Will Haiti ever get Better!

< Previous | Home | Next >

Reply to Msg 5589

In Haiti less than 45 percent of the urban population and less than 36 percent of the rural population have access to potable water.

Sanitation and the disposal of sewage, is an even worse situation.

Haiti exports mainly agricultural prodcuts, like coffee and mangos, some manufactured items and oils, for a total of 340 million dollars a year, according to the Trade Department of the United States, where more than 80 percent of those exports are destined.

Neighbouring Dominican Republic absorbs seven percent, and Canada four percent, of Haiti's foreign sales.

Meanwhile, Haiti's imports of food, manufactured goods, machinery, fuel and other items surpass the billion-dollar mark annually.The country receives around 150 million dollars in foreign financial aid. Haiti's previous environment minister Yves-André Wainright, explained in a Tierramérica interview that "we developed a programme to introduce more and better gas stoves, to alleviate pressure on the forests that provide firewood and charcoal, Some 8.5 million people use biomass, particularly firewood and plant-based charcoal, as the source of 80 percent of their energy consumption, explained Wainright."the increase in petroleum prices is a catastrophe for Haiti," says Wainright, "and that is why we are focusing efforts and hopes on developing alternatives, like the production of fuel briquettes made from recycled paper and other waste materials." Brazil and Cuba have offered Haiti assistance for biodiesel fuel production projects.

The Dominican Republic has joined Haiti in a program for recuperation and reforestation of the Artibonito River watershed, which the two countries share said Max Puig Dominican environment minister in Caracas.

Venezuela, sent one of its oil executives to Port-au-Prince to evaluate the possibility of including Haiti among the beneficiaries of Petrocaribe.

Under the Petrocaribe initiative, Venezuela supplies fuel to its Caribbean neighbors with very long-term financing for 40 percent of the bill. So Haiti has a huge trade deficit.

Regarding oil exploration: Haiti should not count its chickens before they hatch.

But help may be under way.A Global Environment Outlook (GEO) for Haiti is written into the assistance programs of United Nations agencies for Haiti worth 900 million dollars, according to Ricardo Sánchez, regional director for the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

Claudy, January 29 2008, 7:31 PM

Topic: A List of Suggestions for a Better Haiti

Start a NEW topic or,
Jump to previous | Next Topic >

< Previous | Home | Next >

Messages in this topic

< Previous | Home | Next >