Reply to: Short term work in Haiti - a good idea?

[flipFlop]

Rate to work in Haiti for their government?

I've just had a call from an agent about a few weeks of software engineering work in Haiti for the government. The rate is good

What rate did the agent offer you to work on this government contract in Haiti?

[SueEllen]

IIRC, nor does the Philippines - just don't use their own carriers, use a US / European one instead and you'll be fine.

Unfortunately it doesn't work like that.

Air France had a crash in a plane that they made passengers travelling from France change to in Saudi Arabia on the way to Yemen.

Also Chinese airlines have a lot of crashes. *

Rule of thumb- Make sure any of your connections are in countries were airlines must have planes that meet ICAO standards and your pilots aren't Chinese.

*Warned this by a mate who worked in aviation.

[TheFaQQer]

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, Haiti’s civil aviation authority does not meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) safety standards for the oversight of air carrier operations.

IIRC, nor does the Philippines - just don't use their own carriers, use a US / European one instead and you'll be fine.

[Taita]

Thanks guys - some good advice here. I probably will take the work if I get the offer because I need the money; I've been out of work since the end of January. I see online that plenty of people do go there; it's the tragedies that make the news.

The advice I've had so far is:

(1) Find out which areas are safe and stick to them.
(2) Find out who the security company are and make sure they're good.
(3) Get good travel and health insurance including repatriation costs.
(4) Find forums for foreigners who live and work there and ask for advice.
(5) Get thoroughly vaccinated.

Number (5) may be the deal-breaker; according to the NHS it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get one's immune system ready, and the client may need someone sooner than that.

Thanks again guys. :-)

Make sure your ticket is an open return, retained by you and that is the same with your passport and check to see whether you can depart the country freely or have to get official approval before boarding the plane.

[Wanderer]

From https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/haiti

Probably the best advice so far.

The kidnapping part would worry me most, the British Government are reluctant to pay because that just encourages the kidnappers

[SueEllen]

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, Haiti’s civil aviation authority does not meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) safety standards for the oversight of air carrier operations.

Then the rule of thumb is don't take any internal flights in the country, and make sure any flight you take starts or changes in a country that meets ICAO standards.

[northernladuk]

OP got any true stories?

[psychocandy]

According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, Haiti’s civil aviation authority does not meet ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) safety standards for the oversight of air carrier operations.

[psychocandy]

From https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/haiti

First web site to visit for all foreign adventures. Based on this - **** that!

Refused to go to nigeria once with previous employer.....

[stek]

I've worked in Swansea, Haiti's a doddle....

[yasockie]

It'd be really great to hear from you, once you're over there, or after the contract.
My suspicion is that it is a lovely place and the vast majority of people are simply hard-working, struggling with poverty types and like others have said, it's the unfortunate few who get kidnapped make the news.

[SueEllen]

Thanks guys - some good advice here. I probably will take the work if I get the offer because I need the money; I've been out of work since the end of January. I see online that plenty of people do go there; it's the tragedies that make the news.

The advice I've had so far is:

(1) Find out which areas are safe and stick to them.
(2) Find out who the security company are and make sure they're good.
(3) Get good travel and health insurance including repatriation costs.
(4) Find forums for foreigners who live and work there and ask for advice.
(5) Get thoroughly vaccinated.

Number (5) may be the deal-breaker; according to the NHS it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get one's immune system ready, and the client may need someone sooner than that.

Thanks again guys. :-)

Start your vaccinations today (or tomorrow) you may have to pay privately to get them quicker. Then immediately contact the client directly not any agency, and state that you can come 4 weeks from when you start. If you explain the reason for the delay they may give you 4 weeks leeway.

Also if you go on the forums for advice see if there are any people you can meet up with while you are there.

[Goatfell]

Sending signed timesheets could be a bit difficult. Also should you bill all hours or just the ones when you're being tortured( i.e. the working ones).

I think I'd invoke the substitution clause there.

[eek]

make sure its in the T's and C's you can still bill for the days while kidnapped.

Sending signed timesheets could be a bit difficult. Also should you bill all hours or just the ones when you're being tortured( i.e. the working ones).

[NickNick]

Firstly, it's one of only two countries in the world that have refused me entry (Belize being the other), so I've not been there. It shares an island with The Dominican Republic, so you can always pop over there at the weekends. :O)