Luxury Tent City: Empty

As I have previously mentioned the Haitian government designated its first organized tent city in March. Aid organizations complained because they only had a week to get the camp ready for its new settlers but they cooperated and got the job done. This camp is adorned with latrines, water spigots and showers--- it is even outfitted with a handicap accessible latrines. The problem is that fewer than 10,000 families live in this camp. NPR's Jason Beaubien filed a report on Morning Edition titled Contrasting Relief Camps Showcase Haiti's Challenges it is a frustrating story to listen to, I kept rolling my eyes while eating my Cheerios.

This "pristine" camp could easily hold several thousand more families but it doesn't. A security guard tells Beaubien that people cannot just show up they have to have proper orders to be relocated. So it begs the question, why aren't more families being moved???

Moreover, there is a camp next door that is bursting with 49,000 residents. This adjacent camp called Ancien Aeroport Militaire is unstructured, overpopulated, and pungent from the smell of human waste and fried plantains. But even though the living conditions in Ancien Aeroport Militaire are deplorable (like all the other camps), individuals and families cannot just pick up their belongs and move to the shiny new camp. It makes no sense and frankly is quite maddening to me.

And when Beaubien tried to get answers he got the run around. The International Organization of Migration said this was a Haitian government led project and therefore only they could move people in and out of camps. When he approached the government with questions he was told to speak to the Interior Ministry and they then pointed him to the Shelter commission who were not available for comment. Sadly, it sounds like the responsible lies with no one.

The whole thing is remarkable and perplexing. Hurricane season officially starts on June 1st. I hope NPR does a follow up story and that someone comes forward to say the buck stops here.

Sorry State

Haiti has a government, its just cowering in a corner, so you forget that its even there. And citizens don't trust that this weakling called "government" has the capacity to help. Its a sorry state.

In the U.S, we don't have a sorry government, in fact some might argue that we have too much government. I am reminded of the heated debates that we had in the U.S about health care, Wall Street bail outs, and the battles across this country that are still playing out in towns, cities and states over deep budget cuts.

I for one, like government services. I am a big fan of public transportation; I like the fact that roads, highways and bridges are maintained and that if there is a pot hole on my street, I can call my city councilor or mayor to get it fixed and trust that it will happen. That doesn't happen in Haiti.

What good is a government if it cannot provide basic services for its people? What good is a government if phone lines are down after a hurricane and never get fixed, two years later? Or if one can only rely on having electricity 7 hours a day? If I grew up in a country when this was the norm, I would be hard pressed to have faith in the government too.

If I had the means, I too would send my children to private schools or the US or France to be educated. I would hire a driver and I too would purchase a generator to support my business and home activities.

And so it begins.

The relationship between the Haitian government and her citizens is broken. The Social Contract which is a binding and enduring agreement in many other parts of the world has deteriorated in Haiti to such a state that it's unrecognizable. The government is seen as more of a barrier than a helper. And those without money, power or both make do and grow wary of promises.

It is the responsibility of the Haitian government to repair the social contract. They have to show themselves worthy of trust and increase transparency and accountability.

Yele!

Photo credit: AP


Last week president Preval announced that he plans to extend his term in office by 3 months. His term was due to end in February 2011 but he planned to vacate office in May 2011. That was the plan until some 2000 protests and smaller protests in Jacmel, Cap Haitien, Miragoane, Nippes and Gonaives were organized by Lavalas; the former party of exiled president Aristide.

They marched to the collapsed palace, calling for Preval's resignation to put it mildly and Aristide's return from South Africa where he has been since his 2004 ouster. As the political peace in Haiti is precarious, it seems that the international community was listening. The UN announced today that they will work with international partners to provide “technical, logistical and material” support to Haiti so that presidential and parliamentary elections can be held on schedule. I am glad they have reacted swiftly to the people's concerns. Haitians need a creditable government that they trust to move forward.

Home Coming

I am flying to Haiti on June 1st, less than a month away. This will be my second attempt to go since my first trip was abruptly canceled by Delta Airlines in March.

I hope this time will be different. I have to admit that I have been secretly jealous of all my friends, colleagues and family members that have had the chance to go. I am not a doctor, nurse, translator or public health specialist; being none of these things had meant feeling incredibly useless. I am simply a granddaughter, cousin and niece; a girl that wants to hug and comfort her grandmother, joke and play cards with my cousins and have dinner and a stiff drink with my aunt. Maybe it sounds trivial. Its definitely not saving lives or devising a strategic plan. I simply want to comfort, witness and listen; I want to spend time with my family and briefly live in the midst of the rubble with them.

The truth is that Haiti doesn't need me-- I need Haiti.

Haitian Pie

Brazil, the DR, Canada, the US, France and others are salivating at the chance to build roads, schools, hospitals, government buildings and housing for Haiti. The earthquake that leveled the country on January 12th is a money making opportunity for the thousands of contractors, developers and the like, lined up to receive their share of the Haitian pie.
My guess is that the countries that ponied up the most money at the March 31st donor's conference hosted by the UN and US government will get access to the most lucrative contracts. But luckily for them there is plenty of work to go around.
The much needed and appreciated Cash for Work programs offered by the UN and development NGOs will soon disappear and in its place should be long term jobs that will help Haitians to house, feed and educate themselves and their children. Which is why I believe foreign contractors should be required by law to hire a predominantly Haitian workforce. Many of these projects will take 5-10 years if not longer. What are incredible opportunity to help people eager to work yet suffering under crushing poverty. Its a opportunity that should not be missed.