US Senate report says Haiti rebuilding has stalled

[cory777]

Source: AP

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haiti has made little progress in rebuilding in the five months since its earthquake, because of an absence of leadership, disagreements among donors and general disorganization, a U.S. Senate report says.

Obtained Monday by The Associated Press, the eight-page report is meant to give Congress a picture of Haiti today as U.S. legislators consider authorizing $2 billion to support the country's reconstruction.

That picture is grim: Millions displaced from their homes, rubble and collapsed buildings still dominating the landscape. Three weeks into hurricane season, with tropical rains lashing the capital daily, construction is being held up by land disputes and customs delays while plans for moving people out of tent-and-tarp settlements remain in "early draft form," it says.

The report was written by staff of Sen. John Kerry, the Massachuetts Democrat who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and other Democrats who interviewed U.S., Haitian, United Nations and other officials and visited resettlement camps, hospitals and schools throughout the quake zone.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100622/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake

[papadog]

1. 2 Billion for Haiti while Americans are getting kick out of thier homes.

Can I have my tax money back? After the all the hoopla about the National Debt we can give away BILLIONS to foreign governments so they can maintain thier way of life while ours rapidly declines. God bless America but damn our politicians!

[harmonicon]

2. uh.... the money isn't so they can have new cars and ice-cream.

Have a heart. If your home and way of life were destroyed I'm sure you'd appreciate others acting in the way you oppose.

[ronnie624]

3. "so they can maintain thier way of life"!?

:crazy:

[papadog]

6. Have a heart? Look at how much we give Isreal to kill Palestinians.

My point is: Why isn't the rest of the world giving as much? Yeah, if someone needs help we should "help" not carry the majority of the burden by ourselves. Charity begins at home. You can't save anyone if you're drowning yourself. How much have we spent in Haiti while New Orleans homeless are still suffering from Katrina? We talking about doing away with social security at some point in the future, what about those seniors?. Maybe we should have a heart when it comes to the folks who are going to be paying these bills we're racking up, OUR GRANDKIDS!

[ronnie624]

10. Our government is obligated.

The U.S. government was like a snarling, snapping dog over a food bowl following the disaster, immediately dispatching thousands of troops, and diverting relief supplies sent by other countries. Its intent was to exercise military and political control over the situation. But now, when it's time to actually start helping working class people, interest is predictably waning.

Footing the bill is the least we can do after inflicting two centuries of interventions, exploitation, brutality and racist inspired neglect against the people of Haiti.

[karynnj]

8. Did you read anything on the devastation?

Do you know what the current "way of life" is? You might be one who would benefit from reading the report.

You might also consider that this report is part of providing oversight when we do give aid.

[1776Forever]

4. Where's Clinton/Bush leadership in this? Clinton got lots of publicity for his charity fund from it!

http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org/

Help Haiti Build Back Better

Haiti's devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010 worsened an already desperate situation for a nation in which half the population lived on less than one dollar a day, with official unemployment estimated at 70%......

The initial efforts of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund focused on immediate relief and emergency assistance. While we will continue to seek to meet selected near-term needs, CBHF's primary focus will now shift towards longer-term reconstruction, job creation, and the promotion of economic opportunity. To learn more about both our initial and recent grants, please visit our Programs page.

........

Rep. Yvette D. Clarke Applauds Former President Clinton's Haitian Small Business Investment Fund
June 18, 2010 1:28 PM

http://clarke.house.gov/2010/06/rep-yvette-d-clarke-applauds-former-president-clintons-haitian-small-business-investment-fund.shtml

Washington, DC- On Thursday, former President Bill Clinton announced the creation of a $20 million Haitian business investment fund backed by international businessmen Frank Guistra and Carlos Slim. Small and medium sized business owners will have the opportunity to borrow from the fund to finance startup and expansion efforts ultimately creating jobs. The new fund is similar to one which Rep. Yvette D. Clarke proposed this March in H.R. 4961, “The Haitian Private Sector Encouragement Act of 2010.”

.........

Business is one thing and getting humanitarian housing and food to the people is another - Just asking?

[karynnj]

9. Per the op,, Clinton's UN effort started last week

"The funds are managed by a 26-member reconstruction commission led by Bellerive and former U.S. President Bill Clinton that started its operations last week."

That does not refer to the Clinton/Bush funds though.

[1776Forever]

11. Thanks I will check it out - n/t

[mbperrin]

5. Haiti - gosh, that's so last 5 months ago.

Hey, who was the poster who said that he bet that after billions in private funds were raised (which there were) that there wouldn't even be tents available, that blue tarps would be passed out if we were lucky, because the whole effort was just to enrich the "right" people, which certainly does not include the poor people of Haiti?

Oh, yeah, that was ME!

I do hate being right. Nothing will be changed there by this time next year, except many more thousands of poor people will be dead, and billions more will be raised to go into the right pockets.

Can't stay focused on just one thing, anyway, not healthy. Hey! Anybody seen that new Miley Cyrus video??













If there were a gawd, money grubbing bastards could not get away with killing poor people through neglect for money.

[papadog]

7. Amen, God Bless Texas