Resort Ownership Takes No Blame in Death

By Mark F. Gray, Special to the AFRO, [email protected]

After the rash of deaths at their resort properties in the Dominican Republic, Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts  issued its first public response to the incidents that took the lives of two Prince George’s County residents last week as they were preparing to head back to the United States.

Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts, who owns the Grand Bahia Principe Hotel in La Romana, responded to what they call “inaccurate and false information,” regarding several deaths of American tourists at the property.  Nathaniel Edward Holmes and Cynthia Ann Day were found dead by resort staffers on May 30 from respiratory failure and pulmonary edema with no signs of violence.

In their response to reports from international media outlets, including those from the United States, the company was in full damage control mode. They protected the image of their resorts and never addressed any of the evidence surrounding the mystery or evidence in the cases that remain under investigation.

“We reiterate that we completely disagree with the dissemination of false information issued publicly, which threatens the image and reputation of the company and the integrity and the rights of our employees and their families, reserving, where necessary, the right to take the appropriate legal action,” the release stated.

Holmes and Day appeared to be in good health and were apparently enjoying themselves to the point where they posted on social media they weren’t ready to come home.  However, their vacation in paradise ended in an unexpected nightmare with their families asking questions the company didn’t answer in their prepared statement.

The most interesting omission in the press release is the absence of any mention of the reports of carbon monoxide in the room, which could lead to the symptoms that may have led to the deaths of Hall and Day, according to the initial findings of the Dominican authorities.

“The safety and comfort of our guests and staff stand at the core of our company values, and we work daily to ensure it,” the company wrote. “All our properties in the Dominican Republic hold some of the most prestigious certifications in the industry, including Travelife certifications at the Gold level, as well as a Global Reputation Index (GRI) of 90 percent.”

The families of Hall and Day are waiting to have their bodies returned to the United States so they can have independent autopsies.  They have publicly stated their relatives had no health issues of late, as within the last 24 hours of their deaths, which only adds to their grief.