11.4.2013 – Cruise Ship Speaker.
If someone were to ask Richard Branson how much his life was worth, what do you think he’d say? Apparently the going rate for a mercenary is £600 – £700 a day so you do the sums!
People place hugely different values upon themselves and the services they offer. Sometimes it is about market demand, market protection or, even, self-worth or (lack of) self-esteem. All sorts of factors determine ‘value’.
Today we have been crossing ‘pirate’ seas en-route to Jordan. In this part of the world modern day ‘terrorists’ are notorious for trying to board both passenger ships and oil tankers. Apparently it is about hostages, ransoms and insurance pay outs.
However, cruise companies have realised that if pirates actually succeed, their businesses will be wiped out overnight. Consequently, part of the passenger roster includes mercenaries – ex military men and women who hire out their ‘protection’ services. According to one crew member I chatted with, the going rate for these personnel is around £600 – £700 a day.
They only join the ship during high risk parts of the voyage, but their presence is an indicator as to the value cruise liners put upon their own business and, equally, the value society puts upon the life of a mercenary because, if they are called to action, they might die.
Personally, I wouldn’t sell one minute of my life for £10,000….it’s worth far more than that!