Labadee was first marketed as a resort in Hispaniola, an attempt to separate the brand from Haiti. And with the country still receiving very little revenue from the tourist destination, it’s clear Royal Caribbean doesn’t care about Haiti or its people at all.
Gates with barbed wire and armed guards surround the resort. Haitians who aren’t resort employees could be killed for trying to access a part of their own country. And when the 2010 earthquake occurred, Royal Caribbean made a paltry donation to relief efforts and kept the resort open so that tourists could continue partying while millions of Haitians dug through the rubble of their homes.
Haitians have been protesting Labadee for years, while Royal Caribbean tries to tie the protests to the country’s politics or gang violence. But the local presence is being felt as the cruise line repeatedly had to close down the resort because of the pressure.
Labadee is another example of colonialism plundering Black resources and making millions of dollars while leaving Black communities with pennies. But just like the people of Haiti, we can fight back to protect what is ours.