Haiti: Where will all the money go?
January 17th, 2010 . by TexasFredHaiti: Where will all the money go?
WASHINGTON (AP) - How difficult will it be for the United States and other donors to track the millions of dollars in earthquake aid headed to Haiti? U.S. government auditors pulled out of the country years ago after concerns over kidnappings and other crimes scuttled their efforts to monitor Haiti’s spending of $45 million in U.S. aid after storms there killed thousands.
Corruption, theft, violence and other security problems and Haiti’s sheer shortage of fundamentals - reliable roads, telephone and power lines and a sound financial system - will add to the challenges of making sure aid is spent properly as foreign governments and charities try not only to help Haiti recover from this week’s devastating earthquake but to pull itself out of abject poverty.
Past efforts haven’t been easy. The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, faced problems on a smaller scale in 2005 and 2006 as auditors tried to review the use of roughly $45 million in aid the U.S. provided after Tropical Storm Jeanne struck Haiti in September 2004, killing more than 2,000 people, injuring more than 2,600 and affecting an estimated 300,000 others.
The inspectors wanted to visit projects funded with the money to measure progress. But after an initial fact-finding trip to Haiti, it was considered too dangerous for them to go back. They could visit only projects deemed safe as destinations. In summer 2005, many employees of the Agency for International Development - which is coordinating the current U.S. response to the earthquake - were temporarily pulled out of Haiti, according to government reports.
Full Story Here:
Haiti: Where will all the money go?
I think we all know that the MSM generally tilts to the left and tends to take a bleeding heart stance on most topics. It surprises me that the MSM, especially the Associated Press would run with a story so critical, and truthful, concerning the government of Haiti.
Haiti is one of the poorest places on Earth. Most basic public services are lacking, people typically live on less than $2 a day, nearly half the population is illiterate and the government has a history of instability. The public has little opportunity to be sure that aid to the government is used honestly and well. Nor is following the money easy for donors, including the United States, 700 miles away and one of the country’s biggest helpers.
Give, give, give, and then, give some more. There’s an old saying, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. TEACH a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!’ but I have to wonder, are the people of Haiti willing to LEARN and better themselves or are they simply content to sit back and take charity?
I am not a charity person. I don’t believe in helping those that will NOT help themselves. I am of the belief that you can help a person with a hand UP but a hand-out does nothing to make a lasting and positive solution.
“It has been a challenge, and I think it really is one of the things we have to look at when the country has had such long-standing problems that it seems as though we have made little dent there,” said Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s subcommittee on international organizations, human rights and oversight.
The immediate focus is search and rescue and addressing immediate public health needs. But after that, “I think there’s going to be a number of questions that arise,” Carnahan said.
Russ Carnahan is right on the money, no pun intended. Our efforts haven’t made a dent in the basic life of the Haitians. I doubt it ever will. I also agree that search and rescue are the most immediate issues. The time is rapidly approaching when rescue is a moot point and a waste of time, the efforts will soon turn to recovery of bodies.
After that recovery mode is put into place, after food and water, medicine and other desperately needed essentials have begun to flow, what next? Does anyone even remotely believe that the nation of Haiti is going to suddenly turn the corner and become a beacon of freedom, and what many will call a success?
The Haitian government relies on foreign aid to keep itself and its economy operating.
And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, pretty much sums up my reason for questioning the massive outlay of money that our government is making. Money that WE don’t have and honestly can’t afford to spend.
In a December 2008 Gallup survey, 60 percent of Haitians interviewed said there had been times that year when they didn’t have enough money to buy food, and 51 percent said there were times when they couldn’t afford shelter.
Statistics about Haiti, as gathered by the U.S. government, chronicle a grim standard of living. According to the CIA and State Department, 1 in 8 children in Haiti dies before age 5. The life expectancy is 59 to 62 years. Malaria, typhoid and dengue fevers and other life-threatening illnesses long ago wiped out in the industrialized world still plague Haiti.
Haiti will continue to be exactly what it has always been, an empty, and deep hole that tons of money gets thrown into, with no discernible positive result!
Send Haiti your donations if you wish, it’s your money after all, but as for me and MY money, I’m going to be what I always am, America 1st, and I will support Americans in need of a helping hand, and not some foreign nation that only exists because of hand OUTS and charity!
Haiti is the great black hole of the Caribbean sucking up everything that comes close. Since the days when the French were run out it has been a sea of corruption fueled by igorance and African Voodoo. Ill winds blow across that once tropical paradise, the winds pushed by the forces of nature and of man.
If you give to help the poor souls on that island nation, I would strongly recommend that you give to NGO’s. Any money that goes directly to the government will in all likelyhood in up in the pocket of greedy corrupt Haitian politicans who already have visions of billions coming their way.
I hope the death toll is not as high as some have indicated, and I suspect the numbers will be deliberately inflated so as to get more funds. The actual numbers will never be know, but rest assured the estimates will be high be of the afore mentioned reason.
After the immediate crisis is over, vast sums of money will continue to flow into Haiti and when the flood of funds stops the people will be back where they were before the quake hit. Money cannot and will not stand up a people who have refused to help themselves for over 200 years. The Haiti people must start looking to the future and stop pointing back to antiquity as the cause of their problems.
Well, what can I say nice???? Can’t think of a thing.
Just watched the Cowboys get outplayed and out-matched, so words are hard coming.
Haiti has zero exports.
They produce nothing but shit, piss, and negro babies.
I have always wondered just WHY all these different churches send their “missionary’s to Haiti?
I think it is because they are closer to the USA than any other shit-hole in the world.
Must be a “feel-good” epidemic.
Sorry, but the SMU churches just don’t impress me anymore with their missions. Been around them way back growing up.
The Haiti is a “tar-baby” trap. That says it all.
Compassion? Yeah, but with a reason of value.
I see Haiti as a run-down New York housing authority nightmare. and nothing more.
I don’t want any of them coming to the USA, Period.
I am in favor of giving Haiti to the Chinese Government.
Maybe they could do something with them.
I have had it with stupid, ignorant negroes taking hand-outs from the USA and NEVER doing a god-damned thing to better themselves, whether they are in Detroit, New Orleans, or HAITI.
Call me names if you like, but my pot is boiling over on this issue.
You racist!!
Mr. Chuck, you’re a racist too!!
Look for Haiti to be the next US state….after all it appears to be full of Democrats with their hands out for more money and more help from others. Their only job or work will be to vote for more Democrats during elections. Of course I’m not sure they can find enough citizens with enough smarts to hold an elected office….oh dummy me….since when has that ever stopped one of our elected Democrats???
Honestly, skin color does NOT play into this for me, it’s all about economics and the corruption that grips Haiti… I wouldn’t care if they were ALL blue eyed blonds, if they’re welfare slugs and crooks, they’re welfare slugs and crooks…
Sorry Fred, it does with me. That a$$hole President took 5 days to finally come out and speak about the terrorist attack in Detroit here, but an earthquake his a coon town like Haiti and Mr. Magic Negro is all over it. It’s bullshit and he knows it!
Screw them damn witch doctor looking fools. Let ‘em die! Enough of the damn Nation building1
and my song didn’t make it outta moderation.
It hit SPAM, and when I tried to open it, it locked me up, so, it’s not going to make it out of moderation, sorry…
Look, I know that these folks are black, I know that Obama is an asshole, but as I said, they are losers, and the color of their skin has nothing to do with it.. They would be losers if they were green with purple polka dots…
I have been accused of being a racist on numerous occasions, but here is the truth, I don’t hate anyone because of their skin color, if I hate them it’s because of their words and deeds…
I’m just not one of the PC asshats that won’t say something because it might offend a certain ethnic group, I am an equal opportunity offender, and if some idiot is looking for something to be offended over, I’m probably going to give it to them…
The only thing I’m saying is, everybody’s as right as rain.
100 million for this???? That booger eatin maroon, slick willy gave them 3 billion. I never seen where they paid us back and “papa doc”, he left the country with 800 million in his checking account and haitii still IS a festering shithole. This is precisely why governments send the money to other governments. Maybe slick willy had them open up an account in that country under “bubba’s” name. WHY send money?????? if they don’t want the aid, fuck’em let’em die. I see a BUNCH of democrat votes coming to a country near you. They’ll still be the gimme, gimme welfare class that does nothing but lay around and breed, and are still allowed to vote. Nature tried to do us a favor. Maybe next time it’ll be DC (during the state of the union address)
What’s pissing me off is these Haitians are mad and saying the US isn’t responding fast enough. Some are trying to leave the island and are claiming the US is getting its citizens off first…I would hope we’re taking care of our citizens first. Others are saying they want to take over the runway to send a message to Obama. In some instances our soldiers had to walk away from passing out food because the Haitians were getting too unruly. These people remind me of those in New Orleans who are expecting others to do everything for them. Myself, I won’t donate any money to a people who won’t appreciate it.
Also, Obama condemned Bush for his response for Katrina. Maybe now Obama knows that you just don’t snap your fingers and a full blown rescue effort suddenly materializes.
All an administration needs to bring out ALL of it’s weaknesses is a natural disaster…
Thank GOD it didn’t happen here, what with all the preparedness we’re seeing!
Here’s a volunteer to take over Haiti…..I say we give it to him lock, stock and barrel…
Chavez says U.S. occupying Haiti in name of aid - Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60G2DW20100117?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&rpc=76
I know I will not donate a penny to that pisshole of a country. We could give them everything and all they will do is ask for more. What will they give us in return? The only aid we will get from them will come in the form of HIV— AIDS
I really don’t understand why we are even caring about this country….they have nothing we want or need…it’s not a good place to take a vacation. The only good this place is…is some place to dump our sh*t.
In order to keep this country green, I think we should create some jobs in Haiti and build a very large depository in which to dump our nuclear waste.
Idea may not be so good after all. Would have to worry about radioactive voodoo dolls becoming a terroist threat.
That saying “Charity begins at home” should mean something. America needs to quit being the keeper of the world and start taking care of her own. Why are we facing nightmare taxes and huge world debts so that we can give money to corrupt countries that do nothing to make sure they benefit from the help?
If we want to send help to Haiti (and I do not)….I think we should send supplies, aid, construction material and American workers to rebuild the country. Do not send money….99.9% of it will never see those that need the help. If we do not learn from the past we are doomed to repeat our mistakes in the future. We keep sending money, nothing effectual gets done with it and then the next disaster comes and we send more money. When do we get wise and tell them if we are going to help ….we will do it our way and we will control the money?
And why are we sending $100 million + and China, who holds our debts, is only sending $1 million? How in the heck are we supposed to get out of debt this way? No other country in the world is anywhere near as generous as we are.I am tired of it. Quit raising my taxes to send money to slugs that cannot stop having babies and are too dumb to make something of their lives. Maybe we can send Carter to build his Habitats for Humanity there….and send Obama to tell them they should believe in his ideas of Change!
Man, you all definitely hit the nail on the head. The only thing I would add is the fact that the hard working Cuban Americans in Florida hate the Haitians and keep them out of their neighborhoods! All they bring to the table is crime, disease, ignorance and of course the constant desire for a hand out. They contribute nothing to our society here but higher crime rates. I’m with Fred… if the hand isn’t up instead of out, you are wasting your time trying to help anyone.
Gaffney, you WILL NOT come in here on your 1st post and declare war on some of my readers and comment makers..
Your account is gone, you need to read the Comments Policy before you try again…