Haiti Deserves More From It’s American Neighbor

Several thousand marched through Boston recently to mark the 16th annual Haitian-American Unity Day.   But as Haiti celebrates the 213th anniversary of it's national flag this week many Haitians wonder about the bond between Port au Prince and Washington D.C.

Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the hemisphere has been rocked by one political crisis after another and of course a devastating 7.0 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands in January 2010.  An already fragile infrastructure, including water delivery systems, sanitation, medical facilities, roads, bridges the main airport, and housing was decimated. Public safety and military personal are scant still and education is not available to most Haitian children.  Garment factories have recently been hit by violent strikes as workers demand a livable wage and better working conditions.

The world raised billions to help Haiti to rebuild after the earthquake but more than six years later much of the money remains unaccounted for due to relief programs that were poorly managed and much more was squandered away. Foreign U.N. security forces still enforce law and order and not Haitian police or military personnel.

Progress in rebuilding the island nation, just hundreds of miles off the Florida coast is very slow and still more political strife threatens the future of yet another generation of Haitians.

I have traveled to Haiti on several occasions as have hundreds of thousands of Americans. The first thing one learns is how much the Haitian people want to be able to provide for themselves. Well intentioned outsiders and billions of dollars in foreign aid have made little difference.  There is a growing resentment and mistrust of those outsiders and a sense by the Haitians that the money and political pressure applied by other nations has worked in favor of the dictators and not the people who are badly in need.

The next American administration must lead the region in drafting a workable plan to rebuild Haiti and make it a viable economy that can prosper and provide food, security, clean water and education for it's own people. Our Congressional delegation should support a strong, independent Haiti and work to see such a plan drafted and initiated in Washington.