State Dept. issues travel advisory for Haiti
Vendors are transported to the countryside in a vehicle called a "tap-tap" through early morning traffic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. / AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery
WASHINGTON The State Department has issued a revised Haiti travel advisory, warning Americans planning to travel to the Caribbean island nation about robbery, lawlessness, infectious disease and poor medical facilities.
"U.S. citizens have been victims of violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, predominantly in the Port-au-Prince area. No one is safe from kidnapping, regardless of occupation, nationality, race, gender, or age," the department said.
The new travel warning was released Friday to replace a less strongly worded advisory issued in June.
In recent months, travelers arriving in Port-au-Prince, the capital and largest city, on flights from the United States have been attacked and robbed after leaving the airport. This year, at least two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in robbery and kidnapping incidents, the State Department said.
"Haitian authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate such violent acts, or prosecute perpetrators," the department said.
The State Department also noted that while the incidents of cholera have declined, the disease persists in many areas of Haiti. Medical facilities, including ambulance services, are particularly weak.
"Thousands of U.S. citizens safely visit Haiti each year, but the poor state of Haiti's emergency response network should be carefully considered when planning travel. Travelers to Haiti are encouraged to use organizations that have solid infrastructure, evacuation, and medical support options in place," the department said.
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All right Syria here I come LOL!!!!!
There is no difference in Americans going to Haiti for cheap vacations than missionaries going to Africa to convert the heathens. They get what they are asking for.
But, where are those millions? Haitians are still living in tents. With all the money collected by the Red Cross, the last I heard within the last six months the only thing these people received from the Red Cross has been a sanitary package. Soap, tooth brush/paste, pads for the women, etc which using the soap, toothbrush etc, which going to the few plubic baths to use means fear of rape, the men fear of being robbed of the little they have.
Celebraties are still calling for Americans to 'give', for what purpose? Heavy equipment was suppose to have been shipped over with engineers and construction crews to rebuild for a start. Not even a pick-up truck has been brought in.
These people have no idea how to help themselves. There is no reason these gangs couldn't have started with some kind of a clean-up except for being ignorant simple minded thugs. Haitian 'authories' can do little because they are part of the gangs. So far all the people have done is stay in tents breeding and crying 'woe is me'.
All they know is to be told what to do by a dictator. Baby papa doc wasted no time returning from Paris when the money started rolling in Haiti. He was living in Paris, broke, having run through the millions - foreign aid - he escaped Haiti with years ago. Even the wife left him with her share of the millions, still living high on the hog.
Another country that begs for democracy.