Haiti Paper Outline

I. Thesis

            Immediately after the earthquake in Haiti, there seemed to be a clear plan to distribute aid and to rebuild the country with the billions of dollars that had been collected and so many supportive organizations. Yet, the world has still not seen many changes in the conditions of Haiti. Therefore, who is at fault for the slow progression? Although many blame the slow recuperation exclusively on the lack of leadership shown by the historically corrupt Haitian government, the disconnection between the that NGOs and Haitian, the lack of NGO urgency to work on improving living conditions, and the excessive amount of NGOs that are damaging the already fragile economy have slowed down the recovery that is essential to the health and safety to the citizens of Haiti. 

A.             The citizens of Haiti have suffered from a history of Corrupt government leaders

                                               i.     Duvalier Family

1.     1971 -1986

2.     Ordered the death and torture of 20,000 to 30,000 Haitians.

B.             Currently, the situation in Haiti is devastating, and the amount of progress made in rebuilding the country has been close to none, despite the large quantity of NGO’s operating within Haiti’s borders.

- The earthquake killed more that 200,00   (8)

- More that 300,000 injured   (8)

- More that 250,000 homes destroyed (8)

- Over 1.5 million people displaced (8)

- Cost damage estimated at $14 billion (8)

- As of January 2011, thirty-nine governments sent aid (8)

- Haitians disappointed with lack of progress from United Nations   (8)

-       As of 18 Nov 2010, only 262 houses built out of a total of 4,931 planned (2)

-        More than 9,000 organizations (3)

-       - Only 20% of pledged aid had been received (December 27, 2010) (7)

-       - No major infrastructure rebuilding has started  (roads, houses)

C.             Haiti is not recovering quickly because there is a disconnection between what NGOs are doing and what Haitians really need

- "The Haitian people would be better off receiving foreign 'aid' monies as direct budgetary support, instead of indirectly through the inflated salaries of thousands of foreign NGO workers," said Haynes.    (2)

- "Let's be clear, I have nothing against NGOs - we need them. What I need is to have control over what they do in my country, where they do it and with whom they are doing it, and at what cost," (prime minister of Haiti)   (7)

- “Cash for What” video: explains that Haiti is buying food from other countries. Food needs to be grown and bought in Haiti

- NGOs think that what they are doing is good for the Haitian people, but things like buying food from other countries is poor for the economy (9)

- Many believe that the United States, Canada, France, U.N., the World Bank and International monetary Fund aren’t helping with the right objectives  (8)

- They aim to help their own “investors, farmers, manufacturers and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s)  (8)

- Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) made up of members from foreign organizations and countries (Bill Clinton) and some Haitian representatives (Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive. Maybe, there should be more Haitians on committee (8)

- “Haiti needs....to fold the serious NGOs into a coherent, Haitian-directed strategy.”  (3)

-       - NGO’s ignoring countryside of haiti - only focusing on cities (11)

D.             NGOs in Haiti aren’t helping to improve living conditions because a lot of work that they do is for the benefit of their organizations and not the good of the country

- money is not going to Haitian businesses  (5)

-       - U.S. contracts worth $267 million - only $4.3 million worth of contracts have gone to Haiti
- Rest gone to U.S. firms -- a lot of money reinvested in United States
- United states took advantage of investments

-  OXFAM – 103-  $66 out of $97 given to Haiti in report -However they claim that all of their money is going to Haiti, Where is the extra $31 million dollars????   (10)

Catholic Relief Services – 62 =
- Only spent $60 million out of $192 million
- Claim that the rest will be given to Haiti over a long term period of time (5 years)   (10)

- NGOS NEED TO START THINKING SHORT TERM - HAITI ISN’T RECOVERING - START GIVING MONEY NOW

E.             The presence of an excessive amount of NGOs themselves in Haiti is hurting the economy and slowing the country’s ability to recover from the earthquake

-       "In addition to their lack of progress on the ongoing housing crisis, the presence of thousands of foreign aid workers has exponentially driven up the rent prices of the scarce housing that survived the earthquake.” (2

-       NGO money and activities have disrupted the economy (4)

-       - Make Haiti dependent on foreign aid and make it difficult for Haitian government to meet basic needs of citizens (8)

-       In 1970’s, foreign aid and investments in Haiti started  (FDIs = foreign development investments)  (8)

-       U.S. and World Bank turned Haiti into supplier of the cheapest garment labor in region.   (8)

-       Went from producing 80 percent of own food in 1980’s to large importer of food for America   (8)

-       -Food and drug donations stop sustainable local production (4)

-       U.N. Nepalese soldiers brought cholera outbreak that killed over 3000 people by January 2011  (8)

o   In the process of trying to help, new problems are occurring in Haiti because of too many NGO workers