Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Apr 3, 2012 / 03:12 am
Recent news that the Red Cross may be planning to build a luxury conference center and hotel in Haiti using donor funds has drawn criticism from local missionaries and charity watchdog groups.
“It's interesting to think about if the decision is being motivated by the Red Cross executives desiring to have a nice facility for themselves to use and have control over,” CharityWatch president, Daniel Borochoff, told CNA.
On March 27, the Associated Press reported that the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society is considering plans to convert a $10.5 million, 10-acre compound that was purchased after local headquarters were destroyed in the 2010 earthquake.
The land is located near the Haiti International Airport and now serves as living space for aid workers, relief trucks and offices.