Ed... This might explain what happened.
June 12, 2006
"As the M/V diamond sits waiting for the New Government to give us permission to "go to work" I'll give you an update on what has happened since we arrived.
When we arrived in Haiti in February we fully expected to begin operations to start recovering our targeted site. (The site has produced samples of artifacts dating from the mid 1500's and were turned over to the Haitian Government via the office of the Minister of Finance)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: Who are the real pirates today? Do they exist? Aye matey, they do.
The ship was finally ready after two weeks of repairs, the engines fixed, water maker repaired, supplies loaded. All that was needed now was a break in the weather to depart to the southern coast of Haiti and continue operations. The crew was excited about this trip, more so than the last five trips. After years of researching and searching, Sub Sea Research had located a ship from the mid 1500’s with what seemed like rare Inca treasure aboard. All the preliminary work had been done: research, video, sampling of artifacts had been recovered and turned over to the government as per their contract. Years of work were about to finally pay off. Then the letter came. The government of Haiti had stopped all underwater operations to get a “better understanding on their sub-aquatic program”, and would not allow Sub Sea's ship to return. But, we were already there. Recently Sub Sea Research became aware of looting of Haiti’s underwater marine resources. We then contacted one of our employees who work’s on the ship while we are in Haiti, and instructed him to contact the police and to go out to the vessel in question and search same for stolen artifacts. The police apparently ran them off. Sub Sea was also informed that another ship retrieved 4-5 bronze cannons from one of their located sites, and headed off to Panama. This has yet to be confirmed, but was stated on Haitian News. Sub Sea is totally against looting or stealing of any kind what so ever. Our goal is to research, recover, conserve and display high value historical artifacts. The looting has to stop. Haiti should not be a victim of unscrupulous pirates. It has also come to our attention that a new company called Caribbean Marine has accused us of “stealing” shipwreck sites that they say they found. This seems to be part of the confusion that has caused the government’s reply. Sub Sea must ask, how can anything be “stolen” if it’s in their contracted area? Caribbean Marine was not in the salvage business until meeting with reps from Sub Sea Research, where they read Sub Sea's documentation. Also, it seems that their legal counsel is the counsel Sub Sea hired to prepare their contract with the government. This seems to be illegal and unethical. Added to that, the representative for the Ministry of Finances was aboard Sub Sea's vessel when they surveyed several sites on the south coast. Reports were handed over to the government representative and judges were hired to validate Sub Sea's findings as they happened. Now Sub Sea finds out that the representative is associated and partnered with Caribbean Marine and Twin Star Marine and is trying to get Sub Sea and their contract voided. This too seems illegal and unethical. It seems that Caribbean Marine is working with a group from Massachusetts who also took items from Sub Sea's contracted site. Have the silver bars and coins Sub Sea located have anything to do with this? The government still has them and per contract they should have been returned to Sub Sea, which they have not!
It seems as if greed has taken its course again. Will the people of Haiti suffer even longer? A Maritime Institute and educational program was planned with the profits received from any sales of low historical value artifacts from recovered shipwrecks. Will it now go into the hands of modern day pirates? Sub Sea Research prays not.
The new government is just about in place in Haiti, and as our vessel waits for the word, either go to work, or leave, we pray that the new government has the people of Haiti as first priority. Will they do the right thing? Or let the pirates continue?"
