Royal Caribbean Opens New School in Haiti

Royal Caribbean Opens New School in Haiti

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., one of Haiti’s largest foreign investors for almost 30 years, today announced the completion of the L’Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean – one of the first schools to be built in Haiti after the earthquake. The strategically located 6,500 square foot school complex is in northern Haiti near nine towns and villages: Labadie, Cormier, Ducroix, Fort Bourgeois, Marchegalles, Cimetiere-Juif, Champ de Mars, Port Francais and Cap Haitien. The campus consists of six buildings, with 12 classrooms, administrative offices, a computer lab and bathrooms. The school will provide children from the area an education, including classes in English and environmental stewardship. In the evenings adults will attend vocational training.
In delivering the school to the Haitian people as promised, Royal Caribbean worked with South Florida based InnoVida and the St. Coleman’s School, as well as Haiti based ProDev, L’Ecole Nouvelle Zoranje and the Solano Foundation.
“What better way to help Haiti than by educating the children?” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ”Haiti's needs are enormous, and although we can only be a small part of the solution, we believe our model school is a good start. We hope that these children will develop into leaders who will guide Haiti’s recovery in the future.”
The school is on land Royal Caribbean leases from the Haitian government. Royal Caribbean worked with InnoVida and used the company’s Fiber Composite Panels to build the entire school complex in only four weeks, using 50 local Haitian workers, in time for the 2010-2011 school year. All construction materials were transported from Miami onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. InnoVida’s structures can sustain hurricane winds, resist earthquakes due to their high deflection capacity, are waterproof and are a highly energy efficient system.
This first school will be a primary school for grades kindergarten through 5. There will be three kindergarten classes with 36 students, and each grade 1 through 5 will have 25 students, for a minimum of 230 children educated this school year. Royal Caribbean’s next Haitian school building project is entering into the planning stages now.
Continuing its tradition of promoting innovation and creativity, Royal Caribbean partnered with the YMCA of Greater Miami and provided children an opportunity to name the school in Haiti. Out of the more than 3,000 submissions received, a seventh grader from the YMCA afterschool program in Miami Lakes proposed the winning name L’Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean.
Beginning just three days after the earthquake, Royal Caribbean transported more than 3,000 pallets of much needed supplies on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships that called on Labadee. Also, to date, Royal Caribbean’s monetary contribution to the Haiti relief effort is at least $2.5 million, which includes money raised from the donated Labadee calls, the onboard guest donations, and matching funds. The company’s operations at Labadee impact over 500 local Haitians who are either employees or vendors at Labadee commuting from nearby villages. Royal Caribbean also employs over 200 Haitian crew members onboard ships.

Herald report on Haiti's main port

The Miami Herald ran a story today about the problems with rebuilding the Port-au-Prince seaport. It points out the importance of the seaport as an economic driver and the frustrations faced by many of the shippers and those trying to help rebuild. Check it out "Engine of Haiti's recovery sputters."

Sick Relief Crew aboard Schooner Helped by Port Everglades Community

Seafarers' House at Port Everglades led the effort to assist the distressed crew of sailboat returning from a relief effort in Haiti. The Port waived dockage fees for the sailboat, while other companies provided essential services such as food, medical care, and security. Read all about it in The Triton

President Obama Signs Legislation Providing Immediate Tax Deductions for Haiti Charitable

In the days since the earthquake in Haiti, Americans have shown their generosity with millions of dollars in donations. President Obama signed a bill into law that makes it easier to give. This legislation will allow taxpayers to receive the tax benefit from donations made to the Haiti effort in this tax season, rather than having to wait until they file their 2010 tax returns next year. Specifically, cash donations to charities for the Haitian relief effort given after January 11 and before March 1 of this year may be treated as if the contribution was made on December 31 of last year so that the contribution can be deducted from 2009 income. This measure applies to monetary donations, not goods or services.
One way to contribute is the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. To donate, visit ClintonBushHaitiFund.org or text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation that will be added to your cell phone bill. To learn more about the situation in Haiti and what you can do to help, visit WhiteHouse.gov/HaitiEarthquake.

Upcoming Haiti Commerce and Relief Events

Thank you to Bill Lawton from the U.S. Department of Commerce for sharing this list of upcoming meetings and events regarding rebuilding trade and commerce in Haiti.

March 9-10, 2010
What: International Peace Operations “Haiti Summit”
Where: Miami, FL
Details: An organization for private military and logistics corporations, the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), is co-organizing a ‘Haiti Summit’ which aims to bring together ‘leading officials’ for ‘private consultations with attending contractors and investors’.

March 10-12, 2010
What: Export-Import Bank Annual Conference
Where: Washington, DC
Details: This annual meeting is geared to new and current Ex-Im Bank City/State Partners. Staff will brief partners on the Bank’s new products/ programs and product changes.

March 12, 2010
What: “Haiti: Jobs and Growth - What Will it Take?” Conference
Where: Washington, DC (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
Details: This high-level roundtable discussion will examine three central topics: 1) Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned; 2) Private Sector on the Ground Realities; and 3) Beyond Investment: Contributions of the Private Sector in Building Back the Community. There will be a moderated fully-interactive discussion on each topic with hand-picked policy experts and opinion leaders. The roundtable should stimulate consideration of innovative policy proposals to facilitate private sector-led growth and job creation in Haiti going forward.

March 17-19, 2010
What: Sustainable Haiti Conference
Where: Miami, FL
Details: This conference is a special “conference within a conference” taking place during Social Venture Capital/Social Enterprise Conference, Miami-2010. It will contain 45 workshops/panels and over 100 speakers from around the world during its 3 days.

March 31, 2010
What: United Nations Donor Conference
Where: United Nations Building, New York, NY
Details: Government’s from the world’s major economies convene to discuss initial financial/other commitments to Haiti. Commitments based, in part, on a post-disaster needs assessment (prepared by World Bank, IDB, UN, etc.) detailing a list of initial demands.

April 7, 2010
What: Haiti Jobs and Growth: What Will it Take? (Tentative)
Where: New York University, New York, NY
Details: Organized by U.S. Chamber of Commerce with partner Business Civic Leadership Center. President Bill Clinton has been invited but has not yet accepted.

April/June 2010
What: Business Outreach Events
Where: Miami, New York, New Jersey and other U.S. locations TBD
Details: ITA/MAC, working with USEACs, will hold events for the local business community in several U.S. cities including Miami, New York, Boston, northern New Jersey and others. The goal is to engage businesses and other stakeholders (local government officials, academia, etc.) with a direct interest in Haiti’s long-term development. Sites will be chosen and events promoted with the additional goal of reaching members of the Haitian diaspora. MAC will work closely with Commercial Service-Export Assistance Centers in these cities to ensure strong participation.

May 5-6, 2010
What: Haiti Business Development Conference
Where: Santo Domingo, DR
Details: Haitian business sector organizations and companies will be invited to participate in the Conference, providing them with a platform to establish linkages with U.S. and Dominican providers/partners. All of the business participants will attend the presentations made by the multilaterals and other key organizations, including the U.N., WB, IDB and USAID. Those organizations have welcomed the opportunity to inform the private sector about their Haiti plans, procurement processes, etc. They have also indicated an interest in possibly including companies from other major donor countries as well, which AMCHAM may handle.

June 14-18, 2010
What: Trade Mission to DR and Jamaica
Where: DR and Jamaica
Details: CS’s Trade Mission to the DR and Jamaica that was originally scheduled for March has been pushed back until June.

Spirit Airlines Resumes Service to Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Ultra Low Cost Airline Once Again Liberates Haiti From High Fares-- Ultra low cost carrier Spirit Airlines has resumed service to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Regular passenger service had been suspended following the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010.

SeaFreight Resumes Service to Haiti

Further to our January, 27th announcement regarding the resumption of service to Haiti, SeaFreight Line is pleased to advise that the first call of the dedicated feeder vessel, M/V Orso took place on February 1st at Port au Prince discharging mid stream and using landing craft to shuttle the Containers ashore.

The Orso discharged 100 Containers of Aid/Relief cargo as well as dry and refrigerated foodstuffs.

Our second call at Port au Price is scheduled for Monday February 8th and at least weekly thereafter.

We are accepting cargo from Jacksonville FL every Monday and Port Everglades FL every Wednesday and Friday connecting over Kingston, Jamaica into the Haiti Feeder Vessel. Additionally, we are accepting cargo for Haiti from all of our regular ports of call.

Please note that due to the situation in Haiti there are a number of restrictions that apply.

For additional information, please contact our Haiti Task Force at Teamhaiti@seafreightagencies.com