27164: Allen(observation)saftey on my recent trip to Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Posted by Allen

Here is a response to someone requesting the pictures of the election posters and asked my observations of safety in Haiti.  Here is a little of what I might be able to contribute:

As far as impressions of safety, that is a very tough thing.  In this last trip(Dec 15-22)I felt safe for the most part, especially the further I got away from the big cities particularly Port Au Prince. But after returning and reading the news from the Corbitt list, I am glad I did not become one of December's statistics.

 My first trip to Haiti was in April 05, the week of Easter.    In April of last year nine of us flew out of Ft Lauderdale to Port Au Prince and we stay two nights in PAP and then flew on MAF out to Mole St Nicolas in the NW.  Then we drove 13 miles to a very remote area  about 8 miles north of Bombardupolis and felt very safe.

This time because of the political unrest we decided that the 10 of us on the trip should fly in to PAP and go directly to the domestic airport to fly out and skip PAP as much as possible.  Well, our 20 seventy pound bags did not come in until a later flight and 3 of the men(including me) stayed behind.  We were meeting two Americans Richard Byers and one of his 4 sons who live in Mole who drive their Nissan box truck 12-15 hours once a month to p/u supplies in PAP.

All five of us stayed in PAP that night.  We went shopping at two grocery stores and felt relatively safe.   We did feel a little nervous while somewhere around Delmas 75 we took two wrong turns looking for some good chicken that they had bought from a street vendor the day before around 15 Octobre.  Now I do not know PAP at all but they do pretty well.  We were asking for directions, it was dark , and we took a wrong turn down a dead end street.  Richard and his 16 year old son Keith both speak good Kreoyl from living in Mole St Nicholas for over a year.

The dead end street at night made me a little nervous, but backed out and took the next street.  It took us to the most delicious chicken and pikles(I may need some help on that word).  Well, at least at the time it sure tasted great after the last meal being a bagel on the way to Miami Int'l at 4am.

We drove out the next morning December 16 through St Marc, Gonaives, Anse Rouge, Mare Rouge, etc.  14 hours for the approx. 150 mile trip. Our whole trip overall went exceptional and I had a great time all around.

When we got back to the US , I read the Corbitt list and began to  find out what happened in Haiti while we were there it made me thankful that we did not become some of the December statistics.  Something like 400 reported kidnappings?

Wow, what can I say.  I am thankful and am planning to go back as soon as I can.  I usually feel very safe, especially the further I am away from PAP.

Doug Allen

Ps: do not hesitate to send me an email with your comments and if you still want to see those political candidate’s poster, I’ve got it now in an easy format to email; just drop me a note at allengatorz@juno.com


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