N.Y.ers quick to help Haiti after quake
Aid is flowing to survivors of the Aug. 14 earthquake in Haiti — with individuals, organizations and governmental agencies donating directly to local grassroots groups working on the ground.
And the support is strong for the quake victims, despite tainted memories of past scrutinized multimillion-dollar fund-raising efforts for 2010 earthquake survivors.
Aiding the swell of support coming from the city’s Haitian community, organizations, such as HAUP (Haitian Americans United for Progress), Haitian-rooted Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Taiwan-rooted Rep. Grace Meng, Rabbi Bob Kaplan of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, and others have joined the wide ranging effort to help quake survivors.
Through its “NYC Stands With Haiti” website, the city is asking all New Yorkers to donate cash to the following grassroots relief organizations: Hope for Haiti (hopeforhaiti.com) organization, the Ayiti Community Trust (ayiticommunitytrust.org), Capracare Haiti (capracare.org) and Partners in Health (pih.org/ country/haiti).
The Associated Press reported last week that a severe housing crisis has been created with the reported destruction of close to 53,000 homes in the August quake. The 7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwest Haiti killed more than 2,000 people and injured 12,268.
According to the AP, nonprofit groups and philanthropy experts say fund-raising for the nation will be difficult in the wake of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise last month and accusations that money raised for 2010 earthquake relief never got to victims.
Aid to Haiti has been probed for years and scrutiny intensified in 2015 when an investigation from ProPublica and NPR questioned where $500 million raised by the American Red Cross was spent, said the AP.
While disputing the ProPublica/NPR findings, the American Red Cross, in an emailed statement, said it is not seeking donations for Haiti relief right now, but will work with its partners — including the Haitian Red Cross and the Red Crescent — to respond to the earthquake, said the AP.
GRENADA REOPENS
There’s great news coming from Grenada — with luxury hotels and villas, restaurants, world-renowned white sand beaches and other natural wonders now reopened to international tourists.
Touting updated COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Grenada is inviting vacationers from around the world — while practicing safety and showing off a host of new and traditional happenings in the country.
In Grenada, and its sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique, there are new resort properties, eateries using local spices, rum distilleries, and chocolate factories, with waterfalls, the Caribbean’s largest shipwreck, and the world’s first underwater sculpture park included in the tourist attractions.
There is a long list of recently built and soon-to-come accommodations — including the Royalton Grenada Resort and Spa and the Spice Island Beach Resort, two all-inclusive properties due to open in October.
Getting to Grenada has been made easier by more nonstop and direct flights to the nation’s Maurice Bishop International Airport. JetBlue offers daily service from
New York’s JFK Airport.
Promoting safe travel, “all persons entering Grenada either by air or sea must be fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccination and present a negative PCR test result, taken within three days of arrival.”
A “Pure Safe Travel Authorization Certificate” is needed for each traveler, including children, arriving in Grenada, according to the Grenada Tourism Authority.
Visit puregrenada.com/travel-advisory for more information on travel mandates.
“Exemptions to fully vaccinated status includes citizens, residents, persons under 13, diplomats and airline crew on layover,” said the tourism authority.
“The health and safety of Grenada’s citizens and its visitors has been a priority since the outset of this pandemic and our strict measures through our Pure Safe Travel initiative have allowed Grenada to contain the spread of COVID-19,” said Petra Roach, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority.
“We are thrilled to welcome back travelers and showcase the exciting new tourism developments that will continue to distinguish our island as a gem of the Caribbean. Once our guests arrive, they will find that the destination’s culture, cuisine and idyllic landscape are the definition of paradise,” said Roach.
For more information on Grenada, its accommodations, restaurants and tourism activities, visit puregrenada.com.
TASTE OF ITALY
It’s quite a trip, but the flavors of southern Italy, Napoli and the Campania region of the European nation arrive in Barbados with renowned Chef Antonio Mellino’s opening of the “QP Bistro” eatery in October, and the “Quattro Passi at the Cliff” restaurant on the island at November’s end.
Mellino — who has cooked for royalty, and earned two-star Michelin status for his famed Quattro Passi restaurant in Nerano on Italy’s Amalfi Coast — will be using ingredients from Caribbean farmers, Italy and the United Kingdom to create his dishes which innovate, but respect tradition and seasonality.
“I absolutely love the energy of Barbados, and I am telling all of my regular clientele to meet me there. I couldn’t be more excited to open this unbelievable Quattro Passi in Barbados,” said Mellino.