Haiti: the voodoos and voodon'ts of domestic policy
By Andrew Koppel
Issue date: 3/4/10 Section: Opinions
While the mass media has been saturated with coverage of the recent disaster in Haiti, I felt it necessary to add my two cents worth. The extent of the destruction is undeniable, and even the most cynical misanthropes (myself included) cannot help but feel a sense of inspiration that in spite of the fact that the economy has been in the gutter for quite some time, we in the West have pulled together and given so much to this cause. However, taking into account Haiti's history, I have serious reservations.
Haiti has had a history of perpetual neglect by the West, as the country's more malleable neighbour to the east (the Dominican Republic) submitted to a series of American occupations, pursued further by the Cold War. After reading an article by Jennifer Wells in the Toronto Star
(published on Feb. 8, 2010), my fears are further solidified. According to a study conducted by Paul Farmer (UN-appointed deputy special envoy for Haiti), 85% of donor money gathered in response to the series of hurricanes and storms that occurred in 2008 has not yet been distributed. It has been at least 10 years since the last military junta, and the government is as weak as ever.
I feel inclined to point out to those who feel that libertarianism is the one true governmental policy to use if you want to have the best society in the world that Haiti can be used as the bellwether of libertarianism. In Haiti, pretty much everything is privatized, even the military! While I hope that Haiti invests this newfound money into development, I find myself quite incredulous that this will occur.
Don't think, however, that I won't keep my hopes up for Haiti (so long as this money isn't spent on invading the Dominican Republic again). Haiti has been given a rare opportunity. Although it took a terrible disaster, the country has now been given a large sum of money with virtually no debt attached to it. If put to the right causes, such as infrastructure, education, healthcare and other long-term investments, Haiti will have the chance to pull itself out of the poverty trap that it is in.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a poverty trap occurs when a country is poor and doesn't have the resources to invest in healthcare, education and other government programs. Thus, the country does not achieve the level of education needed to develop its industries or healthcare system to ensure the survival of its citizens, and therefore cannot pull itself out of poverty.
Haiti has been suffering from this situation, as have many African nations. Now though, it has been given the equivalent of a university bursary. We can only hope, however, that unlike many university students, Haiti puts this money towards paying tuition to lay the foundations for its future, rather than spending it all on beer.
Haiti has had a history of perpetual neglect by the West, as the country's more malleable neighbour to the east (the Dominican Republic) submitted to a series of American occupations, pursued further by the Cold War. After reading an article by Jennifer Wells in the Toronto Star
(published on Feb. 8, 2010), my fears are further solidified. According to a study conducted by Paul Farmer (UN-appointed deputy special envoy for Haiti), 85% of donor money gathered in response to the series of hurricanes and storms that occurred in 2008 has not yet been distributed. It has been at least 10 years since the last military junta, and the government is as weak as ever.
I feel inclined to point out to those who feel that libertarianism is the one true governmental policy to use if you want to have the best society in the world that Haiti can be used as the bellwether of libertarianism. In Haiti, pretty much everything is privatized, even the military! While I hope that Haiti invests this newfound money into development, I find myself quite incredulous that this will occur.
Don't think, however, that I won't keep my hopes up for Haiti (so long as this money isn't spent on invading the Dominican Republic again). Haiti has been given a rare opportunity. Although it took a terrible disaster, the country has now been given a large sum of money with virtually no debt attached to it. If put to the right causes, such as infrastructure, education, healthcare and other long-term investments, Haiti will have the chance to pull itself out of the poverty trap that it is in.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a poverty trap occurs when a country is poor and doesn't have the resources to invest in healthcare, education and other government programs. Thus, the country does not achieve the level of education needed to develop its industries or healthcare system to ensure the survival of its citizens, and therefore cannot pull itself out of poverty.
Haiti has been suffering from this situation, as have many African nations. Now though, it has been given the equivalent of a university bursary. We can only hope, however, that unlike many university students, Haiti puts this money towards paying tuition to lay the foundations for its future, rather than spending it all on beer.
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