Over the course of the week, participants will volunteer at the pre-school at Miami’s Haitian Youth & Community Center of Florida. Not only will the Barry students and teachers help out with the kids in the daycare program, they’ll also help the center’s staff sort and pack donations going to Haiti.

But that won’t be their only project. On Wednesday, March 3rd, they plan to join other volunteers in painting the interior and exterior of the Notre Dame D’Haiti Catholic Church in Little Haiti.

source: Miami CBS4

“The EU stands ready to support reconstruction efforts in Haiti through huge financial resources of 400 million euros,” said Jean-Marc Ruiz, Office of the European Commission in Haiti.

Many European NGOs working in Haiti to carry on the humanitarian assistance of the European Union, he said.
“The EU wants to support the Haitian government so he can drive the entire reconstruction effort in Haiti, strengthen government capacity to take things in hand”, for his part said the Ambassador of France Didier Le Bret.

“A substantial package of financial resources of more than 200 million euros for reconstruction efforts in the longer term for the government,” is also planned, said for his part Jean-Marc Ruiz.

Several technical missions from countries of the EU are currently in Haiti working alongside the Haitian government authorities.
European diplomats have also announced a budgetary support for the government to enable it to cope with emergency expenses, pay staff and rehabilitate street, said Mr. Ruiz.

He also welcomed the efforts of individual Europeans, as private, could “contribute massive, sometimes even more than the governments of EU countries.

Former U.S. President will also coordinate the activities of UN agencies, NGOs, donor countries and private donors.

Mr. Ban told Mr. Clinton that those functions required “extraordinary qualities of leadership.

Tonight on the SOS Save OurSelves – Help For Haiti telethon broadcast on BET, Sean Combs aka Diddy called on Wyclef Jean to run for president of Haiti.  Could it that Wyclef is thinking of upgrading his current position in Haiti to president?  hmmm…. Wyclef Jean for president, what qualifies him to be president? what would be do differently?

After two weeks in Haiti, many of the 550 rescuers from the Civil Security and the 108 policemen dispatched immediately after the earthquake have returned to France. They will be received Monday by the Prime Minister. Many, like the sergeant-Dubois, confessed having been confronted with scenes and emotions of uncommon violence. “It was like a war film,” recounts Colonel Franck Louvier which has issued from county firefighters Val-d’Oise, coordinated two weeks during the intervention of French physicians in four hospitals Port-au-Prince. Equally shocked, a policeman evokes “a performance comparable to that of cities destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.” Still others describe “a gigantic project in its area”, “terrible injuries”, a “nightmare” …

Committed to 7 am to 20 hours or more each day since their arrival, often inexperienced, some soldiers have sometimes struggled to hide their fatigue. Met January 15 at the foot of the ruins of the Hotel Montana, a master physician had waived such restrain her tears. There was fatigue, frustration and genuine sadness. In the morning, the officer had to admit his impotence. The young woman he had tried for eight hours to save the rubble had died. Yet he had tried everything, still kneeling under tons of concrete to general anesthesia. “Part of his body was crushed by debris,” he explained. She did not survive the extraction. ”

Expert-rescue excavation, Lieutenant Christopher Carrier, assigned to the intervention unit of Nogent-le-Rotrou tempers: “Sure, it’s difficult to spend several days to explore the ruins but could find survivors. Sometimes we even come to say we did not do the job … And then, fortunately, we found the energy to leave each morning and it finally paid off. “In total, the men of the French Civil Security extracted from the rubble 15 of the 134 survivors recovered from the earthquake. On January 28, fifteen days after the earthquake, they have saved such a young girl of 16 who was in a state of extreme dehydration. “At the moment, we were so focused on the need to go fast you did not quite woken up to this miracle,” says Lt. Carrier. Only after quarter of an hour I suddenly was gone chills … ”

A “huge cohesion

Responsible for the field hospital located in the gardens of the Embassy of France, where nearly 140 surgical procedures have been performed since January 17, the physician-Colonel Michel Orcel believes that the “enormous cohesion of his unit is its main asset. “Of course, we all suddenly slack when we lose a patient of 20 years for which we fought for hours using all our means of resuscitation, says he. But whenever one of us falters really, it was immediately supported by the other. “Less categorical, a young lifeguard says that despite years of training, he did not expect to fully “it” – that is to say to the thousands of corpses encountered on his way since his arrival in town. “Whenever we enter the ruins we crossed one or two. In the end it becomes hard. “The awareness of his own limitations has also been a test. “We should take time to rest, it is human. But we also knew that there were dozens of Haitians, perhaps children who were trapped under the ruins, waiting for us and had little time … ”

Faced with an unprecedented wave of open fractures, deep wounds and other ground, the French doctors were often hung up with “beautiful moments of life” occurring here and there. “We have made several deliveries that every time we restore some strength,” smiled the Colonel Louvier. Christophe Carrier testified that he was “stunned” by the ability of people to bounce the reopening of small markets everywhere – while on the roadside, there were still dogs and pigs eating human remains. A military finally welcomed the “great dignity of the Haitians meet their physical pain.”

“Through their training, we at present feel that our staff are pretty well cashed the coup,” says Damien Deluz, the psychologist firefighters Val-de-Marne. For all practical purposes, all the soldiers involved have been imposing a “debrief” of 24 hours in Fort-de-France. An individualized psychological They were also proposed. “For us, the military, it is not obvious to use such support, however, said Chief Warrant Officer Eric Dubois.

However, even as we are to stabilize the humanitarian interventions, we must begin to implement the delivery of essential services and reconstruction. This is why the time is ripe to learn from past experience. Despite five missions of peacekeeping and billions of dollars in aid, human development indicators in Haiti remain among the worst in the world.

Yet we know that improvement is possible.

Before the hurricanes of 2008 and then again before the earthquake in January, Haiti had made good progress, as evidenced by the successful outcome of elections conducted peacefully, stabilization of chronic insecurity, improving revenue collection and increased investment.

To take advantage of these advances it will requires a long term commitment to the reconstruction and rehabilitation in Haiti. Once the cameras have left the country, as they are already doing so, donors should not follow suit. In the past, in fact, fatigue inspired the country’s situation was an obstacle to development at least as important as natural disasters.

The damage caused by four hurricanes and tropical storms that have ravaged the country in 2008 have been estimated at about 15% of GDP. The devastation caused by this earthquake is likely to be more costly and require a coordinated effort and better sustained over time. What can we learn from past experience?

Haiti can not be rebuilt by well-meaning outsiders. Donors must work with the government and the Haitian people, while the government and Parliament must chart the way forward and commit to work hand in hand.

Donor assistance for reconstruction must be provided as grants. A larger volume of capital must be allocated through the national budget so that funds can be linked to the objectives of the country and used to develop national capacity, although the initial phases of reconstruction depend on assistance from regional and international partners .

We need to rid Haiti of its debt burden. In consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), we granted to Haiti in 2009 a debt forgiveness of 1.2 billion dollars (860 million euros), but there is still almost $ 1 billion to repay. Less than 4% of this amount, approximately 38 million dollars are owed to the World Bank. We immediately announced that no reimbursement would be required during the next five years, and we are proceeding with the cancellation of all funds that remain outstanding. Others will follow suit.

We can support the transition from humanitarian assistance to reconstruction through programs of paid work in food or cash so that Haitians are paid to clear and rebuild the infrastructure and planting trees. Community projects can be undertaken to revitalize small farms that, over time, begin to occur before taking over from food aid programs. With a moderate investment in supplies and equipment, Haiti can recreate construction companies that provide jobs.

Regularly hit by natural disasters, Haiti is a victim of its location. Yet, this same situation could also become a strategic opening. Located some 900 km from the United States, the country has tremendous potential. It has U.S. market access under the law of Hope II, and could develop the apparel and agriculture and create jobs. Haiti may also promote the private sector in establishing a climate conducive to investment and rebuilding electricity grids and roads and ports.

Such successes have been achieved. The International Finance Corporation, our speaker from the private sector has invested in Digicel, thereby expanding coverage of mobile telephony. A free-trade near the border with the Dominican Republic has attracted U.S. apparel companies, which has created thousands of jobs. Other areas of this type could be implemented or developed.

Legitimacy, security and development must coexist for Haiti to prosper. Viewers now understand how the Haitian state was destitute. It is not simply the lack of heavy equipment to clear rubble, but the lack of police and magistrates, and a state without a large capacity or financial resources to protect the population or it provide essential services.

We must “Securing Development”, that is to say, give it a sufficient basis for breaking the cycle of vulnerability, poverty and violence. Once established will be political stability, security and a government with the necessary resources, investment and development can progress.

We can be inspired by the example of Aceh, Indonesia. Today, five years after the tsunami, everyone agrees that the reconstruction of Aceh has been a success. Some 140 000 homes and nearly 4 000 km of roads have been rebuilt, while assistance was provided to 200 000 SMEs.

In Aceh, the international partners have funded the reconstruction based on coordinated interventions undertaken under the direction of government in accordance with local priorities. The assistance of fifteen organizations and donor countries, 700 million dollars has been paid to a multi-donor fund was administered by the World Bank. Thus, instead of leading parallel fifteen projects separate roads and housing procedures and different criteria that have not failed to overwhelm local institutions with limited capacity, only one well-coordinated program has been implemented by communities, government agencies, NGOs and international organizations.

Haitians will not be victims any more than we would like ourselves. With strong leadership and support Haitian regional and international coordinated, consistent and efficient, we can transform the sensationalism of a few days of news in decades of success stories.

For that aid is effective, it must “converge on the international level” and “internal coordination” to ensure the control, which requires the strengthening of central authority in Haiti, said Dominican President Leonel Fernandez. “First, the emergency humanitarian aid must continue, but there are logistical problems to solve. (…) We need a central authority in Haiti, which oversees the support that is happening for the ‘Humanitarian aid the desired effect, “he said.

Participants at the meeting also proposed to assess the economic impact of the earthquake and to establish a priority list in the island. Mr. Fernandez suggested that the amount of the debts of his country to be assigned to a fund for Haiti, once paid. “The Dominican Republic has a debt with the Paris Club [an informal group of official creditors that meet regularly in Paris, and whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to payment difficulties experienced by debtor nations, Editor's note ]. We will honor this debt, but we hope that this payment can be channeled towards the creation of a special fund for Haiti, “he said.

According to the Vice-President of the Spanish Government, Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, presented at the meeting, “the government and people of Haiti must be major players in the reconstruction process,” but “the involvement of the whole community International “is” necessary “.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) plans to give Haiti’s debt, about $ 480 million, said in Santo Domingo Manuel Labrador, spokesman for the institution in the Caribbean country, which also announced the provision of 364 million dollars. France also calls the cancellation of the remainder of Haiti’s debt to Paris Club creditors of key public, announced Friday the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde. Haiti has accumulated in 2009 a debt of over $ 1 billion, mainly vis-à-vis the World Bank and IDB, but also towards the countries of the Paris Club, according to the Department of Economics Paris.

The Haitian president, René Préval, was held at the beginning of the meeting that his country’s reconstruction could be done only from the outside and passed by the “political and economic stability.” “We must strengthen democratic institutions,” he had launched. A meeting of contributors to help with Haiti will be held in Montreal January 25.

“Doing Business”? Not so simple if we are to believe a report from the World Bank is studying the regulation of business in 183 countries worldwide. Haiti therein to 151st rank. “It is very difficult to transact in Haiti and property rights are poorly protected, described Sylvia Solf, one of his editors. We must get the approval from many agencies and the highest authorities of the State to start a business: it takes 195 days on average! ”

Delays are also among the highest in the world to obtain a building permit, connection to electricity and telephone. The World Bank, “we will have rapidly simplify all the basic procedures and secure the title if it wants to attract investors.

And even more so, says Ms. Solf, that “there is a correlation between the complexity of procedures and recourse to corruption.” That is one major concern of donors, while international organizations and “friendly countries” in Haiti were recognized at the Montreal meeting, January 25, the Haitian state, despite governance weaknesses exacerbated by the earthquake was only legitimate to manage and coordinate reconstruction aid for which the total could approach $ 20 billion (14 billion euros).

“The management of this money worries us: we fear that some of the aid is diverted and does not benefit Haitians in need,” warns Marilyn Allien, president of the Heritage Foundation in Haiti, the local branch of Transparency International. This nongovernmental organization has assigned to Haiti note of 1.8 out of 10 in its index of corruption perception in 2009. Only seven countries are rated worse.

“Corruption is endemic in public institutions in Haiti, describes Mrs. Allien. The practice has become routine. The perpetrators enjoy total impunity. It is a practical high performance and low risk for the whole world: officials and elected parliament, the executive, the judiciary, the private sector … ”

The creation between 2004 and 2006, a unit of the fight against corruption, a National Commission on public procurement and a unit of financial information was not enough to clean up the economy. “The head of the National Procurement was kidnapped in February 2006, was never found his body,” sighed Mrs. Allien.

A previous concern especially Transparency International organization denounces the opacity which it claims surrounding the use of program funds to support after the hurricanes of 2008. Including 197 million dollars (141 million) loan from Venezuela under the PetroCaribe funds. “41% of this amount has been allocated to the National Equipment Company, managed by a close associate of President René Préval, said Mrs. Allien. Impossible to know what exactly has been done with this money. According to some allegations, some have served to finance the election platform unit set up by President Préval. ”

The former Prime Minister Michele Duvivier Pierre-Louis, who had requested the audits on the use of these funds has been sacked. It now proposes that the reconstruction is copilotée by Haitian authorities and the international community. It will likely be heard.

“Given the state of the Haitian public, we will develop tools for monitoring and management strengthened, said Bruno Lemarquis, an expert in the office of the crisis the United Nations Program for Development. It is possible that international agencies install their own services on site to implement the programs. ”

Control all the more necessary as the World Bank has proposed to create a single fund bringing together all funding for reconstruction. “However, such a trust fund requires the country to distribute general budget support and not grants arrow on specific projects, observes a French diplomat. This involves a lot of confidence in the ability of countries to manage its budget in a transparent manner. ” Trust: a further element in rebuilding Haiti.

I can go back to the moment at 9:45pm when Anderson explained that he would need someone to take over the broadcast because he was catching an 11pm flight to the Dominican Republic to be sure to make it into Haiti in the morning. I asked myself “Where did this love for Haiti come from?” I mean in this pale skinned, thin White man, stood this glowing center of hope for my people. “Why this interest, when usually the world simply turns the page when they hear the word Haiti?” But sure enough in the morning, after 10 agonizing hours of calling family and friends with no success, it was CNN who was first on the ground. Anderson Cooper, without a red cape, with no Gold S on his chest, simply an ash grey t-shirt which somehow symbolized the grayness of the country shown behind him as he reported. First on the scene, like a doctor scrubbing into surgery, Anderson Cooper was there. Day and night it seemed he headed our plea. He became our voice. He spoke to us, thru us and for us, so that the world would listen. He represented the majority, when in reality people were not ready to see the devastation brought to my minority.

The days turned into weeks and as his images and those of Dr. Gupta continued to ravish our minds and shake our souls, we could not just sit here and do nothing. These two gentlemen become our bulldozers, they showed us what we didn’t want to see, but should see, they told us about the stories that needed to be heard, not what was scripted by CNN Studio Producers. Larry King joined the fight as Gupta and Cooper continued everyday to devote their lives to our cause. The dynamic duo is what I called them, but it is more than super hero powers that kept them at the forefront of our minds, hearts, souls, thoughts and prayers. Sheer humanity helped those men endure for us. They automatically become the face of this terrible tragedy, the light at the end of the tunnel, knowing that we could make a difference, that we would rise above everything and Live again.

Many joke that Anderson Cooper is now an Honorary Haitian, and many would love the opportunity to shake his hand, to hug him, to invite him to dinner and to simply say THANK YOU – for not leaving us behind. Thank you for coming to our rescue, Thank you for being there when no one else was, like a best friend at a time of desperation. Thank you for caring and for being the type of person we all should strive to be.

These two men, Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sonjay Gupta will receive awards from every angle, every Haitian-American association, and they will continue to receive journalistic honors for their commitment to being the eyes and ears of an entire nation. But today, I needed to genuinely and unconditionally put finger to keyboard to say, MESI AMPIL! For reminding me that it is not my country’s title of destitute, its generalization of illiteracy or blackness, nor is it its negative view from the outside of the world’s window that matters, but it is the generosity, purity, strength and determination of my people from the inside of its throbbing heart that keeps me, my children, my parents and my family alive. Through your magic lens and your surgical prowess gentlemen, the world now knows that Haiti exists and will once again pridefully stand and prevail.

–
Mia Lopez
M.I.A. Media, Inc.
Image Management-Public Relations

International partners who exercised de facto guardianship over the country will have to deal with leaders in delicate position. “It is nevertheless crucial to strengthen the state structures, J. Herard Jarotte, editor and academic, because for the rest, donors already have monitoring tools to oversee the projects.”

Thanks to a global outpouring of generosity, Haiti would benefit if the promises of aid are held from 4 billion in aid. “The international summit to be held in March in New York should endorse the creation of a national agency for reconstruction along the lines of those established in Indonesia after the tsunami and Lebanon for the reconstruction of Beirut,” said one European diplomat. Piloting the agency should be Haitian, with a strong presence of international experts. The new entity will be responsible for identifying and coordinating the recovery plans, while the government will manage current business.

Strong rivalries and differences

On the ground, competition between international agencies, donor countries and NGOs looks tough. It could turn into a rat race, both the differences and rivalries are strong. The UN intends to retain and increase their powers. The United States has decided to exercise their leadership. The Canadiens play their own map. Europeans may lack unity. La France has a special role because of the history and common language. Thanks to an initiative that Haitian French is the second working language of the United Nations. In 1945, the San Francisco conference, the Haitian delegation has managed to lead for his proposed voting Latin American and wrest the decision despite the hostility of the Anglo-Saxons.

The island, which already has one of the highest densities of humanitarian square kilometer, may also be transformed in a few months Barnum charity. The influx of charitable movements will draw local cadres of high level who have not taken the path of exile. Still, the general mobilization has the merit of a country left beside the road a challenge. In its report on “Haiti and France,” published in 2004, Regis Debray wrote: Haiti is “a witness of what can the international community to take the chasm of these gray areas that become black holes are the cosmos . A more than ever about the circumstances.