The Haitian people undoubtedly can use more help. The help...

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The Haitian people undoubtedly can use more help. The help needed however seems more political reorganization than financial cash flow...

With a USD 9.9 billions to be used yet there is frustration as to what will get done for Haiti.

We know since January that hurricane season will be there as usual at the same time every year.
I have seen through the media some reasonable but small houses that were being marketed to the people.So, what went wrong?

Donation is coming mainly from America.

We know the American M.O. "When in doubt, dictate".

That is exactly what they have done. It is clear that they want to have complete control of their donation money so they have created a contract with Haiti to do so. It is surprising that committee has 45% Haitians; that is progress...

Folks, you know Americans, they are not evil or necessarily bad seeds.

It is just that they do business somewhat differently.

Charity work, even in-States, has always worked with who-is-who within US inner-city communities.

Similar adaptation has been adopted overseas...

We also have to understand these people in order to work with them.
Americans do believe that poverty is an inherent abnormality.

If someone is financially poor, it also mean that person is not intelligent.

(protestant Anglo-Saxon ethics).

We Haitians basically believe that there is some personal salvation in poverty.

(Catholicism).

coupled with some other issues involved like past history with foreign aid money and there is no reason to deny this very fact that we do look different.

Self identification is not present.

and therefore empathy is practiced at arms length.

Americans do business in general similar to going to war with the other party.

They just assumed things will go wrong and they do protect themselves with arsenal of lawyers on both sides.

Clauses of protections and indemnifications are business as usual.

We have to remember that the flip side of charity (donation) is not empowerment but good old fashion social denigration.

(checkout the historical effect of in-State Welfare System).

Shall we accept their money?

You bet! Our people need it. But we need to look elsewhere for progress and self-empowerment...

Bernadette S, June 9 2010, 6:23 PM

Topic: Interim Reconstruction:Strengthening or Undermining Haiti? by Stanley Lucas

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