smash of a time. We did have brief showers at sea and on land, but it wasn't a big deal, they didn't last long. I have to weigh myself, because I feel like I gained 5 pounds from all the food I was eating. lol I really enjoyed Labadee, and I will probably be going back sometime in 2013. I highly recommend the vist

p allen "Welcome back Tyrone. Hope you had a restful and pleasant vacation. Getting away from the daily work grind is good for the mind, body and soul. I've got to ask that you post some pics of the bikini-clad "hot babes!" All that sunshine and warm weather surely had to bring out the chick skin! That being said, lets get down to "brass tacks."

The young ladies were sporting the bikinis very well allen.lol

Haiti "Haiti Tyrone?? How tourism is helping the "PEOPLE" of Haiti??? The correct statement would be; "How tourism is helping a VERY FEW people in Haiti."

Ok back to business I see. Tourists spend a thing we call MONEY ALLEN. Think about this very carefully. Countries in the Caribbean are mostly TOURIST BASED ECONOMIES. In other words, they survive off of tourists coming to their island and having a good time in exchange for the tourists spending their money. It's really that simple allen. Haiti is no exception.

p allen "First off, let me say that any money injected into Haiti's economy is a good thing. So, I'm not entirely against a vacation resort on the island. What rubs me the wrong way is the "method, motives and consequential results."

The bad side to Royal Caribbean hiring over 400 people from Haiti to work at their resort is what allen? The bad side to Royal Caribben paying millions of dollars to Haiti to lease the land for their resort is what allen? The negative side to people from around the world coming to Haiti to spend their money is what allen?

p allen "In doing a little research I found that the village of Labadee Haiti is a private resort built and leased by Royal Caribbean Cruises. The resort is surrounded by a 12ft. fence and has 24hr. armed guard patrol. What that tells me is that local or native Haitians, are for the most part prohibited, unless they work for the the company."

And your point being is what allen? That news isn't something not known. Did you know that Jamica is very dangerous in the inner parts of the island, but that violence never reaches the out areas of the island for a reason. SECURITY! So is Royal Caribbean suppose to let the criminal element of Haiti just have free will to rob and kill tourists allen? That doesn't even make sense. RC is doing the logical thing in protecting the well being of it's guests. It's only rational that RC would screen the people to make sure they don't have a criminal record or are dangerous etc. I mean come on allen. I respect Royal Caribbean that much more for going through the measures to make sure I am safe.

p allen "Secondly, lets factor in the well known corruption of the Haitian government. Does anyone know exactly (or even approximately) how much money the Haitian government receives from the resort? "

I know the Haitian government receives $6 per passenger head tax when a ship docks. I believe RC pays three million a year to Haiti to lease the land for it's resort.

7:02 PM  
Blogger Alpha Conservative Male said...

p allen "Third, I'd ask if there were any Haitians (of the average native sort) who were vacationing along side of the Americans? With the average income of native Haitians being about 2 to 5 dollars a day, I'd be surprised if any could enjoy, let along "afford", attending the resort. "

If the native Haitian is a Royal Caribbean passenger, then he or she has every right to have access to the PRIVATE resort. The key word allen is "PRIVATE" not public.

P Allen "Thus, I believe both sides (those who are for, and those who are against vacationing in Haiti) have valid points. I'd like to know if the average Haitian see's the positive economic effects of the resort, other than ta few of the very small percentage who work for the resort."

The point I see is that people who vacation in Labadee are spending money in Labadee which is going to Haiti. The people who criticized Royal Caribbean for continuing to dock in Haiti after the quake aren't spending money in Haiti and more then likely have long stopped donating money to Haiti. So it would appear that the revenue stream is still coming from those "selfish, insensitive" tourists" and that "evil, corporate cruise ship company" Royal Caribbean.

7:02 PM  
Blogger J Curtis said...

I stayed there for about 5 days in 2007, but I'll bet it's changed alot since then.

Still, I hope to move there in a couple of years being that my wife is from there.

12:11 AM  
Anonymous MFHCM said...

Great blog love all the posts! Love the pictures! Thanks for keeping us updated.


http://www.mannaforhaiti.com
http://www.mfhcm.org

9:47 PM  
Anonymous MFHCM said...

Great blog love all the posts! Love the pictures! Thanks for keeping us updated.


http://www.mannaforhaiti.com
http://www.mfhcm.org

9:47 PM  

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