The Republic of Haiti is a Francophone country occupying the western third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. In 2010, the country suffered a catastrophic earthquake that damaged communications, hospitals, roads and residences. The government reported more than 300,000 deaths, 300,000 injuries and over a million people made homeless. The Haiti Reconstruction effort since that event has been hampered by the relentless pounding the island receives each year from the multiple powerful hurricanes that form off the west coast of Africa each year.
The remaining two-thirds of Hispaniola on the western side of the island comprises the Dominican Republic. According to the Human Development Index, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Americas. The good news is, twenty billion dollars' worth of silver, copper and gold have been discovered squirreled away by Mother Nature, hidden in the Haitian hills. This is just the lifeline the tiny country needs to get on its feet.
The bad news? Canny mining companies are threatening to make off with the family treasure and make a killing without a thought for either the government or the people of Haiti. A watchdog consortium, Haiti Grassroots Watch, tells tales of backroom deals, hidden agendas and covert testing and digging operations by North American mining interests.
Strictly speaking, the law of the land dictates that all subsoil resources are the property of the indigenous population. In the process of drawing attention to these nefarious activities, a prominent state geologist was relieved of his post. He warned that unless the government enacted tougher laws and made strict contracts, profit from the rich seams would not go to where it should.
Fortunately, there is more to rebuilding this tiny country than just the recent discovery of the rich seams of metals. Those were a serendipitous accident. A two-phase action plan to transform the nation into a stable democratic player in the global economy, called Haiti 2030, was established soon after the devastating quake in 2010. With 58 long, medium and short-term projects in the pipeline, the plan aims to propel the country into a far better position than the bleak, impoverished state it was in prior to the disaster.
If this works, the earthquake would be a watershed for the Haitian people. The Haiti Reconstruction Fund is the result of an inter-agency partnership formed between global players such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the World Bank in addition to the United Nations. Its mission is to provide resource to fund the country's post-disaster strategy.
Haitian restoration programs have already begun to show fruit. On October 23, 2012, it was announced that former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary, current US Secretary of State, have attended the launch of a new industry park in the town of Caracol. The US alone has invested USD 124 million in the new development. A South Korean clothing manufacturer is planning to set up shop there, creating 20,000 new jobs and building 5,000 new homes.
The HRF, the Gold Rush and the 2030 plan are all positive influences for Haiti reconstruction. Vigilance is necessary, though, to ensure that outside interests do not run away with the family silver and keep the profits in the hands of those who deserve them.
The remaining two-thirds of Hispaniola on the western side of the island comprises the Dominican Republic. According to the Human Development Index, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Americas. The good news is, twenty billion dollars' worth of silver, copper and gold have been discovered squirreled away by Mother Nature, hidden in the Haitian hills. This is just the lifeline the tiny country needs to get on its feet.
The bad news? Canny mining companies are threatening to make off with the family treasure and make a killing without a thought for either the government or the people of Haiti. A watchdog consortium, Haiti Grassroots Watch, tells tales of backroom deals, hidden agendas and covert testing and digging operations by North American mining interests.
Strictly speaking, the law of the land dictates that all subsoil resources are the property of the indigenous population. In the process of drawing attention to these nefarious activities, a prominent state geologist was relieved of his post. He warned that unless the government enacted tougher laws and made strict contracts, profit from the rich seams would not go to where it should.
Fortunately, there is more to rebuilding this tiny country than just the recent discovery of the rich seams of metals. Those were a serendipitous accident. A two-phase action plan to transform the nation into a stable democratic player in the global economy, called Haiti 2030, was established soon after the devastating quake in 2010. With 58 long, medium and short-term projects in the pipeline, the plan aims to propel the country into a far better position than the bleak, impoverished state it was in prior to the disaster.
If this works, the earthquake would be a watershed for the Haitian people. The Haiti Reconstruction Fund is the result of an inter-agency partnership formed between global players such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the World Bank in addition to the United Nations. Its mission is to provide resource to fund the country's post-disaster strategy.
Haitian restoration programs have already begun to show fruit. On October 23, 2012, it was announced that former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary, current US Secretary of State, have attended the launch of a new industry park in the town of Caracol. The US alone has invested USD 124 million in the new development. A South Korean clothing manufacturer is planning to set up shop there, creating 20,000 new jobs and building 5,000 new homes.
The HRF, the Gold Rush and the 2030 plan are all positive influences for Haiti reconstruction. Vigilance is necessary, though, to ensure that outside interests do not run away with the family silver and keep the profits in the hands of those who deserve them.
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