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[jamesinclair]

There is one question here:

All the news articles Ive read about Haiti talk about how the port is out of commission, slowing relief effort.

Clearly, the RC port in labadee is operable. Why isnt it being used to dock aid ships?


The answer might be "there are no good roads to the capital" but I havent seen anything written about this.




And honestly, as a tourist, I would feel shitty enjoying the endless buffet at haiti right now.

 

[~Kinggi~]

They probably helped Haiti more than internet warriors raging at this.

No shit, Sherlock!

 

[JDSN]

Stupid topic. "So sorry for eating!".

 

[Escape Goat]

I came, I lol'd

 

[Great Rumbler]

There is one question here:

All the news articles Ive read about Haiti talk about how the port is out of commission, slowing relief effort.

Clearly, the RC port in labadee is operable. Why isnt it being used to dock aid ships?


The answer might be "there are no good roads to the capital" but I havent seen anything written about this.

Labodi is sixty miles from the affected area. They'd have to dock there at Labodi, find some trucks to transport all the supplies, and then somehow get it across more than half the country. The road from Labodi to the nearest town, Cap-Haitien, is about two or three miles of narrow, winding roads.

The Labodi dock is extremely small in any case.

 

[Count Dookkake]

"Let them eat wake."

 

[Escape Goat]

"Let them eat wake."

Took you awhile on that one, count. Well worth the wait though.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Took you awhile on that one, count. Well worth the wait though.

FWIW it took me approximately two seconds after seeing the thread title.

 

[Lunchbox]

poor op, thread didnt go along with his plans

 

[.GqueB.]

Article couldve been more interesting. Like if the passengers were using dead bodies as out of bounds lines for volleyball games.

 

[X26]

They probably helped Haiti more than internet warriors raging at this.

b-b-but I donated $10 to the red cross! Surely my I have the moral highground over these cretins with their cruise ship injecting millions into a poor region every year, surely!

 

[Vyer]

Yeah...I can't agree with the GAF on this one. Seems like this is in pretty bad taste.

 

[avatar299]

Yeah...I can't agree with the GAF on this one. Seems like this is in pretty bad taste.

So it's better for them to get less money

 

[Manos: The Hans of Fate]

Article couldve been more interesting. Like if the passengers were using dead bodies as out of bounds lines for volleyball games.

Wouldn't they make better surf boards?

I could see random limbs for baseball and racket based sports.

 

[Vyer]

So it's better for them to get less money

I don't know. What money are we talking about? The article doesn't really say much about it. They are donating $1 mill, but that could happen regardless.

Other than that it says they spent 55 mil on the resort and employ 200 haitians.

*shrug* It just seems like a poor decision. The ships could still be put to good use either way.

 

[jamesinclair]

Labodi is sixty miles from the affected area. They'd have to dock there at Labodi, find some trucks to transport all the supplies, and then somehow get it across more than half the country. The road from Labodi to the nearest town, Cap-Haitien, is about two or three miles of narrow, winding roads.

The Labodi dock is extremely small in any case.

The dock is not small, it was just rebuilt to fit the largest cruise ship in the world.

 

[chaostrophy]

It's the nature of luxury to exist in tiny bubbles.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I don't know. What money are we talking about? The article doesn't really say much about it. They are donating $1 mill, but that could happen regardless.

Other than that it says they spent 55 mil on the resort and employ 200 haitians.

*shrug* It just seems like a poor decision. The ships could still be put to good use either way.

These cruises are scheduled so far in advance that changes in itinerary would probably be somewhat difficult.

It's one of those things that is unfortunate but necessary. Yes, it does seem decadent (almost hedonistic) for a bunch of tourists to be having a good time 60 miles away from one of the worst natural disasters in recent history (in terms of the human toll), but the money that said tourism will help to pump into the economy is too important to the country at this point for that discomfort to change the way that business is done.

 

[Vyer]

These cruises are scheduled so far in advance that changes in itinerary would probably be somewhat difficult.

It's one of those things that is unfortunate but necessary. Yes, it does seem decadent (almost hedonistic) for a bunch of tourists to be having a good time 60 miles away from one of the worst natural disasters in recent history (in terms of the human toll), but the money that said tourism will help to pump into the economy is too important to the country at this point for that discomfort to change the way that business is done.

Well yes, I understand the scheduling. But considering the scale and enormity of the situation it would not be unheard of, I would think.

Other than that, again, we don't really have an idea of what money you guys are referencing. I mean, considering the state of the things, it's not like these people are leaving the resort to spend among the population.

EDIT: To clarify, I mean, the place is leveled. The idea of 'Getting Tourism Going Again' becomes a little more important, I think, further down the line when the country is trying to rebuild. Not within a few days when they are pulling bodies out of the rubble and into mass graves and every structure is leveled. It just doesn't seem very logical.

And I don't think Royal is based in Haiti. So the only reference we have is the 200 Haitians that work there.

And really, when you think about it, I wonder what that situation is like for them. And if they even went to work.

 

[godhandiscen]

They probably helped Haiti more than internet warriors raging at this.

Orange, my man, I am proud of you.

 

[Deku]

There is no opposition to tourism in Haiti to help the recovery, rather the morbid juxtaposition of eating lunch and having a good ol time on Haiti beaches immediately after this disaster.


I'd be quite sickened myself. Why would anyone even pay money to go to such a place. Let alone declare, as in the article, they will not let such a disaster interrupt their holiday.

 

[BocoDragon]

So what? The whole world is going about their business. What difference is it whether they are on a cruise ship 60 miles away or you 6000 miles away sitting in your computer chair and surfing an internet videogame forum?

Also what exactly are they supposed to do? Give up their cruise out of respect? Stop having fun, as if it would do something. Volunteer to help? Ok great. Why don't YOU reading this forum volunteer to help right now?

The truth is that life goes on... even for cruisegoers on the beaches of a tragedy stricken nation. Do you expect the world to just stop?

 

[Burai]

They probably helped Haiti more than internet warriors raging at this.

B-bu-but I changed my Halo icon to a heart to show my support!

 

[BakedPigeon]

So people should stop taking cruise vacations because of an earthquake in haiti? I do not understand the problem here.

 

[Truant]

I partied like crazy on 9/11. Life goes on.

 

[Vyer]

So what? The whole world is going about their business. What difference is it whether they are on a cruise ship 60 miles away or you 6000 miles away sitting in your computer chair and surfing an internet videogame forum?

Also what exactly are they supposed to do? Give up their cruise out of respect? Stop having fun, as if it would do something. Volunteer to help? Ok great. Why don't YOU reading this forum volunteer to help right now?

The truth is that life goes on... even for cruisegoers on the beaches of a tragedy stricken nation. Do you expect the world to just stop?

I don't know if you are talking to me, but I said I considered actually going to the place that is destroyed and in the midst of a disaster complete with mass graves and stacks of dead to party and jet ski is a poor decision, yes. Particularly since the help (donating money, supplies) that seems to come from it can be done regardless.

So yes, IMO, there is a big difference between 60 miles and 6000.

I don't know what the rest of your ranting is about, I wasn't commenting on any of that.

 

[PflargBlarg]

I don't know if you are talking to me, but I said I considered actually going to the place that is destroyed and in the midst of a disaster complete with mass graves and stacks of dead to party and jet ski is a poor decision, yes. Particularly since the help (donating money, supplies) that seems to come from it can be done regardless.

So yes, IMO, there is a big difference between 60 miles and 6000.

I don't know what the rest of your ranting is about, I wasn't commenting on any of that.

I'm trying to understand what you don't get about the money thing, it doesn't seem to be sinking in. They are going ashore, and spending money in Haiti. The money goes to Haitian people who will also spend it in Haiti. It's thousands and thousands of dollars being injected into the economy. I don't think you could suggest that money being spent in Haiti would be a bad thing at this time could you?

 

[mrkgoo]

I'm trying to understand what you don't get about the money thing, it doesn't seem to be sinking in. They are going ashore, and spending money in Haiti. The money goes to Haitian people who will also spend it in Haiti. It's thousands and thousands of dollars being injected into the economy. I don't think you could suggest that money being spent in Haiti would be a bad thing at this time could you?

Probably pay the government tourism fees and taxes too.

 

[Vyer]

I'm trying to understand what you don't get about the money thing, it doesn't seem to be sinking in. They are going ashore, and spending money in Haiti. The money goes to Haitian people who will also spend it in Haiti. It's thousands and thousands of dollars being injected into the economy. I don't think you could suggest that money being spent in Haiti would be a bad thing at this time could you?

Not at all. But we really don't have many facts about it; how much, where it goes, etc. To say 'well they are getting the money' is really a broad justification. Considering the state of things, what can they do outside of their resort, and so on. I was just curious about it.

Other than that, again, it just seems in bad taste to go to purposely go to party at the very place where these things are happening.

That's all. Nobody is saying life has to stop for everyone.

 

[The Faceless Master]

awesome headline there...

so, they employ over 200 people, and also indirectly affect another 200, they are donating money and also transporting food and on top of that donating the proceeds from purchases made there and somehow they're the bad guys?

it's unfortunate that some of the tourists are staying on the ship out of a sense of guilt...

 

[Deleted member 1235]

oh god, what a terrible idea. Imagine if some dying people turned up and ruined the view.....

it's helping the people that got fucked you idiot article writer. Just because people with money take vacations doesn't mean they are shit jerks. A lot of them are probably aware that they are contributing to the economy of the devastated country.

Some of them might even DONATE extra cash because they've 'been there'

This happened in Thailand as well. Some friends were there on the otherside when disaster struck. they felt weird continuing to vacation while the other side of the country was screwed, but what can you do? Nothing, except donate or pump money directly into the local economy.

That news article is ridiculous. When is the 'right time' to go back to a disaster ravaged country if it's a beautiful country and you want to see it? Must it permanently be declared a disaster zone? should their be a minimum distance?!

Not a single one of us here wouldn't go swimming if they were on that boat and we all know it.

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

They probably helped Haiti more than internet warriors raging at this.

/bow

 

[Meus Renaissance]

I interpreted the OP differently. To me I didn't see it as "what a bunch of selfish jerks", but instead further illustrates the haves and have-nots of our society. Just now I was watching a report where a small child had to get his leg amputated. He pleaded with the doctors not to take his legs, saying that he wouldn't be able to go to school and consequently get a job and support his family. This is a small child we're talking about here, what kid worries about whether or not he'll be able to find a job when he gets older? Eventually the doctors decided that they must go ahead with the operation in order to save his life. In effect that child will now have to struggle each day to make a life for himself.

 

[xbhaskarx]

What about all the people who are going to beaches and eating barbeques throughout the rest of the world right now? Or engaging in other activities that do nothing to help the people of Haiti, like posting on GAF?

 

[mckmas8808]

Wow back fire.

 

[FreezeSSC]

Yea and i mean look as those dominicans, they are like right next door while the biggest tragedy every just took place how inhumane.

 

[hulot]

I don't know if you are talking to me, but I said I considered actually going to the place that is destroyed and in the midst of a disaster complete with mass graves and stacks of dead to party and jet ski is a poor decision, yes. Particularly since the help (donating money, supplies) that seems to come from it can be done regardless.

So yes, IMO, there is a big difference between 60 miles and 6000.

I don't know what the rest of your ranting is about, I wasn't commenting on any of that.

Good for you! These guys in the OP make me sick, spending all their money on 'frivolous' vacations and not asking for refunds from a country that desperately needs the tourism revenue now more than ever, supporting a company that gives jobs to Haitians and donates to the relief effort. You're a saint, deigning to even consider going there, I'm sure your thoughts are helping people dig out of the rubble and build magical castles in the air.