Tortola Tourist Board - Let Cruise Excursion Bus Story "Die Naturally"
BVI News and BVI Platinum News continue their excellent coverage of the tragic and deadly crash of the Princess Cruises' excursion bus in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI) with an article entitled "It could Have Been Worse."
PR Nightmare
The BVI Tourist Board is trying to manage the public relations nightmare of the death and multiple injuries of U.S. cruise tourists on a bus with no seat belts being driven by a bus driver with an arrest history and prior conviction record for reckless driving nicknamed "Crash Dummy."
The Director of the BVI tourist Board, Ms. Hadassah Ward (photograph below, left), is struggling with crisis management efforts following this debacle. Ms. Ward scheduled a press conference yesterday where she announced that "it could have been worse."
I'm not sure I understand exactly how it "could have been worse."
A young man died needlessly on a cruise excursion, purchased by his loving parents for his birthday, because of the obvious negligence of the excursion company and cruise line which saw fit to associate itself with a substandard tour company which hired a known reckless driver nicknamed "Crash Dummy" operating a bus not suited for mountainous terrain.
Ms. Ward should have said "this should have never happened."
Instead we see Ms. Ward and her "Tourist Board" worrying about the image of her island and fretting about the press and the blogs covering the tragic story.
Muzzle the Press?
Ms. Ward announced that "one of the Board’s role is to monitor the media . . . to ensure accurate information is being disseminated. Ms. Ward also said she would monitor the "posted pictures of the accident . . . because it will be there for the next 10 to 20 years . . . "
Mr Ward is quoted as saying: "everyone is reading the blogs and newspapers… so we don’t want the information to be misconstrued where people will be affected in terms of liability . . . we need to understand that the blogs are read internationally."
She also noted that "good attitude from the Tourist Board officials" quelled any videos and photographs from being circulated online by the 16 tourists who were involved in the accident.
Ms. Ward concluded her remarks by stating "I am a great believer in letting the story die naturally . . ."
This is the essence of tourist boards and cruise line PR people - they just want the story to go away.
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We reported in a prior blog that this is not the first cruise bus excursion to run off the road and injure cruise passengers in Tortola - "Brake Malfunction? Defense Lawyers for Princess Cruises and Bus Driver Disagree on Cause of Tortola Excursion Accident." Nothing was done after that disaster.
History is repeating itself.
Let's Be Happy & Forget about It
So we have the Tortola Tourist Board trying to puzzle the press and control the images of the tragedy for PR purposes.
And the island and cruise line people behind the scenes just want the story to die naturally . . .
And then what?
Another season of substandard buses, with no seat belts, with reckless drivers . . . and another round of unsuspecting cruise passengers taking their families on the next bus driven by a "Crash Dummy" . . .
Comments From Tortola:
Here are some of the comments to the BVI News story that the Tortola Tourist Board is concerned with:
An accident waiting to happen is no accident. Hiring a driver with driving infractions and one of which was reckless driving to operate your tour bus is irresponsible and negligent. The owner of the tour bus too, is guilty of negligence which contributed to this vehicular homicide. Just because these tourists were given a heap of hush money as incentives not to file a lawsuit (we hope) and to keep things quiet, doesn't mean that TB should be issuing insensitive words " It could have been worse" because frankly, it could not have been worse . .
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Could have been worse?? Oh it's just one life....I mean come on. You're talking about insurance and all that...I mean if we have people operating and transporting persons and they have no license to drive or no insurance to operate heir vehicles then we have a very serious flaw in the system! Don't give me that could have been worse story. With as much violations this guy should he even be driving much less responsible for transporting this many people? These are peoples lives we're talking about!
License or no license, hiring a driver with a record of driving infractions including reckless driving, whose nickname is Crash Dummy should be good reason to revoke his license to operate a tour bus. Lackadaisical, slackness, don't care with attitude are words to describe the way business is conducted in this place from top to bottom.
March 11, 2010 Update:
Two newspaper stories from Tortola today address the efforts of the Tourist Board to assist the parents of the deceased cruise passenger, Mr. Rumphrey. The BVI News has an article "BVITB Reports on its Efforts to Assist Family of Tourist Killed in Road Accident." The BVIU Beacon also reports on the Tourist Board's efforts to assist the affected passengers in an article "BVITB Aids Family of Man Killed in Wreck." Ms. Ward is quoted saying: "Yes, bad things do happen in paradise, but when they do happen, you have a support group.”
Credits:
Photograph of Ms. Ward BVI News
Photographs of bus BVI Platinum News
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The Magistrate suspended Mr. Allen's license, pending the outcome of his trial regarding the death of cruise passenger Aaron Rumphrey who died in the crash. 
Mr. Maltzman is best known for his successful defense of Cunard Line and Fun Water Tours following the crash of an excursion truck in Tortola British Virgin Islands (BVI) in November 2005. The case is highlighted in an article appearing in the National Law Journal entitled ".jpg)
Mr. Maltzman is reportedly telling some of the passengers that the tour bus' air brakes were checked out by investigators and no problems were discovered. It is less than clear whether the investigators were retained by the police or the defense lawyers on behalf of the cruise line. 
Mr. Daniels appeared in Court yesterday in an effort to try and get his client out of jail, following his arrest two days ago. In an article entitled "
Mr. Rumphrey attended classes at the Cobblestone Arts Center in Farmington, New York. His teachers and friends there remember him as "just a sweet young man." 
We reported on this tragedy yesterday in an article ".jpg)
The tour bus (photo left) "went off the road and flipped earlier today. Of the 20 passengers onboard, one person was killed and two others were seriously injured.".jpg)
This is the second serious excursion vehicular accident in the last year. 
insurance underwriters. These underwriters work with the cruise line to maintain a united defense against any passenger who is injured in excursion accidents like this. 
surveillance cameras spotted the kids throwing some food overboard. .jpg)
Nuts! 
articles of food overboard including a fork. Apparently, they were spotted on camera by security. 
Many crewmembers employed by Princess Cruises have contacted us to inquire about their rights after being injured or becoming ill on Princess cruise ships. 
Under certain circumstances, the cruise ship can become "unseaworthy" when a crewmember attacks or sexually assaults a crewmate, particularly if a weapon or date rape drug is used.
or her own medical treatment and then offer to possibly pay the bills later. This violates the law. As a practical matter, most crewmembers cannot afford to pay for surgeries or ongoing therapy. The result is that the medical condition worsens and the crewmember experiences additional pain and disability. 
However, U.S. courts have found that Princess' "employment contract" and its "terms and conditions" which attempt to apply the law of Bermuda are illegal and unenforceable. Princess does not explain this either to its crewmembers. .jpg)
an "ugly story" - one "of pain" suffered by the Faliva family and "incompetence and laxity" by the police in Bermuda. 
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The article points out that a .jpg)
lines and other large corporate polluters. In addition to cruise lines, the .jpg)
concerns about the agency's behavior and about the credibility of the panel as it will now be." .jpg)
It is now two months after the unexplained loss of young Mr. Faliva. His family continues to seek clues regarding what really happened to their son and brother.
passengers destroyed? Ms. Faliva apparently had an argument with another crew member earlier and a warning had been issued and then later rescinded. Did Mr. Faliva see something he should not have, such as drug smuggling - which we have written about: "
following the reported lack of cooperation from Princess Cruises and the Government of Bermuda..jpg)
The disturbing circumstances surrounding the "disappearance" of Princess crew member Angelo Faliva continue to fill the newspapers and television airways in Italy as the cruise line continues to keep the Faliva family in the dark. 
traveled from Italy to California - where Princess Cruises is based - to try and find information about her brother..jpg)
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The case of the "missing" crew member from the Coral Princess cruise ship continues to dominate the press in Italy..bmp)
The Faliva family has expressed their frustration with Princess Cruises' lack of information, the attitude of the cruise ship's captain, and the cruise line's delay in cooperating with investigators following the "disappearance" of Angelo Faliva from the Coral Princess cruise ship on November 25th..jpg)
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Mr. Faliva apparently spoke with some passengers in the Sabatini restaurant on the cruise ship, and then left his station around 8:15 p.m. Yet, the cruise line delayed over 12 hours reporting him missing. This delayed the search conducted by the Colombian Navy until the afternoon of the following day. .jpg)
Mr. Faliva apparently had a prior incident of some type with another crewmember, who is identified as a "Filipino sous chef." Who is he? Has he been interviewed by the investigators?
The Italian family of crew member Angelo Faliva is continuing to search for answers to explain the circumstances regarding his disappearance from the Coral Princess, a cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises which is based in Santa Clarita, California.
Mr. Faliva's disappearances is a story that we will continue to watch and report on. 
flag of the vessel and primarily responsible for investigations, did not get involved until very late. 
what happened to their son and brother. .jpg)
In this case, Princess Cruises PR representative Julie Benson said that the cruise line's investigation allegedly did not reveal any information to explain the crew member's disappearance. The PR representative Benson tells the LA Times:
The AP article is entitled ".jpg)
never returned and hadn't been seen since.
"Obviously, we're very concerned," Princess' PR representative Julie Benson (left) said. "This is highly unusual and clearly we are concerned for his safety. It very well may be that he went overboard, but we don't know that for a fact.".jpg)
Italian restaurant "Sabatini's."
scene of the disappearance to the cruise lines, which are often motivated by their own legal interests and marketing image. 
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A woman from Kansas City accused Princess Cruises crew member Jorge Manuel Teixeira (from Portugal) of sexually assaulting her during a cruise last March between Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles, while the ship was at sea off the coast of Mexico..jpg)
Arrests of sexual predators on cruise ships are rare, and criminal prosecutions and convictions are somewhere between slim and none. Cruise lines often help defend their crew members behind the scenes, in the hope of avoiding the stigma of one of their crew members going to jail. .jpg)
The first time I read that Princess Cruises was making its foray into social media with #followmeatsea, I knew that it was going to be a disaster. .jpg)
lines sailing out of the U.S. over the last couple of months. Lets put the nicely written environmental policies on its slick web site aside for a moment. Take a look at 
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clean waters. Princess Cruises ignored these pointed questions, although one brave blogger promised to ask the Environmental Officer about the violations and tweet his answer. (1).jpg)
Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema M. El-Amamy is quoted as saying: "This was aggravated sexual abuse. This was a crew member who met a passenger on the ship and proceeded to sexually assault her." .jpg)
Most passengers don't realize the danger which women and children face on cruise ships. For example, who would think that they are at risk of being raped on the cruise line featured in the popular television series the "Love Boat?"
The most publicized sexual assault this year involved .jpg)
Foreseeability of Sexual Assaults on Cruise Ships?
One of the speakers at the hearing was Evelyn Fortier, the former vice president of the .jpg)
Ken Carver whose daughter Merrian disappeared on a cruise ship operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises. The legislation was introduced by California Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) whose constituent, Ms. Laurie Dishman was sexually assaulted on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Ms. Dishman is a client and good friend of the firm. She has worked tirelessly with the other ICV members to make sure that legislation like this is enacted to protect the traveling public.
The International Cruise Victims Association (ICV) applauds House passage today of critical language authored by Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (D-CA) ensuring the safety of cruise ship passengers on the high seas. Matsui’s Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act of 2009, included in H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2010, requires cruise lines to report all crimes aboard cruise ships to both the United States Coast Guard and the FBI. The first measure of its kind, this legislation represents a historic step toward securing the safety all passengers need and deserve.
My legislation will not only help protect and empower future victims, but it contains important reforms that will help change the culture of the cruise industry and prevent future attacks from happening.”
As this crucial legislation moves forward, it serves as a sign to many among the ICV’s community of followers that progress is being made toward ensuring the safety of Americans abroad. The measure approved today is a major victory in the fight for cruise passengers’ rights. ICV President Kendall Carver expressed his hopeful outlook as the legislation has been approved by committee in the Senate. “Adoption of this bill would be proof to the world that our small group of volunteers with limited funds has been able to make a difference in the safety of Americans. When the Cruise Safety legislation is signed into law, it will serve to protect Americans across the nation during what ought to be relaxing vacations.”
American law enforcement. Title IX requires cruise ships to comply with design and construction standards, such as specific rail heights, peep holes, warning devices and cabin security measures. The bill also requires that vessels are equipped with a video surveillance system to assist in documenting and prosecuting crimes, and it requires vessels to maintain a log book to record reports on specified complaints. Finally, once enacted, vessels will be required to contact the nearest FBI office as soon as possible to report incidents involving homicide, suspicious deaths, missing U.S. nationals, kidnapping, assault, and other serious occurrences..jpg)
I'll admit it. David Foster Wallace's "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" is one of the funniest, albeit most cynical, books ever written about the cruise industry. So when I read Benjamin Errett's recent article in Canada's National Post entitled "
#4 "Watching fellow passengers pile their plates high with rashes of congealed bacon." He warns "don't look at them. Grab a banana and get out . . . "
Australian citizen and fellow passenger Mark Wilhelm is accused of the manslaughter death of Ms. Brimble after he allegedly gave her the drug Gamma Hydroxybutyrate ("GHB") during a cruise aboard the Pacific Sky. .jpg)
The jury is now left with the sole issue whether defendant Wilhelm committed a crime by supplying her with GHB, also known as the drug "fantasy." The coroner has already concluded that Ms. Brimble died after being given a toxic mix of alcohol and GHB..jpg)
Over the weekend, I was the first to report in the U. S. (on Twitter and in this blog) that another 
Cruise lines have suffered from terrible publicity due to the irresponsible way that they have responded to shipboard crimes. For example, after Ms. Brimble died, the P & O brand (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation which also owns sister company Princess Cruises), began running a highly sexualized marketing campaign touting an image of booze and sex. 
The last time the press reported a sexual assault on a Princess Cruises or P & O cruise was earlier this year. A 
When I started this blog, I announced that I would be awarding what I am calling the "
While investigating the case, I learned that my client previously worked for Princess Cruises. I sent an email to Princess Cruises' General Counsel, Mona Ehrenreich. I explained that I was pursuing a case against a cruise line here in Miami and needed to obtain my client's personnel and medical records from Princess. .jpg)
Things are not as they seem on the Love Boat. Cruise lines like this develop an arrogance over the years. They don't pay U. S. taxes. They abuse their foreign crew members. They usually get away with things. 
Cruise lines which are in touch with their market understand the need to be versed with all aspects of Social Media 2.0. Twitter, FaceBook, Flickr, and YouTube all present an inexpensive and highly effective way to get a company's message out to the public. This is particularly important in times of crisis management, such when a fire breaks out or a bout of swine flu is running its course on a cruise ship..jpg)
Princess Cruises' sister brand P & O Cruises knows what it is doing in the world of social media. P & O Cruises has had more than its fair share of bad things happen on its cruise ships. It is best known for the tragic death of Dianne Brimble, who died due to a toxic mix of alcohol and a date rape drug several years ago. The brand was known for heavy drinking, out of control parties and general debauchery..jpg)
P & O went on the offensive. CEO Ann Sherry began giving short statements on the cruise line's blog. The .png)
When the flu passed its course, the next ship blog, entitled "Clean Ship," showed photos of the Captain and crew having fun in the disco, smiling and laughing. The message to the public was quite effective - everything is fine, come on aboard.
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There are no regulations which apply to foreign flagged cruise ships regarding this issue. They pretty much do whatever they want. What are Princess Cruises' polices and procedures? 
This announcement probably indicates that there is surveillance video of Ms. Edelgard which pinpoints the approximate time of her disappearance.
A 67-year-old passenger is the latest "disappearance" from a cruise ship. This case involves a U.S. citizen who sailed on Princess Cruises' cruise ship Sapphire Princess from Alaska en route to Vancouver. She has not been identified.
Dragan Losic (with goatee), one of "8 persons of interest" in Ms. Brimble's death, appeared in Court. Over the course of three hours of his testimony, he could not even remember meeting Dianne Brimble on the first night of the cruise, just hours before she died in his friends' cabin. 
