The scale of Cozumel’s economic problem with no cruise ships

[DandyDon]

$2 bills are good only for gift on kids birthdays...

Fine, don't carry my bags and I won't give you any.

 

[FLturtle]

On the subject of charities, there is a longer list on the Cozumel4you site http://www.cozumel4you.com/cozumel-charities/.

There have been many that lived here that have left for the mainland. There is an increase in homelessness as those with no income can't afford rent. While things are opening back up, crusie ships are a big part of the economy.

(I am advocating any specific charity here)

So here, I have given money to Caritas which is a local food bank. It is associated with the Catholic Church. I make my donation locally in person as Caritas, I think, may be worldwide and if you wish a donation to be used exclusively in Cozumel, it may not happen with a general donation to Caritas.
The food bank works if they have a place to cook.

There is a local group here of expats, doctors, Mexicans and others that donate money for prescriptions -they actually go buy it. They have relationships with hosptial staff in order to vet the patient. I have donated to them. This is a local private group and does not advertise so anyone wanting to assist will need to reach out (me?). This group has money now but the issue is that poorer people are not visiting the doctor as they have no money. I can't say what fees are for IMSS hospitals but the point being that if they don't get a diagnosis/prescription then this group cannot get the medicine. I have not inivestigated so far how to subsidize doctors visits and ensure it goes to the right people.

By report a local rancher is allowing people to live on the ranch inland and is trying to feed them. I have worked through my contact for Caritas who deals with many charities to try to get money to them. I was told there are over 100 people there now.

I can't tell you how many times I have given money to people on the street as they have been forced to beg. I can see in their face how humiliating it is.

There are other organizations like the Rotary Club that are assisting as well.
The Humane Society may need help as I suspect that donation money is diverted to helping people first.
There are local soup kitchens open and I don't see any online presence or organizational backing so if you wish to help them, you will have to find them when here. These all seem to be grass roots efforts.

There are people working here and it is picking up so this is not all gloom and doom.

I follow news & updates at thecozumelsun.com They seem to be very involved with the local community, Rotary Club, food kitchens, etc. I’m considering making a donation to them for “use where most needed”. Are you familiar with them? If we all give even a little it can make a big difference in the community.

 

[ColoDale]

I follow news & updates at thecozumelsun.com They seem to be very involved with the local community, Rotary Club, food kitchens, etc. I’m considering making a donation to them for “use where most needed”. Are you familiar with them? If we all give even a little it can make a big difference in the community.

Which Them? Cozumel Sun or Rotary Club or other? Cozumel Sun also has a facebook group presence.

 

[FLturtle]

Sorry.....I meant Cozumel Sun.

 

[Mark IV]

In a somewhat related story...

A band I was in agreed to play a club gig for $150. While we we playing the manager sent a comely young lass around the place with a beer pitcher soliciting tips. She presented me with the pitcher after the gig and I dumped it into my gig bag to split up later. A little while later the manager came to me and asked how much was in the tip jar. I told him I didn't know, but why did he ask. He informed me that we agreed to play for $150, and he needed to subtract the contents of the tip jar from what he owed us.

That was the 311 Club on 6th street in Austin, TX, and we never played there again.

LOL, yeah, that's some sho 'nuff bullspit, but unfortunately, I can completely relate !
I used to work part time for the big local music store, often delivering or moving grand pianos (not as tough as it sounds, IF you know the tricks......but I digress).
Anyway, the mgr that we worked directly under, and who paid us, would pull the same stunt. If we got tipped by a customer, and he found out, he would sometimes count that money towards what they owed us for the day !!! We learned to keep our mouths shut, and if we got tipped with a check, we'd slip into the main office, and the owner's wife, who did the books, would discretely cash us out.

 

[cozcharlie]

I follow news & updates at thecozumelsun.com They seem to be very involved with the local community, Rotary Club, food kitchens, etc. I’m considering making a donation to them for “use where most needed”. Are you familiar with them? If we all give even a little it can make a big difference in the community.

I would also be interested in any thoughts on this. I have been on Cozumel Suns distribution list for years and have a favorable impression of it, but don’t know them personally so can’t vouch for them.

I know of another loosely organized charity that a good friend can vouch for, but if someone will vouch for the Sun I am happy to give them money as well.

 

[gopbroek]

Wow, some pretty rough dive boat tip stories. I'm confident the shop owner where I dive in Coz doesn't skim the tips. The crew I'm sure has their spats, but they genuinely seem to care about each other. Most have been with the shop a long time (at least until this latest virus mess). I tip the DM and the Captain doesn't give me the evil eye or flip me off, so I guess they have it figured out.

I have around 900 dives with the same operator as @AdivingBel and I have always given the tip to either the DM or the Captain, whoever was closer when I got my tip money out with confidence that it would be pooled and split appropriately. If there was ever case of either clipping the other I have no doubt that person would be unemployed. If the owner was on board and acts as a DM or PDM as far as I know of any tips received have gone to the other crew members.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Yes, the comment was about the amount.
That said, the whole idea of fiving out $2.00 bills seems so patronizing and condescending to me.
I just see the bills given out with a smug smile, and a figurative pat on the head, thinking that the recipient will somehow delight in it's novelty, when in reality, their sole interest is putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.

Additionally, receiving a $2.00 bill does nothing for me other than create a mild annoyance, and I deposit the dam thing at the first opportunity. I wonder if it's the same for a Mexican.

In Vietnam $2 bills are considered good luck.

No one ever gives the Vietnamese credit for their sense of humor.

 

[Christi]

A local DM here told us last night at dinner that there is no trust between DM and Boat captains when it comes to tipping...its a harsh reality.

That is totally dependent upon the crew - my crew shares tips and I have only had ONE problem with that in 18 years which was actually when I hired a female AMERICAN freelance instructor for a few days about 8 years ago. I normally would not get involved in the tipping for the crew, but a customer left a $200 tip for the boat crew. He handed it to her because she was diving as the AOW instructor with their daughter assuming she would split it up. I only knew because he told/asked me "I gave "K**" $200 for the crew, was that enough?". She didn't give a cent of it to my crew - I called her out on it and withheld it from her pay to give the crew. She has badmouthed me ever since haha. She is still on the island with her own "shop" - no boat or anything - but she gets customers from a Colorado dive shop.