A Haitian-Free Rebuilding Plan?

[Joanne98]

Over the past 25 years, rampant political violence and an almost totally corrupt business and economic system have kept Haiti's Diaspora from being able to engage in any meaningful efforts to improve their country. There are more than two million Haitians living in the U.S., another one million in the Dominican Republic and 700,000 in Canada. Their engagement with Haiti has been limited to sending $1.8 billion in remittances to family and friends each year, which accounts for almost 20% of Haiti's GDP.

Most have been marginalized from doing business because they are not a part of the corrupt business elite in Haiti. Known as the Groupe de Bourdon and linked to the Preval Government, this Groupe has had a stranglehold on the economy. Others have been marginalized for their efforts to promote democracy, good governance, political participation and accountability in-country.

Haitians who are not a part of this corrupt elite have, for the most part, fled the country to seek opportunity elsewhere causing a massive "brain drain." These people are, forthe most part,well-educated, hard workingqualified people who could make a real contribution to building the economy and political landscape of the country. They are doctors, lawyers, business leaders and civil servants. They have been forced to sit on the sidelines as their country has been driven into the ground by a series of corrupt leaders.


The disastrous January 12 earthquake highlighted the total impotence of the Haitian government. In spite of the tragedy, many observers are cautiously optimistic that the rebuilding process could be a turning point for the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. Even President Preval was quoted as saying he wants to see a new Haiti -- a totally different country. This is ironic as he has been intimately involved in bringing the country to its knees during his first term in office from 1996-2001, and over the past three years of his second term.

The discussions around rebuilding, however, have not stoked this cautious optimism because they have almost completely neglected Haitian input. The UN and the U.S. -- as one of the leading donors -- will play a central role in the reconstruction. The U.S. State Department and former President Bill Clinton have begun to draft several redevelopment scenarios and have shared them with the Haitian Government.

Clinton and the head of the International Monetary Fund have been calling for a Marshall Plan for Haiti. In their view, there should be a foreign-led reconstruction effort. Foreign governments, companies and NGOs should lead the rebuilding with foreign investment. With Clinton in control of the vast amount of aid money earmarked for Haiti, he seems to be in a position to implement what he thinks is best for the country.

Continued>>>
http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Haitian-Free-Rebuilding-by-Stanley-Lucas-100211-402.html

They shut the Iraqi people out of the rebuilding of their country too. They even brought in foreign workers. It's all in The Shock Doctrine.

[Billy Burnett]

1. They hate us for our freedom.

Haiti is (and has been) a prime example of the Shock Doctrine.

http://operationhaiti.org/index.php?p=1_3

The Haitian diet is poor and consists mainly of rice and beans. But with food provisions getting more and more expensive, even these seemingly inexpensive items are out of the reach of many Haitians.

Children, particularly babies, are the immediate victims of the food crisis. This crisis forces the poorest to live on mud cakes. These cakes, made of margarine, mud and salt, keep hunger at bay for a few hours. But these cakes can also cause health problems such as intestinal distress and illness caused by deadly toxins and parasites.