Canada & Haiti

Canada showing Haiti some tough love

Canadian officials feeling 'intense frustration' with Haiti's 'kleptocracy'
By Evan Dyer, CBC News Posted: Sep 25, 2016

Two protesters carrying Haitian flags on their heads march during a demonstration against the electoral process in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Canada has told Haiti it will not provide additional funds to rerun its election next month; international international observers say the result should have stood when Haitians went to the polls last year. (Andres Martinez Casares/Reuters)

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hosted his U.S. and Mexican counterparts in Ottawa in June, the three countries' foreign ministers found a topic they could all agree on, according to Canadian officials.
Everyone has had it with Haiti.
The earthquake that levelled much of capital city Port-au-Prince in 2010, killing at least 200,000 people, triggered the largest outpouring of Canadian private charity ever directed overseas: $221 million.
Since the quake, Canada has sent about $1.2 billion to Haiti, the hemisphere's poorest country, including $11 million to help pay for its failed presidential election last October. Per capita, Canadians have given more to Haiti in recent years than any other country.
But donor fatigue may finally be setting in for Haiti's most loyal backer, and the corruption and dysfunction of Haiti's ruling elite is mostly to blame.
From its place as the top recipient of Canadian aid in 2010, Haiti fell to 16th in 2015, with new favourite Ukraine getting more than five times as much.

Democracy delayed

Next month Haiti will attempt to rerun last year's national election.
The October vote failed to produce a winner after opposition parties claimed it was marred by widespread fraud, including hundreds of thousands of "zombie votes." Opposition mobs attacked polling stations, overwhelming Haitian police and forcing the cancellation of the second round of voting.
But the foreign donors who paid for the election — and who dispatched 408 observers to watch it — said it was clean.
"They tossed out the results from a perfectly good election," says Jim Morrell, executive director of the Haiti Democracy Project in Washington D.C. His organization provided 208 of those 408 observers.
The 200 observers from the Organization of American States, paid for mostly by the U.S., Canada and Brazil, agreed: the election was clean by Haitian standards and the results should have stood.
However, faced with a fait accompli, the foreign donors reluctantly agreed to try again when Haiti promised a rerun in January. But two days before it was to take place, Haiti postponed it again, setting yet another date in April.

Residents walk next to graffiti of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse, together with ousted deposed president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, in a street of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Andres Martinez Casares/Reuters)

By this point, Haiti was being ruled by an unelected interim president. When Haiti once again announced it was not ready to open the polls, donors' patience began to run out.
"Canada deplores the fact that the elections, scheduled to take place on April 24, have been cancelled for the third time," said Canada's Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion at the time.
With the latest rerun just around the corner, on Oct. 9, it's not clear what has changed, except that Haiti will have a whole lot less Canadian assistance.

Canada: No new money for elections

Haiti went into last year's presidential election with a fund of about $100 million from foreign donors to pay for it. The U.S. and Canada provided about half of that money.
Canada has told Haiti it will have to use whatever money is left over from that to pay for next month's rerun. (Global Affairs Canada, the federal body that leads Canada's international development and humanitarian assistance efforts, estimates that $6.3 million remains in the fund.)
It's also looking doubtful Canada will provide observers this time.

Presidential candidates, left to right, Jean-Henry Ceant, Jude Celestin, Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, Moise Jean-Charles and Jovenel Moise get ready to pose for a picture at the end of a debate in Port-au-Prince, Haiti last year. The results of that election were thrown out. (Andres Martinez Casares/Reuters)

"We are currently assessing our potential support for the OAS Electoral Observation Mission," says Jessica Seguin of Global Affairs Canada. "Canada urges Haitian political actors to assume their responsibility to the Haitian people by completing impartial, transparent and credible elections within the established timeline."
It's a dramatic change from past elections, which Canada has always been there to scrutinize. In 2006, Canada's then-chief electoral officer, Jean-Pierre Kingsley, personally led a team of Canadian observers to Haiti. One of them, Cheickh Bangoura of Ottawa, was shot in the arm carrying out his duties in Port-au-Prince, but was back at his post observing the vote the next day.
In private, senior government sources say Ottawa may yet relent and provide some token assistance, but with the clear message that Canada is fed up with Haiti's leaders playing political games on the donor's dime.
"At the end we may make some small contribution," says a senior official with the Trudeau government. "But mainly because we don't want to spite ourselves," he added, pointing out that if Haiti descends further into chaos the fallout could end up costing Canada even more.

Disillusioned by corruption

A major factor in Canada's disillusionment with aid to Haiti has been the ruling elite's penchant for violence and venality.
"It goes to the behaviour and opportunism of the political class," says Morrell. "Typically a president arrives in power with one idea, to hold power and aggrandize power. They don't really represent anyone but themselves."
Political parties in Haiti are organized around personalities and patronage, rather than ideology, which former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide once described as being like a hat you can put on and take off.

'You have no choice, because otherwise the money will just go into the pockets of people who are building the mansions.'  - Jim Morrell, Haiti Democracy Project

The Haitian government has criticized Canada for channeling its aid money through foreign NGOs, rather than through the Haitian government.
One senior Canadian official says Canada has little choice, describing Haiti's system of government as a "kleptocracy."
Morell admits that approach has failed to build capacity within the government. "But you have no choice, because otherwise the money will just go into the pockets of the people who are building the mansions. That's why we keep coming back to elections. That's why we've chosen to make our investment in building Haitian democracy.
"Over time, if given real choices, Haitians would choose the more competent people from among them."
Morrell says it's sad that Canada is pulling back from assisting Haiti, but also understandable.
"They need some tough love," he says

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HTT Editorial: We feel there are a couple of issues which aren't mentioned in this article.  1.) Once again, due to the government not being able to manage the country in a responsible manner, continuing to alienate Haiti from the rest of the world, it is the individual Haitian who ultimately suffers the consequences of their government's actions.  2.) Donor fatigue. as reported in this article, has a trickle down effect, which ends up threatening all donations, aid, assistance to the Haitians, because donors continue to read about the corruption of the Haiti government.  Again, it is the individual Haitian who bears the brunt.

Election Update

International observers will start arriving in Haiti for Oct. 9 vote

Miami Herald
September 17, 2016
By Jacqueline Charles


"Elections materials continue to arrive in Haiti from Dubai for Oct. 9 presidential redo and legislative vote. Courtesy of Provisional Electoral Council"

  Elections experts from the Organization of American States will begin arriving in Haiti on Sunday for the Oct. 9 presidential rerun.

The OAS is expected to have about 130 observers for the balloting for president and legislative seats. Former UruguayanSen. Juan Raul Ferreira will lead the OAS’ mission.

“Even though we never expressly accepted that the right decision was to do a redo, the OAS is there,” said Gerardo de Icaza, director of the hemispheric body’s department of electoral cooperation and observation. “We’re happy that at least a political crisis is being solved through a democratic way.”

The United States and others in the international community have publicly opposed Haiti’s decision to scrap the results of its contested Oct. 25 first-round presidential vote. The U.S. announced that it would not underwrite the $55 million re-do and the European Union pulled its elections observers. But in recent months, U.S. officials have said they support the process and the U.S. is among seven countries funding the OAS’ elections mission.

De Icaza said they have received reports that Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council is applying some of their recommendations, like better ink, to improve the process. The OAS has also offered statistical training for quicker preliminary election results.

“It was the Haitian decision to do them over and now it’s the Haitian responsibility to own that decision and to prove to the world that they were right and they could have better elections than the ones we saw on Oct. 25,” de Icaza said. “Every electoral process has flaws, but hopefully they won’t be as significantly as they were on Oct. 25 and Aug. 9.”

So far every major presidential candidate has been out campaigning in hopes of avoiding a Jan. 8 runoff. Also campaigning is former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. On Friday, he fainted during a campaign rally in the city of Cap-Haitien on behalf of his Fanmi Lavalas political party candidate Maryse Narcisse. "I did not drink enough water", Aristide told reporters Saturday before continuing on to Ouanaminthe.

Last week, opposition candidate Jude Célestin who finished second last year, announced the signing of a political accord with five political parties and four presidential candidates backing his program.
Meanwhile, Jovenel Moïse and Moïse Jean-Charles, who finished first and third respectively, are also mobilizing supporters telling them they are the best choice for a politically unstable Haiti.

No Electricity

7.5 million Haitians are living without electricity
Haiti Libre
09/09/2016

According to a study of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) presented by Fernando César Ferreira, Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), in Latin America, nearly 30 million people are still living without electricity, including at the top 7.5 million in Haiti, followed by Argentina (2.1 million), Bolivia (1.8 million), Brazil (1.7 million), Colombia (1.7 million) and Guatemala (1.6 million) among others.

Fernando César Ferreira, stated that the lack of access to electricity in the most affected countries, is mainly due to lack of infrastructure and not to the cost of energy.

The report indicates that in Latin America the average rate of urban electrification is 99% and 82% in rural area with large imbalance for some countries like Haiti.

Moreover, according to this report, in the Region, 87 million people still cook with charcoal.

Justice Thru Coffee

"Journeying through the mountains of Haiti to see the face of Justice"
A reflection by Nicky Santos, S.J.

In a number of instances, Pope Francis invites us to go to the margins to encounter the real lives of the poor. In many respects my trip this August was such a journey.

I had the privilege of journeying with Kim Lamberty through the mountains of Haiti, visiting associations of coffee growers who benefit from the Just Haiti model of business. My interest in the trip to Haiti was to understand this business model and, as a co-formulator of the Integrative Justice model, to assess Just Haiti's conformity with the normative prescriptions developed in this Integrative Justice model.
 

When I signed up for this trip I had no idea how bumpy and treacherous  the mountain roads in Haiti were. On our first day as we drove from the Torbeck area to Baraderes and then to Fond TorTue there were many a time I thought to myself that I would be lucky to get through this trip alive. Well, I am writing this account so I did, thanks to an excellent driver and the grace of God of course. 

This trip to Haiti was on the heels of two other international trips: in July, one to Ghana and the other to Kenya. In all these trips I was able to briefly enter the lives of the poor, momentarily experience the struggles they face, be inspired by their resilience and at the same time be appalled by the injustices of the world we live in and to renew my commitment to work for justice in whatever way I could, however small. While I could have perhaps studied Just Haiti's business model from their website, what was important was to see it in action and to hear the stories of the coffee growers and to judge for myself whether Just Haiti's claim that it provided maximum benefit for the coffee growers was indeed true. 
 

We visited three associations of coffee growers: KDB in Fond TorTue (Baraderes region), OPCDEL in Toy-Toy (Belladere region) and one in Beaudachita (Leogane region). My assessment after my trip is that Just Haiti does provide much value to the coffee growers. In all three locations, the coffee growers were extremely happy to do business with Just Haiti. Earlier, they had been accustomed to being exploited by coffee speculators or unscrupulous middlemen. With Just Haiti not only were they grateful for a higher price for their coffee but also a share of the profits after final sales in the U.S. (benefits as they call them). 

Just Haiti's model is indeed a unique one, although it borrowed initial ideas from a Mexican model. Just Haiti's model uses a combination of earned revenue (selling coffee) and contributed income (contributions and support from U.S. partner organizations to the coffee growers' associations). However, unlike most social entrepreneurship organizations that I am aware of, contributed income does not come just by way of a one-time grant but rather a process of constant accompaniment.

Further, I also believe that Just Haiti's model conforms to the normative prescriptions of the Integrative Justice Model (IJM) for impoverished markets. For those not familiar with the IJM, I mention the key elements of the framework briefly here:

1. authentic engagement without exploitative intent;
2. co-creation of value;
3. investment in future consumption;
4. interest representation of all stakeholders; and
5. long-term profit management.

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Author note:
Nicky is a Jesuit priest from India and currently a member of the Wisconsin Province. He is an assistant professor of Marketing at Marquette University, Milwaukee and is co-director of the University's social innovation initiative. He is also co-chair of Marquette's CRS Global Campus Initiative.

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Drink Just Haiti Coffee to grow justice, support Haitian businesses, create jobs, provide education!

New UN-supported water supply system inaugurated in Haiti

Caribbean News Now! Published on September 10, 2016

One of seven drinking water kiosks for residents of Madame Cyr, Haiti.
Photo: Frederic Fath/MINUSTAH

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -- As part of its quick impact projects, the United Nations mission Haiti has inaugurated a new water supply system that is expected to provide for more than 13,800 people – more than half of whom are women – in parts of the country’s Central Department (Département du Centre), the mission said on Thursday.

“We are aware that this is not enough and that there is still much to do,” the Chief of Civil Affairs of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Pierre Ubalijoro, said in a recent news release.

“The task is great but the UN system will continue to support the Haitian government and the Central Department to strengthen the system of supply of drinking water,” he added.

According to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), quick impact projects (QIPs) are small-scale, low-cost projects that are planned and implemented within a short timeframe. Different actors beyond peacekeeping also fund or implement QIPs with varying objectives. MINUSTAH has undertaken QIPs to support the country’s government in implementing projects to combat water-borne diseases, such as diarrhea, typhoid fever and cholera.

Built at a cost of $95,000 – 95 percent of which was funded by MINUSTAH – this latest project is centred on Nan Pwa, Madame-Cyr and nearby localities. It is expected to help ensure that need for clean water for drinking, cooking and hygiene is met even during rainy seasons, during which the usual sources of water are contaminated by sedimentary sludge. Some 250 local residents were also provided with temporary jobs during the construction of the system.

The water system, which includes some 5.5 kilometres of pipes and seven water distribution points, is also expected to alleviate the burden on the local population of having to travel long distances to fetch safe water.

The project has now been handed over to the country’s national agency for water supply and sanitation, called the Direction nationale de l’eau potable et de l’assainissement, which will look after the running of the system, providing services to the population and the plant’s maintenance.