Conversations with the Living: The Haitian AIDS Crisis

The following is latest from Planet Money and  Frontline’s look at the Haitian economy since January 12th. Enjoy.

NPR Video

Gede Greg C.

In news that should pacify nervous foreign investors and agitated citizens, Haitian President Rene Preval has announced that the country’s nine-member provisional electoral council should organise elections for November 28th. The presidential and legislative elections to be held on the day will signal the end of Preval’s five-year presidential term, which actually ends on February 7th. The Haitian parliament has voted to allow him to remain in office until May 14th should a successor not be chosen by February.

Skeptics might argue that this announcement be taken with a grain of salt as the current leadership has not been very effective since January 12th. However, just making the announcement is a good sign and , at the very least, buys Mr. Preval and his colleagues some time to cull together a plan of action for the both the short and long term.

Gone Til November

Gede Greg C.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon recently called on the Group of 20 rich and developing nations, as well as the world superpowers, to continue to pump aid to struggling countries. He admits that only about 1% of the $5.3 billion in aid pledged to Haiti has been delivered; about $40 million from Brazil, but that the world needs to focus on nations like Haiti to create jobs, promote agriculture, build public health systems and shift to clean energy sources. He also promised that the U.N will make a concerted effort to streamline and increase the effectiveness of aid delivery in Haiti.

While this sounds good and noble, one must view this announcement with guarded expectations. Relief efforts of this scale are complex by design. What’s important is that the world is still very much focused on Haiti and it’s situation, and at least on the surface, appears to be working on creating practical solutions to the after effects of the January 12th earthquake.

UN Chief Calls For More Aid At G20 Summit

Gede Greg C.

Yesterday was the feast of Ti Jean Petro, symbolized as St. John the Baptist. This is one of the most important feast days in the Vodou calendar. Yesterday we lit white candles and poured out some peppered rhum. Below please find an image of Ti Jean Petro and a video for a ceremony where he is summoned.

Ti Jean Petro

Gede Greg C.

After a strongly worded statement by John Kerry criticizing Haitian leadership for stalling relief efforts, Haitian PM Jean-Max Bellerive had some choice words of its own. In a nutshell, he states that Haiti has a plan for rebuilding itself and won't be pushed around by anyone during this critical time. I say good for them. Even casual observers of politics understands that statements like the ones issued by Kerry are often preludes to occupation … Read More

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