NewsWhore
08-23-2010, 07:20 PM
Writing in Listin Diario, Hugo Guiliani Cury, the former governor of the Central Bank and currently a diplomat, comments on the state of affairs in Haiti, where the poor have just become even poorer since the 12 January earthquake. Guiliani reiterates that the problem is that unviable solutions are trying to be imposed on Haiti.
"In the search for solutions for Haiti, for years the international community and the US have tried to export the democratic model. They have held elections, elected governments and it has not worked," he writes. He explains why: "The reality is that Haiti does not have the institutions that can make a democratic regime work. One has to recall that a democracy is the last step in the construction of a state."
He writes: "The earthquake showed that neither a government nor institutions capable of giving the minimum protection to its citizens exist in Haiti."
He makes the point that the international community is failing to recognize this situation, and that it is lacking in vision.
He says the international community should ask how many billions have been spent in Haiti from 1995 to date and what has been achieved.
"Those funds have been spent on humanitarian aid that resolves nothing, because food is eaten today, defecated and part sold, other funds used for the tents and military expenditures for the UN troops and others to pay foreigners to organize elections," he says.
He criticizes the fact that nothing has been spent on the infrastructure and real investments that would stimulate the development of the nation and develop work so that Haitians can fend for themselves.
He favors a Protectorate for Haiti but says that since this mechanism does not exist then the best option is to reach an agreement for "Shared Government." This should consist of dividing power between the two main powers - the donors and the Haitian government - where some areas would be directed by the government and others by the donor nations.
He writes that one cannot talk of reconstruction in Haiti because there is nothing to reconstruct - everything needs to be built. He proposes an International Agency under the model of a development corporation that would handle the resources. The corporation would be autonomous and directed by international experts.
"There is no time to continue to improve and do more of the same as has been done in the past," he writes.
www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/8/20/155622/La-tragedia-de-Haiti (http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/8/20/155622/La-tragedia-de-Haiti)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
"In the search for solutions for Haiti, for years the international community and the US have tried to export the democratic model. They have held elections, elected governments and it has not worked," he writes. He explains why: "The reality is that Haiti does not have the institutions that can make a democratic regime work. One has to recall that a democracy is the last step in the construction of a state."
He writes: "The earthquake showed that neither a government nor institutions capable of giving the minimum protection to its citizens exist in Haiti."
He makes the point that the international community is failing to recognize this situation, and that it is lacking in vision.
He says the international community should ask how many billions have been spent in Haiti from 1995 to date and what has been achieved.
"Those funds have been spent on humanitarian aid that resolves nothing, because food is eaten today, defecated and part sold, other funds used for the tents and military expenditures for the UN troops and others to pay foreigners to organize elections," he says.
He criticizes the fact that nothing has been spent on the infrastructure and real investments that would stimulate the development of the nation and develop work so that Haitians can fend for themselves.
He favors a Protectorate for Haiti but says that since this mechanism does not exist then the best option is to reach an agreement for "Shared Government." This should consist of dividing power between the two main powers - the donors and the Haitian government - where some areas would be directed by the government and others by the donor nations.
He writes that one cannot talk of reconstruction in Haiti because there is nothing to reconstruct - everything needs to be built. He proposes an International Agency under the model of a development corporation that would handle the resources. The corporation would be autonomous and directed by international experts.
"There is no time to continue to improve and do more of the same as has been done in the past," he writes.
www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/8/20/155622/La-tragedia-de-Haiti (http://www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2010/8/20/155622/La-tragedia-de-Haiti)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)