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http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...S_MILITARY.asp

I don't know about other's thoughts on this, but I'm simply disgusted. Here is this man supporting American troops when people in the countries where the Sandals hotels are located are dying of hunger and disease.

I do understand the need for marketing, but I really believe that to spend money to fix up other's houses when you're own backyard is in jeopardy is just ridiculous.

Respectfully disagree Topclass. Butch Stewart is a business man and he can do whatever with is money as he pleases. It is not his burden to fix the ills of Jamaica, St. Lucia or wherever else there is a Sandals. He probably creates more jobs per year on these islands that their own government does. He does give a lot to charity. This is a pure markerting move, a very smart one at that. That is why he is a millioniare.

i agree with the both of u in a way.

tbaje i agree. as a businessman or better yet anybody in the world that is successful can donate or give their money to any fund or charity. it's not a law to say where a person/companies contribution should go.

topclass i agree that it would have been nice and beneficial the money gets put back in2 jamaica where he's successful. his business is in the country's backyard. at the same time it isn't mandatory to give his earning's to a particular destination. i c what u mean though.

salt

Yes,
He does give a lot of jobs to those islands.

Yes, it is not his responsibility to fix the ills of those countries.

Yes, its a great marketing move.

But,
He is not only providing jobs -- for every job his business provides, he's getting back 3 times that much in revenue.

If he's going to continue to run his businesses in those islands successfully, then I say it IS his responsibility to contribute to problems that affect those countries. The same way he can contribute to problems affecting the US, is the same way he can contribute to those islands.
If people are hungry, they will turn to criminal methods in order to feed their families. An increase in crime will ultimately affect the tourism rates...

A great marketing move, but at what cost? These troops are going to take the vacation and be glad for it, but then what? Something free is something free, and it will not increase the likelihood of Sandals getting more business in the future, if, as I mentioned, the crime rates are increasing in the islands...

this is part marketing move and part idealogical alignment.

private citizens, especially those who reap huge profits off the backs of the masses, are not exempt from accountability.

When you are wealthy the rest of the world thinks you are indebted to them. I disagree. Yes there is social responsibility, however one person cannot cure all the problems.

As for Mr. Stewart... let not say that he does not give back both Jamaicans and Ja-americans. From my personal experience, as a board member of the Caribbean Bar Association for the past three years, there is not a project, large or small that Air Jamaica or Sandals has not pledged there support with hard cash. (BWIA never around, that is why i don't care if they suffer, i wish they will go out of business let someone new take over) Some of the few projects :

1) our community clinics on immigration, small biz issues, where people get advise for free.
2) airjamaica and sandals always offers free tickets for fun raising every time asked.
3) sponsoring a whole workshop in Jamaica where american attorneys went to give free legal advise.

This is small i am sure to some of the things his companies engage in. I have met him personally, he is nice, generous and accessible, treats those around him with respect.

It is true that social responsibility is important and must not be ignored s it is also true that no one person can solve all of the problems facing the Caribbean.

However, at the same time I would like people like ‘Butch’ Stewart and indeed all of us to constantly keep in mind the bigger picture. That is, the ease with which we seem to have the US come into the Caribbean and traipse around disregarding sovereignty and making veiled threats whenever anything happens or is said here that does not appeal to their interests.

I am well aware that Jamaica and many other Caribbean islands are dependent upon the US tourist dollar. Just as long as we remember that many people in North America – who already have little knowledge about the world outside their borders – harbour certain perceptions of the Caribbean, namely an exotic region not too technologically or intellectually advanced, good for getting in touch with their primitive selves. The US has always seen the C’bbean as its own private lake dotted with some islands here and there. To some extent this is internalised by many Caribbean people themselves instead of seeing it as a region in its own right.

This is why I am very cautious with their presence, particularly as they are really into making enemies with their farcical ‘War on Terror’ who are now more than ever striking in “soft” areas or in places considered pro-US. Let’s not forget that with an increase in tourism, even if the tourists are servicemen, one is also looking at an increase in organised crime.