Christopher Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Christopher Hotel (also called Hotel Christopher) was a hotel in Port-au-Prince
, Haiti
, destroyed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake
on 12 January 2010.
Prior to its destruction, it was a 3-star, 74-key, 5-story hotel built into the hillside, overlooking the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince
. The hotel housed the headquarters for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
(MINUSTAH). The hotel allegedlly did not meet the UN's Minimum Operational Safety Standard (MOSS), and reportedly MINUSTAH's 2009 procurement plan contained a budget allocation of US$400,000 to bring the Hotel Christopher into compliance.
, escaped an assassination attempt at the hotel.
In 1999, the Haitian Civic Political Front was formed and held its first congress at the hotel.
In 2005, a Filipino UN Peacekeeper was shot by a sniper at the hotel.
The hotel housed the headquarters for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
(MINUSTAH) since 2004. According to a 2008 statement from the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations
, the "decision to select the Hotel Christopher was based on a locally completed analytical process which determined that this facility was one of the few premises in Port au Prince which would meet the Mission's requirements with regards to space, water and power. It is also in a neighbourhood that was judged in 2004 to be among the safest in Port au Prince." The statement also indicated that the UN was paying a monthly rent of US$94,000 to a private individual, Dr. Gerard Desir.
, the deputy head, Luiz Carlos da Costa
, and the UN international police commander (Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Superintendent) Doug Coates were killed. After the collapse, over 150 UN personnel were reportedly unaccounted for at the hotel. The moment the earthquake struck, Annabi, da Costa and Coates were meeting with eight Chinese
nationals (four peacekeepers and four senior police officers). A Chinese search and rescue team recovered the bodies of these ten individuals on 16 January 2010. Jens Kristensen, senior humanitarian officer for the UN was rescued by a Fairfax, Virginia team after five days trapped in the rubble.
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, destroyed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
on 12 January 2010.
Prior to its destruction, it was a 3-star, 74-key, 5-story hotel built into the hillside, overlooking the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
. The hotel housed the headquarters for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
The United Nations Stabilisation Mission In Haiti , also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004. The mission's military component is led by the Brazilian Army and the force commander is...
(MINUSTAH). The hotel allegedlly did not meet the UN's Minimum Operational Safety Standard (MOSS), and reportedly MINUSTAH's 2009 procurement plan contained a budget allocation of US$400,000 to bring the Hotel Christopher into compliance.
History
In 1993, the then mayor of Port-au-Prince, Evans PaulEvans Paul
Evans Paul, called K-plimo, is a Haitian politician and former president of the Democratic United Committee . He was elected mayor of Port-au-Prince in the 1990 elections that brought Jean-Bertrand Aristide's National Front for Change and Democracy party to power...
, escaped an assassination attempt at the hotel.
In 1999, the Haitian Civic Political Front was formed and held its first congress at the hotel.
In 2005, a Filipino UN Peacekeeper was shot by a sniper at the hotel.
The hotel housed the headquarters for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti
The United Nations Stabilisation Mission In Haiti , also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004. The mission's military component is led by the Brazilian Army and the force commander is...
(MINUSTAH) since 2004. According to a 2008 statement from the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Department of Peacekeeping Operations
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations is a department of the United Nations which is charged with the planning, preparation, management and direction of UN peacekeeping operations.-History of the DPKO:...
, the "decision to select the Hotel Christopher was based on a locally completed analytical process which determined that this facility was one of the few premises in Port au Prince which would meet the Mission's requirements with regards to space, water and power. It is also in a neighbourhood that was judged in 2004 to be among the safest in Port au Prince." The statement also indicated that the UN was paying a monthly rent of US$94,000 to a private individual, Dr. Gerard Desir.
Destruction
In the collapse during the 7.0 magnitude event of 12 January 2010, several people were trapped, hurt or killed. The UN's head-of-mission, Hédi AnnabiHédi Annabi
Hédi Annabi was a Tunisian diplomat and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Head of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti...
, the deputy head, Luiz Carlos da Costa
Luiz Carlos da Costa
Luiz Carlos da Costa was an international civil servant working for the United Nations. Originally from Brazil, Costa joined the United Nations in 1969 and stayed with the organization for the remainder of his life...
, and the UN international police commander (Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
Superintendent) Doug Coates were killed. After the collapse, over 150 UN personnel were reportedly unaccounted for at the hotel. The moment the earthquake struck, Annabi, da Costa and Coates were meeting with eight Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
nationals (four peacekeepers and four senior police officers). A Chinese search and rescue team recovered the bodies of these ten individuals on 16 January 2010. Jens Kristensen, senior humanitarian officer for the UN was rescued by a Fairfax, Virginia team after five days trapped in the rubble.