The Vultures Descend Upon Haiti

Next to loss of human life in any natural disaster, there is no greater tragedy than the economic exploitation by companies looking to make a quick buck.  Haiti’s plight in this area was just reported in a Washington Post article Would-be Haitian contractors miss out on aid.  They reported that only $1.60 of every $100 spent in Haiti has gone to local businesses.

Many use the justification that it takes longer and costs more to use local vendors.  This may be true, but it is necessary to the ultimate recovery of any natural disaster location.  Continuing this exploitive behavior further scars an already fragile Haitian economy.  A little extra work could be used to fix a systemic root-cause to Haiti’s poverty and begin building the needed foundation for future sustainability.

This approach is at the core of HR&DC’s job training initiative.  We understand that it may take longer and cost a little more to begin, but ultimately builds desperately needed capacity within Haiti.  Without it unemployment will continue to loom at 50% – 70%.

That’s what we think.  What do you think?  We’d love to hear your ideas about what you think could help build capacity in Haiti for the long-term.