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BON VOYAGE Sea Princess World Cruise 2018


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So how do they pay for the food they import, surely they wouldn't make that much from cruise ships calling past.?

Here is some information on the economy of Pitcairn.

 

Britain' aid budget had handed the equivalent of £426,000 to each inhabitant of Pitcairn over the past six years (prior to 2017). In 2017, the 42 islanders received almost £3.5m - equivalent to £82,750 each. In comparison the average British salary for last year was £26,500 - less than two thirds lower than what the islanders are getting.

They all get either a pension paid for by the UK or receive a government wage and child benefit, while paying no tax for living on the last British colony in the South Pacific. About 98 per cent of costs on the island are covered by Dfid, the UK’s aid department. Britain also provides a doctor, nurse, policeman and teacher. A social worker also joined the island team after a child sex scandal erupted in 2004 which included the former mayor and most of the island’s workforce who faced charges including raping children as young as seven.

Following the conviction of six men, the British government set up a prison on the island and any Foreign Office staff visiting are not allowed to be accompanied by their children.

 

A medical centre was built with the foreign aid cash, however those with serious medical issues cost the UK about £30,000 each time as they have to be evacuated by sea and air to New Zealand. Their treatment in New Zealand is paid for by a Government loan or grant.

 

A ferry costing £1.2m annually to run, makes four trip each year to New Zealand, which takes 12 days each way. A general store and post office on the island are subsidised by British aid money and all houses have phones and internet connection.

 

As well as British foreign aid, the island also gets European Union (EU) subsidies - which the UK pays 10 per cent of - with £2.1m being spent on the island from 2014 to 2020 which will include paying for a new jetty and improved roads. In the six years before 2014, the EU provided another £2.1m to the Pitcairns.

 

One of the island’s only sources of income not directly paid by the British Government is the production of honey. However, the UK is also paying for that after it funded an apiculture programme which included training and bee analysis in 1998. Fortnum and Mason sells the honey in London and it is one of the Queen and Prince Charles’ favourite types of honey.

 

After reading the above, you might agree with me that the occasional visit by cruise ships cannot possibly be providing 85% of the island's income, although that is what they claim. The islanders have UK citizenship so the UK feels obliged to provide for the their welfare.

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Re the Pitcairn blogs. On our day of arrival the wind speed was 30+ Knots with a rough sea. There was no way an open boat of the kind used by the Islanders would have been able to come alongside.AJ.

 

 

thanks Kerikeri, there was much discussion about whether or not the Islanders are going to continue to call on Cruise Ships that call at the Island. I suspect the reason this time around was - as you said...weather.

 

regards...

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I hope you guys enjoy all the webcam captures we have posted over the last 106 days :)

 

We got to see some very interesting ports.

 

I am not too sure if I will be able to do a thread for the 2019 World Cruise as we will be doing a road trip to Vancouver to get on the Queen Elizabeth.

 

The 2019 World Cruise has some very interesting ports and also seems to have a lot more sea days...

 

The 2019 World Cruise depart on 14 May 2019.

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Thanks stu for all your hard work … I hope everyone enjoyed following our cruise as much as we did experiencing it...

 

Joanne

 

Thanks Stu, Joanne and Gary. I enjoyed it all, the photos, the blogs. :cool::hearteyes:

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