HAITI UNDER THE TRUSTEESHIP OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS AN OXYMORON AND AN INSULT TO HAITIANS. THE UN HAS NOT HAD A HISTORY OF DEVELOPING ANY COUNTRY IN IT'S NEARLY 70 YEARS OF EXISTENCE.
In the aftermath of the earthquake of January 12, 2010, The United Nations was as discombobulated as the Preval-Bellerive administration. The international community, led by The United States, was not any better in coordinating the help needed as well. My intention here is not to blame the United States, who is not responsible for helping the Haitian people, but as a means to highlight the flaws existing in Senator Dodd's contention.
Case in point, my home in Haiti was located on 11 Ruelle Boisson, less than 2 miles away from the White House, collapsed on January 12, 2010. My sister was killed along with 2 of her sons plus a faith sister who was present to help in the home. My brothers, with their bare hands were able to remove the bodies under the rubble, but the debris from the house blocked the streets we lived on.
I went to Haiti on January 23, in the hope providing medical help to the surrounding areas. I was able to get through with the doctors; unfortunately we were not able to help everyone or clearing the street. To this day, the population only 2 miles away from the White House does not have a road to circulate on.
We do not need the guns that the UN has in Haiti; we need tractors, cranes, bulldozers, trucks, jackhammers etc. It is a dangerous proposition to further empower the UN to be in Haiti.
No Senator Dodd. Trusteeship under the UN leadership is a losing proposition for the Haitian people and you should not confuse that with the demand for help exhibited by hungry Haitians as a means to taking over of Haiti. You do not allow the "man on the street policies" voiced by down and out citizens in the US to dictate how the country will be run....and that should not be the case for Haiti either.
Senator Dodd, we have tens of thousands of Haitians who are as educated as you are and more educated than many members of the US congress, your trusteeship idea is an insult to Haitians who have been fighting to live in dignity for centuries.
What government around the world can function with a budget of less than $2 billion to take care of 10 million people? That's a measly $200 per head expense combined?
The UN has $600 million with staff of about 10 thousands for a $60,000 per capita expense and fails more lamentably in Haiti as the Haitian government without adequate resources.
We want to highlight for Senator Dodd the clear priorities that Haiti should focus on right now.
. Elections should be held in Haiti to replace the current government; Haitians living abroad should be able to run at every level
.A massive investment over 3 to 5 years at most for the reconstruction and revitalization of the total economy of Haiti:
à ‚¬ $ 5 billion to help the Haitian people to rebuild their livelihoods
à ‚¬ $ 2 billion to build the private sector
à ‚¬ $ 1 billion for electrical installations of a total of 1500 megawatts at least
à ‚¬ $ 1.5 billion to build the various local government and administrative complex in the country's 10 departments
à ‚¬ $ 1 billion for the telephone communication system, a system capable of delivering atleast1 million landlines / fixed
à ‚¬ $ 3 billion for the construction of 5,000 km / Roads, connectors, sewers, facilities for the collection of garbage
à ‚¬ $ 1 billion for 1 international airport in each of our departments
à ‚¬ $ 1 billion for the agricultural sector
à ‚¬ $ 2 billion for education sector
à ‚¬ $ 2.5 billion for economic development
à ‚¬ $ 700 million for heavy machinery
We would solicit the help of the Senator to get a loan allocated to Haiti in the amount of $20 billion which would be backed up by a combination of revenue bonds generated by the new infrastructure and direct investment of the Haitian Diaspora in Haiti.
If nothing else is done, help Haiti in laying out 5,000 kilometers of roads, 1,500 megawatts of electricity and a telephone plant with at least 1 million lines. If you built it they will come. These 3 requests are capable of putting Haiti on the road to recovery.They are the foundation, which if implemented swiftly and correctly, will go a long way towards helping Haiti accomplish its long-term recovery goals.
Jacob Francois, MBA
