Luxury Cruise Ship Docks On Private Haitian Beach, Just 60 Miles From Devastation
BoingBoing reported this morning on a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ship that made its scheduled docking at a private beach. Though the cruise ship delivered 40 pallets of relief supplies while it docked, vacationers frolicked and held a barbecue on the private area, just miles from the devastation caused by the 7.0 earthquake last week.
From The Guardian:
The decision to go ahead with the visit has divided passengers. The ships carry some food aid, and thecruise line has pledged to donate all proceeds from the visit to help stricken Haitians. But many passengers will stay aboard when they dock; one said he was "sickened".
"I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water," one passenger wrote on the Cruise Critic internet forum.
2 comments:
I agree with the one passenger who stated "I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water." On the other hand, look at the conflicts in war. Remember the camps in Vietnam and Iraq that would party while just miles away form fierce fighting and combat.
You can easily draw an analogy of Haiti BEFORE the hurricanse and earthquake. Poor lived just outside of the well manicured palaces and etc. Same in the Middle East, and in America. Here in GreenVegas County, Piedmont Manor is practically surrounded by Chanticleer Gold Community. Some houses off of Seven Oaks litterally butt back yards with the poor.
I did see the RC response (disclaimer) about why they still docked and had fun. I can understand the point of view because it is still GOOD for the local commerce there. They off-loaded 40 pallets of supplies. But for crying out loud, it just seems so wrong. Do you know how much food a cruise ship wastes? If I were a passenger, I just couldn't have fun while docked there. Its a vexing situation.
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