Friday, January 13, 2012

Jobs in Haiti?

ABC News reports:

The billions of dollars in aid that flowed into Haiti after its shattering earthquake were meant to build a new nation with thriving farms, apparel factories, modern hospitals and paved roads in the countryside.

Ambitious plans call for $500 million to build 50 new grade schools, $200 million to give Port-au-Prince its first wastewater treatment plant, and $224 million to create an industrial park for 65,000 garment industry workers — all aimed at laying the groundwork for a new Haiti.

But as the hemisphere's poorest country marks the second anniversary of the earthquake that killed some 300,000 people, only about half of the $4.6 billion in promised aid has been spent. Half a million people are still living in crowded camps. And only four of the 10 largest projects funded by international donors have broken ground. read more

We'll keep you posted.

Haitians Remember

As reported by the Miami Herald from yesterday's Memorial remembrance of the earthquake:

“If we are alive today, it’s not because we are better off. We still have work to do,” said Monsignor Alexandre Dumas of the Roman Catholic Church. “We owe to reconstruct otherwise, to build a new nation-state in unity and peace with stronger institutions, public buildings, places of worship and hospitals, schools and houses that are not graves.’’

Martelly echoed the sentiments saying that in 35 seconds “everything tumbled down, taking with it lots of human lives, leaving destroyed cities transformed into huge fields of rubble.”

At 4:56 p.m., three minutes after the quake struck two years ago, the crowd stood silent. Martelly and his wife, Sophia, then planted 10 trees, each representing the country’s 10 departments, to symbolize a rebirth.


 
 
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/13/v-fullstory/2587302/haiti-south-florida-remember-quake.html#storylink=cpy