Haiti Airport Baggage Handlers, There're Just Too Many!

Haiti Airport Baggage Handlers

I don't know about but I really hate it. I always hated it, and something needs to be done about it!

Every time I arrive at the Haiti airport, these people want to rip your baggage from you, not because they want to help, but because they want your money.

The funniest thing is... They don't thank you for tipping... They curse you for giving too little!

Mande Bondye ou ta ba yo lajan Haitien menm... Yo ap tou dechouke-w... Voyew tounnen back kote-w soti-a!

It is intimidating even for me... and I am a big man!

Imagine how terrifying it must be for a woman who, God forbid, is a foreigner, and is traveling alone!

If it bothers me and I was born and raised in Haiti, how to you think looks for the thousands and thousands of foreigners arriving at the Haiti airport every day?

The International airport is Haiti's front gate. It says a lot about our image, if we still have one.

In the new world that we live in, where everybody has a camera, every stupid video lands on Youtube, and everything becomes headline news in a spit second, IMAGE IS EVERYTHING!

I don't know whose responsibility it is to ensure that Haiti is no longer seen as a nation of beggars but it looks really ugly when beggars disguised as State employees line up at the front gate of the Republic of Haiti.

AT THE FRONT GATE!

There seems to be more baggage handlers at the Haiti airport then there are passengers.

I understand there a no jobs in Haiti but is this really the very first thing we want the world to see as soon as they land in Haiti?

I used to feel that writing such an article would be degrading to my own country but it is true, it is enjoying, and it is making all of us look bad.

NO... Not just our government...

ALL OF US HAITIANS... Black, white, mulato, it doesn't matter!

Really... Is this what you want to read about your own country every time you read the newspaper?

"ME! ME! MISTER! I HELPED YOU! HEY! ME! MISTER! --"

Dozens of men crashed like sea waves, arms flailing, faces contorted. Only two actually had guided us through the airport mob scene, their hands possessively pressed to our supply carts, shooing away others who tried to glom on. Then I reached for a tip ...

Now every man in Haiti seemed to demand payment. They shoved and elbowed each other, arms in our faces -- "ME! HEY! I HELPED! ME!" -- until we lost track of the original guys in a sea of palms and eyes and hats and sweaty shirts. I threw out some money. My colleagues scrambled into the van. Someone yelled, "Shut the doors!" The engine roared, and we jerked into motion, fists banging on the windows... (See original article)

Sounds like a freaking movie script... but unfortunately... anyone who's landed at the Haiti airport will agree that the author is not exaggerating.

I don't know about you but I think it is time we address ALL of the issues, starting with the things that bothers us most, as Haitians, about Haiti.

We all know that Haiti is a poor country but is that the first thing we have to show to the world every time they walk into our front door?

Have you had a similar experience? Doesn't it bother you?

Post your comments below.

You might also like

Tremor, Aftershock... Haiti Is Shaking Again!

A Statement About Haiti You Did Not Expect

Responses

Showing page 1 - 10 of 13 comments | View More Comments »

Page 1 of 2 • page 1 - 10 of 13 « First  ‹ Prev  1 2  Next ›  Last »