The Brewster Report

The Miami Herald: Bill Clinton to take on key Haiti reconstruction role

Posted on Tue, Mar. 30, 2010

By JACQUELINE CHARLES
jcharles@MiamiHerald.com

Former President Bill Clinton, who has spent the past year championing Haiti, has a new job: co-czar of Haiti's post-earthquake reconstruction.

Clinton said Tuesday that he accepted the Haitian government offer to help lead the country's reconstruction over the next 18 months. The announcement came on the eve of an international donors conference at the United Nations to raise $3.9 billion of the $11.5 billion the country says it needs to rebuild after the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.

``The Haitians are committed to building back better -- expanding economic opportunities, strengthening basic services, and increasing the capacity of government,'' said Clinton, who will continue as the U.N. Special Envoy for Haiti. ``They want to create a new future for themselves and I am committed to assisting them.''

Clinton complimented Haitian President René Préval's and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive's decision to send legislation to parliament to create the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, which will guide the reconstruction.

``Their establishment of a Haitian government authority to oversee the future development process is an important step towards expediting projects, ensuring transparency, and coordinating the efforts of donors, [nongovernmental organizations] and the Haitian diaspora,'' he said.

Préval said in New York, where he arrived Tuesday for the conference, that having Clinton on board was a ``prestige.''

``He is a friend of Haiti,'' Préval said. ``He is very interested in helping us.''

Préval acknowledged that his government is weak and needs the international community's help. But he insisted that the rebuilding must be Haitian led. He welcomed the outpouring of support and joined in asking that Haiti also receive funds to help with its budget.

Cheryl Mills, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's point person on Haiti, said the United States is asking donors to help Préval's government continue to provide relief even as they make pledges for reconstruction.

Haiti is looking at a $250 million to 350 million budget gap, said Charles Castel, Haiti's Central Bank governor.

``We don't want to lose the benefits of the macro-economic stability, which was achieved with a lot of fiscal and monetary efforts,'' Castel said.

Also, as countries race to provide debt relief -- more than $700 million so far -- the International Monetary Fund is asking donors to not indebt the country in their urgency to help.

``The danger is there will be people who will try to lend again,'' said Corinne Deléchat, Haiti's mission chief for the IMF. ``We hope it will be in the form of grants.''

Deléchat said the recent announcements of debt relief from the United States and others are welcomed, but the reality is that Haiti won't be able to reap the benefits for at least two years.

``The amount of debt Haiti is obligated to pay this year is only $9 million. It's clearly a drop in the ocean,'' she said. ``The debt relief will become relevant after 2012.''

On Tuesday, South Florida Haitian leaders called for humanitarian assistance and economic development strategies, among other things. The recommendations will be presented at the Donors Conference.

Among their chief concerns is what role the diaspora will play in a post-quake Haiti.

``There is value in the Haitian diaspora, not only in terms of financial, but expertise,'' said Jean Robert Lafortune, chair of the Haitian American Grassroots Coalition.

In Port-au-Prince, where many Haitians only have the faintest idea of the government's reconstruction plans, Haitians say they want relief.

``These tents are not any good because the water can soak in,'' said Theogene Jean-Franet, a mechanic who lost his home in the quake. ``When the sun is on top of us, it's so hot I can't even wear a shirt. But what we need right now is a house -- a real house -- not a tent.''

Miami Herald staff writers Nadege Charles contributed to this report from Miami and Trenton Daniel from Port-au-Prince.

Candiate for Kendrick Meek's Congressional Seat Calls Obama "Buckwheat"

March 24, 2010

From WPLG in Miami: "Corey Poitier, who is running for U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek's seat, delivered a passionate speech against the health care reform bill Monday night to Broward County Republicans. During the speech, Poitier addressed the President by saying 'Listen up, Buckwheat…'

"I wasn't meaning him any harm. Maybe it was a little insensitive," Poitier said. "It's a term that my brother and I use. It was kind of a way of saying, 'dummy,' like when I say to my brother, 'Hey, Buckwheat, cut that out.' That's what it was."

Buckwheat was a black character on "Our Gang" or the "Little Rascals," a series of movie shorts in the 1920s and the use of the word is largely considered a slur. The station notes that Poitier, who is black, is the "only Republican so far in the race for District 17, where 57 percent of constituents are black and where nine out of 10 voters cast their votes for Obama." He's said to be weighing a call to the White House to apologize.

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/03/candidate-for-kendrick-meeks-congressional-seat-calls-obama-buckwheat.html#ixzz0jauQqi2L

From WPLG in Miami: "Corey Poitier, who is running for U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek's seat, delivered a passionate speech against the health care reform bill Monday night to Broward County Republicans. During the speech, Poitier addressed the President by saying 'Listen up, Buckwheat…'

"I wasn't meaning him any harm. Maybe it was a little insensitive," Poitier said. "It's a term that my brother and I use. It was kind of a way of saying, 'dummy,' like when I say to my brother, 'Hey, Buckwheat, cut that out.' That's what it was."

Buckwheat was a black character on "Our Gang" or the "Little Rascals," a series of movie shorts in the 1920s and the use of the word is largely considered a slur. The station notes that Poitier, who is black, is the "only Republican so far in the race for District 17, where 57 percent of constituents are black and where nine out of 10 voters cast their votes for Obama." He's said to be weighing a call to the White House to apologize.

Health Care Reform victory comes with a Tragic Setback for Women's Rights

I find it difficult to celebrate President Obama's health care victory! 

 

First, the bill passed last night is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and NOT A NATIONAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM.  In other words, there are a few changes in the nations' approach to health care; however this is not a real NATIONAL health care program that would cover the millions of people that are unemployed and can't afford to pay, but not poor enough for assistance.  The plan will cover Viagra, but not a woman's Pro-Choice rights. 

 

The National Organization of Women (NOW), Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America have criticized President Obama's decision to sell out women's Pro-Choice rights for a vote.  Obama's decision to issue an executive order to reassure pro-life Democrats that there would be no federal funding for abortion was the wrong move. The executive order was published by the White House minutes before Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announced that he and his bloc of pro-life Democrats would be providing the missing votes.

 

Pro-Choice New York [http://www.prochoiceny.org/news/press/201003211.shtml

 

March 21, 2010

Tonight Congress passed an historic health care reform bill. Unfortunately, this bill -- with its onerous restrictions on access to abortion care and the accompanying executive order enshrining the Hyde Amendment -- is far from an unadulterated victory. Pro-choice men and women will not soon forget today's disappointing outcome.

NARAL Pro-Choice New York is equally upset with President Obama's executive order, which enshrines the Hyde Amendment and reaffirms that women who receive their healthcare through a federal program (like Medicaid) or who serve their country in federal jobs or military service do not have the same rights as other American women.

This battle, which has been a painful reminder that we cannot ever take our reproductive rights for granted, has also served to reinvigorate the pro-choice movement. While we would have preferred that our renewed energy come on the heels of an unadulterated victory, rest assured that our nation's pro-choice men and women will not soon forget today's disappointing outcome.

 

From NOW http://www.now.org/

 

Health Care Reform Victory Comes with Tragic Setback for Women's Rights
NOW President Terry O'Neill said in a statement, "As a longtime proponent of health care reform, I truly wish that the National Organization for Women could join in celebrating the historic passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It pains me to have to stand against what many see as a major achievement. But feminist, progressive principles are in direct conflict with many of the compromises built into and tacked onto this legislation."

President Obama Breaks Faith with Women
NOW is incensed that President Barack Obama agreed today to issue an executive order designed to appease a handful of anti-choice Democrats who have held up health care reform in an effort to restrict women's access to abortion. Through this order, the president has announced he will lend the weight of his office and the entire executive branch to the anti-abortion measures included in the Senate bill, which the House is now prepared to pass.

NOW/PAC Endorses Connie Saltonstall for Stupak Seat
Saltonstall is running for Congress from Michigan's 1st District, taking on reproductive rights foe and health care reform obstructer Bart Stupak in the state's Democratic primary this August.

White House Health Care Reform Bill Denies Women's Basic Rights
NOW President Terry O'Neill stated, "We will not accept a health care bill that trades off the rights and needs of some women for the benefit of others. And we will never stop fighting for the right of every woman to have equal access to the full range of reproductive health care, including abortion."

 

Emergency Action Alert - Act By Sunday, March 21, 2010

Emergency Action Alert - The most important debate of our lifetime is occurring right now! We must NOT assume that the votes are there to pass the House health care bill.  Call your representative now at 202.224.3121 give the operator your zip code and they will connect you. Tell them, "I SUPPORT THE HOUSE HEALTH CARE BILL AND YOU SHOULD TOO!” Try until you reach your US House Rep.!

www.ustravel.org: Senate Passes Bipartisan Travel Promotion Act, Sends Bill to President for Signature

Historic Vote Puts United States on Path to Welcoming Millions of New Visitors, Creating Thousands of American Jobs

February 25, 2010

Washington, DC - Landmark legislation that establishes a multi-million dollar, public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and better explain travel security policies to foreign travelers gained final passage by a strong bipartisan vote of 78 to 18 in the Senate today. According to independent analysis by Oxford Economics, the program could attract 1.6 million additional visitors from other countries and create more than $4 billion in consumer spending annually. The legislation, which passed the House in November, is expected to be signed into law by President Obama in the coming days. 

“This is a historic victory for the U.S. economy and the one in eight American workers whose jobs depend on travel,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The United States Congress has sent a clear message that travel is a high priority to our nation and that tangible steps must be taken to increase travel to and within the United States. We are extremely grateful to the bill’s champions: Senators Reid, Dorgan, Ensign and Klobuchar in the Senate and Representatives Delahunt, Blunt and Farr in the House.” 

The Travel Promotion Act creates the Corporation for Travel Promotion, modeled after successful programs in U.S. states and other developed nations, with the mission of attracting more visitors to the United States. The initiative is funded through a matching program featuring up to $100 million in private sector contributions and a $10 fee on foreign travelers who do not pay $131 for a visa to enter the United States. The fee will be collected once every two years in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization. No money is provided by U.S. taxpayers. 

“We know how successful a public-private partnership to promote travel can be from our own experience at the state level,” said Caroline Beteta, chair of the U.S. Travel Association and president and CEO of the California Travel & Tourism Commission. “With the best minds coming together from government and private industry to boost international travel to our country, we can make travel an even stronger economic engine for America.” 

The Corporation will work closely with the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security and State to develop a nationally coordinated, multi-channel marketing and communications program to attract more international visitors and explain changing travel security policies. 

“We could never have accomplished this common sense policy without our champions in Congress and the White House, and without the united and passionate voice of the travel community. The Travel Promotion Act shows what can be accomplished when the government and private sector work together to solve a problem,” said Jonathan Tisch, Chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels and Chairman Emeritus of the U.S. Travel Association. 

Research shows that international travel to the United States, especially from overseas origins, has suffered due to negative perceptions about travel processes following increased security reforms post 9/11. While international travel has boomed over the past decade, with 46 million more international travelers taking long-haul trips in 2009 than in 2000, the United States actually lost visitors, welcoming 2.4 million fewer overseas travelers than in 2000. 

The failure of the United States to simply keep pace with the growth in international long-haul travel has cost a combined 68 million visitors to the U.S. and more than $500 billion in total spending over the last decade. 

Click here for quote sheet.

Click here to view the final tally from the Senate's February 2010 vote on the Travel Promotion Act.

Click here to view the final tally from the House of Representatives' October 2009 vote on the Travel Promotion Act.

For more information about the Travel Promotion Act, please visit www.poweroftravel.org or www.ustravel.org.

Contact:
Kristy Chandler (202) 408-2172
Cathy Keefe 202-408-2183

---

The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the $770 billion travel industry. U.S. Travel’s mission is to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States. U.S. Travel is proud to be a partner in travel with American Express. For more information, visit www.ustravel.org.

USAID.gov: Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheets

Download the following:

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #40 - Feb. 25, 2010 (pdf, 54 kb)

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #29 - Feb. 10, 2010 (pdf, 64kb)

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #28 - Feb. 9, 2010 (pdf, 67 kb) 

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #27 - Feb. 8, 2010 (pdf, 53 kb) 

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #26 - Feb. 7, 2010 (pdf, 69 kb) 

Haiti Earthquake Fact Sheet #25 - Feb. 6, 2010 (pdf, 63 kb) 

InterAction Members responding to the Haiti Earthquake

eTurboNews.com: Tonga hit by Cyclone Rene, major damage in capital

By PESI FONUA | Feb 15, 2010

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga – Tropical Cyclone Rene pounded Tonga with powerful winds overnight, causing major damage to buildings in the capital city, tearing off roofs, downing trees and cutting power and phone lines in the South Pacific island nation.

When phone service was restored early Tuesday, police said they had no immediate reports of death or injury during the storm that has hammered the three main island groups of the kingdom for more than 24 hours.

"There's widespread damage to crops ... (and) to buildings," police commander Chris Kelley told New Zealand's National Radio. "Power has been off all night, there's trees across roads, plus power lines. There has really been quite a bit of devastation."

The nation's National Disaster Committee was meeting Tuesday to begin assessing damage nationwide, described by its deputy director Mali'u Takai as possibly the worst in 50 years.

Nuku'alofa businesswoman Lee Miller said the night was nerve-wracking.

"Our home is OK apart from some water leaks," she told National Radio. "There is severe tree damage, many power lines are down."

Miller said the capital's port area is "utterly devastated ... we're still getting big 50 knot (55 miles per hour, 88 kilometers per hour) gusts here and the sea is still coming over the sea wall," she told National Radio. She said that yachts and fishing vessels all appeared secure but one barge had been tossed up on a reef.

Cyclone forecasters in Fiji said that by midmorning the storm was 95 miles (155 kilometers) south of Nuku'alofa and its force was expected to deteriorate as it moved into open sea.

The cyclone had been downgraded to a Category 3, packing winds up to 130 miles (209 kilometers) an hour at its center.

Prior to losing contact with the capital, Nuku'alofa, on Monday, the Ha'apai island group located in the center of the archipelago, had faced "very destructive hurricane force winds" with gusts of 143 miles (228 kilometers) an hour, the Meteorological Office said. Heavy rain, thunderstorms, sea swells and flooding were expected.

In the northern Vava'u islands group, contact was lost early Monday just after Rene hit. Coastal areas flooded as roiling seas surged ashore.

Kelley said no deaths or injuries had been reported in Vava'u or Ha'apai, and the biggest impact so far was on crops.

"We are aware of some damage to buildings but nothing serious at this stage," he said.

Heavy rains had flooded many areas, while powerful winds tore down banana palms and fruit from mango and breadfruit trees.

Takai said at one point Monday evening that it had become too dangerous to go outside.

"It's so noisy, it's like ... a locomotive is running around. It's getting bad now, hopefully this is the worst part of it," he told National Radio.

Hank Gros, who runs a tourism business in Neiafu, the main town in the Vava'u group, said winds there had decreased Monday afternoon, but residents faced up to six days without electricity because all lines were down. He said damage overall was less than expected.

"We were very lucky here," he told National Radio. "A few houses have lost their roofs but mainly it's ... crop damage with most of the banana (palms) down."

Most tourist resorts reported little damage, he said.

In low-lying Ha'apai, people were moved to higher ground and into emergency centers for safety, Kelley said, with the storm cutting power and communications, and damaging houses, trees and village gardens.

The cyclone also cut power supplies in Nuku'alofa, but communications from the capital to other islands were being restored early Tuesday after being cut for much of Monday.

Tonga, the South Pacific's last kingdom, has a population of 101,000.

Earlier, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said his government was already working with Australia, France and Tonga to coordinate relief aid.

eTurboNews.com: Tourist trapped on ski lift, burns cash to attract attention

Feb 15, 2010

German tourist stuck on a ski lift for six hours in the Austrian Alps saved himself by burning bank notes to attract attention.

Dominik Podolsky, 22, from Munich, was taking the lift down the mountain when he was trapped alone some 10 meters above ground in temperatures of minus 18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) after the ski lift was switched off for the day, shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in the Hochzillertal resort.

He had forgotten to take his mobile phone and his shouts for help were drowned out by the engine noise of distant snowcats. "I thought about jumping down but then I'd have probably broken both legs and would have frozen to death," Podolsky told reporters.

His Last €20 Note

The hours passed and it got dark and increasingly cold. Podolsky, who had done his military service with a mountain regiment, remembered what his trainers had taught him about fighting off hypothermia. He stuck his hands under his armpits and tensed his muscles, but his limbs eventually started to go numb and he kept on falling asleep.

It was then that he thought of burning paper handkerchiefs and the contents of his wallet with a cigarette lighter. He started with business cards and restaurant bills and then moved on to cash. A total of €80 to €100 ($110 to $135) had gone up in flames when he set fire to his last €20 note. That's when a snowcat driver spotted him and raised the alarm.

Podolsky was freed half an hour later, at 10:30 p.m., and taken to hospital where he was treated for hypothermia. He was able to take the train home that night.

He said he may sue the lift operator for failing to check the lift after shutting it down. But a spokesman for the company said it wasn't meant for downward trips, and that Podolsky must have ignored warning signs and barriers to get on.

GovernmentExecutive.com: Agencies find errors in Recovery Act spending reports

By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com February 11, 2010

More than 12 percent of reports filed by recipients of stimulus funds during the fourth quarter of 2009 required corrections, often because of mistakes in counting jobs, according to data released on Wednesday by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.

The majority of the changes involved highway projects funded by the Transportation Department. The fixes most often involved figures for jobs funded by the projects, descriptions of those jobs or amounts of money received, the data shows.

The changes led to a decline of about 4,000 jobs from the initial total for the quarter. Recipients had reported funding 599,108 jobs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009. After the corrections, the jobs total dropped to 595,263.

Recipients of Recovery Act contracts, grants and loans are required to report quarterly on the status of their stimulus-funded projects and the amount of money spent. But the reporting process, which involves more than 90 different data elements, can be complicated and has led to significant filing errors, including overstated job totals and phantom congressional districts.

During the initial reporting period, from February through September 2009, recipients of stimulus funds had 20 days to fix errors in their reports. Under a policy recently implemented by the board, recipients can now correct mistakes in their award reports continually on FederalReporting.gov, the collection Web site for reports.

On Jan. 30 2010, nearly 162,000 award reports were posted on Recovery.gov for the final quarter of 2009. Beginning on Feb. 2 and continuing through March 15, federal agencies had the opportunity to review those reports and instruct recipients to fix errors.

Job figures accounted for most of the changes, likely as a result of a new counting formula the Obama administration adopted. In December 2009, the Office of Management and Budget dropped its much-maligned jobs "saved or created" formula, which critics suggested was subjective and impossible to verify. Recipients were asked to submit only the number of jobs the Recovery Act funded, regardless of whether the positions were in danger of being lost.

The change, which was adopted late in the year and received little publicity, might have escaped many recipients. The January reports included multiple references to jobs saved or created in the narrative column of the spending reports.

The new data shows that recipients made nearly 6,000 changes to their jobs totals. Recipients also found errors in more than 4,600 reports describing the types of jobs funded.

Most of the changes involved infrastructure projects. Just under half the highway planning and construction reports needed to be fixed, along with 43 percent of reports for federal transit formula grants.

Transportation logged the most changes among federal agencies, followed by the Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development departments.

California, which reported receiving the most stimulus money and funding the most jobs, also changed the most reports -- nearly 2,000 out of just over 14,000. New York was among the most accurate, changing only 8 percent of its nearly 8,000 spending reports.

The correction data will be updated on Recovery.gov every two weeks until March 17.

GovernmentExecutive.com VA tightens rules for veterans contracting program

By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com February 9, 2010

The Veterans Affairs Department has set strict guidelines for bidding on contracts set-aside for veteran-owned small businesses.

Entrepreneurs will be allowed only one company at a time in the contracting program and must work full time in the business, according to a final rule published on Monday in the Federal Register.

A May 2008 interim rule only required participants to "show sustained and significant time invested in the business." But comments on the proposal convinced agency officials to limit consideration to veteran-owned small businesses in which the owner has a day-to-day management role. Though the rule is final, VA is accepting comments on the owner-involvement change through March 10.

"VA has determined that this revision will ensure the integrity of the program," the rule stated.

The regulation implements portions of the 2006 Veterans Benefits, Health Care and Information Technology Act and governs entry to a VA set-aside contracting program for veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, established in December 2009. The program would allow the department to let sole-source contracts to these firms, for awards of up to $5 million.

To participate in the program, companies must register with the VetBiz.gov Vendor Information Pages database to verify they meet all eligibility requirements. Any company that misrepresents itself in the database could face debarment for up to five years. The department's Center for Veterans Enterprise will make the final decision on application denials.

"Any firm registered in the VA VetBiz VIP database that is found to be ineligible due to an SBA protest decision or other negative finding will be immediately removed from the VetBiz VIP database," the final rule stated.

Previously, vendors could self-certify the accuracy of the information provided. But now, officials with the Center for Veterans Enterprise must verify the data as part of the VetBiz application process. There are nearly 16,000 veteran-owned small businesses in the VetBiz database, including about 9,000 service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

But, VA said it does not have the resources to conduct site visits to all firms applying to participate in the program.

"VA finds that mandatory site visits could be an unnecessary burden to vendors when VA can adequately verify firms through other means, such as document review," the rule stated. "The department will monitor awards to companies in the verification program and make decisions on which companies to inspect using a combination of factors, including staffing and funding."

Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses also must recertify their status annually to remain in the program.

In October, the Government Accountability Office released a report showing the governmentwide service-disabled, veteran-owned small business contracting program was vulnerable to fraud and abuse. By conducting 10 case studies, the watchdog agency found $100 million in contracts had been collected through fraud or abuse of the program.

VA awarded 35 percent of its fiscal 2008 contract dollars to small companies, including 15 percent to veteran-owned small firms and 12 percent to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. In contrast, the government as a whole awarded 3 percent of contract dollars to veteran-owned firms and just 1.5 percent to small companies owned by service-disabled veterans. The governmentwide goal in both categories is 3 percent.

Transparency & accountability of donations made for Haiti relief

This morning I found an article on the internet that talked about how the Red Cross spent 83% of its $3.21 billion dollar 2005 Asian Tsunami budget and still has over a half billion to spend.  I have also found out that the Red Cross still might have money in their restricted accounts for the 9/11 and Katrina incidents.   The Red Cross is not paying large salaries to  individuals that deliver services, since many are volunteers, so I hope in the weeks ahead they will be transparent and accountable!

When we talk about the Red Cross, which group are we speaking about or do they have a combined budget:

American (National) Red Cross

Intenational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Red Cross Red Crescent Societies

International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)

It is my understanding that 91 cents of each dollar donated actually goes to victim relief and 9 cent goes for overhead and administrative costs.  The money should be spent on field hospitals, shelters (tents), food, water, and rescue supplies; however many of these items were donated by corporations and other countries.  It is also interesting that most individuals donating do not understand the difference between a restricted and unrestricted gift to the Red Cross, as well as which Red Cross they are giving too.

I have other questions to:

Why are supplies still at the Port-au-Prince airport?

Why isn't their a Central Incident Command Center that dispatches aid and relief works to needed areas within the country?  Every volunteer medical and/or relief work that enters the country should be dispatched to an area that needs their expertise!

HAITI - Red Cross Office
Service de Recherches
SOCIETE NATIONALE DE LA CROIX-ROUGE HAITIENNE
B.P. 1337
1, RUE HEDEN (BICENTENAIRE)
PORT-AU-PRINCE

I read where Haitian earthquake victims, who left Port-au-Prince and went to less populated rural areas are returning, since the medical aid, hospitals, shelters (tents), food and water are not reaching them.  Well - the United Nations and the Haitian government need to contact John Deere, and get some heavy construction equipment into Haiti.  Below is a John Deere dealer in Haiti:

HAYTIAN TRACTOR & EQUIPMENT COMPANY, S.A.

• Avenue Haile Selassie
• Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
• Telephone: (1-509) 511-5814 / 5815 / 5816
• Fax: (1-509) 249 8285 / 299-5465

I feel one way to help the Haition people is to start asking a lot of questions, so the relief and recovery organizations start being transparent and accountable to the Haitian people.

 

Another remark about Vegas by President Obama

President Barack Obama keeps coming up with creative ways to insert references to Las Vegas into his speeches -- and he's really beginning to irritate lawmakers from Nevada. His latest assault came yesterday, during a town hall meeting far removed from Sin City in the relative boredom of Nashua, New Hampshire, where he lecturing a bit about keeping federal spending under control. "When times are tough, you tighten your belts," Obama said, according to a White House transcript. "You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college."

Last year Obama made similar comparisons, but with little ruckus. This time around lawmakers were peeved and showed it. Several Republicans were quick to score some predictable points. But even fellow Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, jumped on the bandwagon. "The President needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn't be spending their money," Reid told local Channel 8, a CBS affiliate. "Las Vegas is suffering through one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and we cannot afford for the president to bring us down any further."

Tough words coming from an important go-to-guy on health care reform.

Obama quickly apologized -- in a letter late yesterday to Reid:

Dear Harry:

I hope you know that during my Town Hall today, I wasn’t saying anything negative about Las Vegas.  I was making the simple point that families use vacation dollars, not college tuition money, to have fun.  There is no place better to have fun than Vegas, one of our country’s great destinations.  I have always enjoyed my visits, look forward to visiting in a few weeks, and hope folks will visit in record numbers this year.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Marines.mil: 24th MEU assesses situation in northern Haiti

1/26/2010  By Capt. Robert Shuford, 24th MEU 

ABOARD USS NASSAU  — Small teams of 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines landed in northern Haiti Jan. 24 to survey damage and meet with locals to assess the current situation in population centers that had not been evaluated for earthquake damage since relief efforts began last week.

The teams traveled to Haiti from USS Nassau using MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, marking the first time an Osprey participated in a Humanitarian Relief operation.  The Marines visited the towns of Hinche, Mirebalais and Belladere, while a fourth team which included Col. Pete Petronzio, commanding officer, 24th MEU and Capt. John Bruening, commanding officer, Nassau Amphibious Readiness Group, surveyed St. Marc after arriving in a Navy Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat.

Marines met with the local populace, Non-Government aid Organizations, and U.N. personnel to determine the status of medical facilities, law enforcement, overall damage caused by the earthquake and gain awareness for what assistance, if any, these areas required. 

Though these areas had minimal damage from the earthquake, Marines did encounter hospitals that were at capacity and in need of medical supplies.

Hinche, in particular could use some assistance as they are beginning to see an influx of displaced people arriving from parts of the country that as more affected by the earthquake , said the Hinche assessment team leader Maj. Jon Hamilton, operations officer, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 24th MEU.  He estimated the number of displaced persons at less than 1,000.

"Everyone welcomed our teams today. All the citizens and civilian aid organizations were receptive to our being here and helped us identify where there may be shortfalls," Hamilton said.

The Information gathered by the assessment teams was forwarded to Joint Task Force-Haiti to aid in coordination of relief efforts throughout the country.

Each team consisted of a team leader, medical personnel, engineers and Marines and Sailors of Haitian decent who were fluent in Creole and were already deployed with the 24th MEU-Nas ARG.

Assessment teams will continue to evaluate areas in more remote locations where other units and organizations have not yet surveyed.  A key to this capability is the MV-22 Osprey and its ability to fly longer distances at faster speeds and carry more personnel than any other helicopter supporting relief efforts in Haiti. This versatility allows the 24th MEU to conduct relief missions from its sea and provides Joint Task Force-Haiti with an invaluable asset. 

Article on www.marines.mil

 

US State Dept.: Our Response in numbers

Estimated US citizens in Haiti pre earthquake:	45,000
Calls to Call Center since Jan 12, 2010:	Over 390,000
US Citizens and family members evacuated:	14,382
US Citizens known, reported or presumed to be dead:	98
Orphans pending adoption granted humanitarian parole:	600
Orphans granted IR3/4 visas:	45

Within just one hour after the earthquake struck on January 12th, the Department of State mounted an around-the-clock task force to coordinate rescue and relief efforts and respond to the needs of American citizens. The Bureau of Consular Affairs staffs two task forces in Washington and has received more than 390,000 calls since our toll free line was opened. Our colleagues at the Embassy in Port-au-Prince have also been responding to thousands of requests for assistance.

We evacuated approximately 13,428 U.S. citizens within the first 17 days after the earthquake.

"That's a phenomenal number considering that we're taking them out of an area that's been devastated by the earthquake and we're taking them out to an airport that's rather small and limited in its capacity," said Michele Bond, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas Citizen Services.

Our task force continues to work around the clock in partnership with our Embassy staff in Haiti to locate American citizens and, if needed, provide assistance.  We will respond to each message as soon as possible.  If you hear from the person you are concerned about, please be sure to send us an email providing the new information about their location and/or condition.

State Department Website

The main Department of State web site, www.state.gov, also has a special Haiti page with further information about responding to the crisis in Haiti.

Frequently Asked Questions
&
More Information on Consular Response

Welfare of U.S. Citizens in Haiti

1. I am a US citizen in Haiti and need assistance from the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince.  Who should I contact?
2. I want to ask or provide information about a US citizen in Haiti. What should I do?
3. My American citizen friend or relative in Haiti is waiting to be evacuated. How are US citizens being evacuated to the United States?
4. I am a US citizen and need assistance evacuating my child from Haiti to the United States.  How is the State Department handling evacuations of unaccompanied US citizen minors (under the age of 18) to the United States?
5. Since the earthquake occurred on January 12, 2010, I have not received any news from my friend or relative and I fear the worst. I am desperate for information and would like to know what the State Department is doing to help people in my situation?
6. What is the latest information on Hotel Montana?

Green cards/Visas

Are legal permanent residents/ “Green Card” holders being evacuated to the United States?

Is the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince issuing visas?

Adoptions

9. I am a US citizen in the process of adopting a child from Haiti. Who can I contact to learn more about my case?
   
   Please visit our frequently asked questions on our adoption.state.gov website.

Vulnerable children

10. What is the United States doing to help all children who are victims of the earthquake in Haiti?

Other questions

11. Where can I find information about travel to Haiti?
12. How can I contribute funds to the relief effort in Haiti?
13. Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud Alert

Question 1. I am an American Citizen in Haiti and need assistance from the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince.  Who should I contact?

Please contact the Embassy’s Consular Task Force in Port-au-Prince via telephone or email: 509-2229-8942 509-2229-8089 509-2229-8322 509-2229-8672 acspap@state.gov Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov Warden Message: Resumption of Routine American Citizen Services (January 29, 2010)

Question 2. I want to ask or provide information about an American citizen in Haiti. What should I do?

Please email or call our Haiti Taskforce. Please call us back if you have any updates. 888-407-4747 (From the U.S. or Canada) 202-501-4444 (Outside the U.S. or Canada) Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov Please provide us with the following information: The full name, date of birth and passport information (if known) of the persons in Haiti you are trying to contact. Their contact information in Haiti;  telephone numbers, email address, hotel name or address (if known.) Your name and contact information, and your relationship to the person in Haiti (parent, spouse, friend etc.) Any special or emergency circumstances.

Question 3. My US citizen friend or relative in Haiti is waiting to be evacuated. How are US citizens being evacuated to the United States?

Evacuation flights are departing the International Airport in Port-au-Prince on a regular basis. U.S. citizens who have travel documents are encouraged to proceed directly to the airport with their passport in hand. They should carry as much food, water and supplies – including any medication they normally take as facilities at the airport are limited to nonexistent.  U.S. citizens without passports should report to the U.S. Embassy at Boulevard du 15 October, Tabarre 41, Tabarre, Haiti to obtain a travel document before proceeding to the airport. At this time the Embassy lacks the resources to pick up private citizens. U.S. citizens in Haiti seeking evacuation should make their way to one of these locations on their own during daylight hours. Normal visa operations are suspended while our Embassy focuses its limited resources on helping US citizens in Haiti. The Consular Affairs website,  (travel.state.gov) will be updated when post’s normal visa operations resume. Send all Haiti related visa questions to the Haiti inquiry mailbox: Haitivisainquiry@state.gov

Question 4. I am a US citizen and need assistance evacuating my child from Haiti to the United States.  How is the State Department handling evacuations of unaccompanied US citizen minors (under the age of 18) to the United States?

An adult relative or caregiver who has a visa or legal permanent resident status(LPR)/green card, may accompany the child to the United States. If the child does not have an adult who is an LPR or has a valid visa, the caregiver should bring the child to the U.S. Embassy.  We ask that you send us a notarized statement identifying the person who you want to escort (name/s) to the United States.   This person should be a close family member and will be screened to ensure that they are eligible to enter the United States. Only one escort is permitted for each U.S. citizen child or group of siblings who are U.S. citizens.  This process may take time to complete.  The Department of State is legally required to seek reimbursement for the cost of your child’s/children’s evacuation.  We also ask that you print, complete, sign and scan the promissory note that can be found at:   http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/80109.pdf . You should include your child/ren and their escort’s names on the form.    The amount you will owe will be calculated based on the cost of a commercial flight from Port au Prince to the United States. Parents should email us a scanned copy of their written authorization along with a completed promissory note to: Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov.  Please include your child’s name in the subject line. We will forward the documents to our Embassy in Port au Prince, which will use this information to assist your child.

Question 5. Since the earthquake occurred on January 12, 2010, I have not received any news from my friend or relative and I fear the worst. I am desperate for information and would like to know what the State Department is doing to help people in my situation?

One of the most torturous aspects of this crisis for families whose loved ones have not yet been located, for our U.S. personnel on the ground in Haiti and for helping professionals assisting families in the United States, is the possibility that the remains of  loved ones might never be found.  They need to be assured that the entire U.S. Government team is doing everything possible to locate and identify U.S. citizens who were killed as a result of the earthquake. Our consular task force in the United States and Embassy personnel in Port au Prince continue to work round-the-clock seven days a week toward this goal.  The Departments of State, Defense and Health and Human Services are working to develop a plan for recovery, identification and repatriation of remains in the absence of functioning local mortuaries and commercial flights out of Haiti.  Some remains have already been privately transported to mortuaries in Santo Domingo for onward commercial or military air travel to the United States.  In several cases the Embassy in Port au Prince has received the remains of American citizens and was able to repatriate these to the United States.

Question 6. What is the latest information on Hotel Montana?

The Department of State is in constant contact with the families whose loved ones are believed to be at the Hotel Montana site.  The U.S. Government continues to work diligently to locate and identify U.S. citizens who were victims of the earthquake. In coordination with the United Nations, the 82nd Airborne Division and the Army Corps of Engineers, we have secured the site and begun deconstruction efforts at the Hotel Montana.  This process is being carried out carefully and deliberately. Recovery, identification and repatriation of remains are being coordinated at the highest levels of government. The Departments of State, Defense and Health and Human Services are working to develop a plan for recovery, identification and repatriation of remains in the absence of functioning local mortuaries and commercial flights out of Haiti. An HHS Team is on the ground to identify remains recovered at the site.  This effort is being coordinated closely with the U.S. Army. Any remains identified as those of a U.S. citizen will be turned over to the U.S. Embassy in Port au Prince so they can be returned to loved ones as quickly as possible. While we intend to move as quickly as possible, we also recognize that identification sometimes can take time and we must be certain that this process is 100-percent accurate. We will continue to brief the families directly of any and all new developments and to satisfy their concerns.

Question 7. Are legal permanent residents/ “Green Card” holders being evacuated to the United States?

If accompanying U.S. citizens who are immediate relatives, the permanent resident should go with them to the airport.  In order to be eligible for evacuation, the permanent resident must have a valid I-551 or entry stamp that shows prior admission as an LPR.  The U.S. Embassy is working to evacuate U.S. citizens and cannot assist legal permanent residents who are not accompanying immediate family members who are U.S. citizens.  We will post information here when such assistance is available.

Question 8. Is the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince issuing visas?

Normal visa operations are suspended while our Embassy focuses its limited resources on helping American citizens in Haiti. The Consular Affairs website,  (travel.state.gov) will be updated when post’s normal visa operations resume. Send all Haiti related visa questions to the Haiti inquiry mailbox: Haitivisainquiry@state.gov

Question 9. I am a US citizen in the process of adopting a child from Haiti. Who can I contact to learn more about my case?

We have received numerous inquiries from U.S. citizens who were in the process of legally adopting Haitian orphans before January 12, 2010.  We share the deep concern adoptive parents feel about the welfare of these children. On January 18, the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of State announced a humanitarian parole policy for two categories of Haitian children in the process of being adopted by American citizens.   The Departments of State and  Homeland Security, USCIS each have  email channels  for adoption cases in process at the time of the earthquake: State Department:   AskCI@state.gov Department of Homeland Security, USCIS:  haitianadoptions@dhs.gov  (for submitting documents only for pending adoption cases) In your inquiry, please include in the subject line: Haitian adoption Information. The inquiry should include the full name and contact information (including e-mail address) of parents, full name(s) of child(ren), date(s) of birth of child(ren) (if possible), a brief summary of the status of the case, and the name and contact information for the orphanage. The Department of State provides detailed information about  adoptions in Haiti at:  http://www.adoptions.state.gov For more information, please visit our frequently asked questions on our adoption website Haiti Travel Warning Update on Developments in Haiti: Remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (January 20, 2010) Interview on the Situation in Haiti and the Adoption of Haitian Children: Michele T. Bond, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Overseas Citizens Services, Washington, D.C. (January 19, 2010) Department of Homeland Security U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Question 10. What is the United States doing to help all children who are victims of the earthquake in Haiti?

US citizens have opened their hearts to children who are affected by this devastating earthquake.  But before a child can be legally taken to the United States for adoption, the Governments of both Haiti and the United States must determine if the child is an orphan.  It can be extremely difficult during the aftermath of a natural disaster to ascertain whether children who appear to be orphans are truly eligible for adoption.  Efforts to reunite children with close relatives or extended family should be given priority.  Children Affected by the Earthquake in Haiti At this time, the U.S. Government is focused on expediting the documentation of children who were identified for adoption by US citizens before the earthquake.  But there are many ways in which U.S. citizens can help the children of Haiti now.  One website with information about how to do this is the White House site:    whitehouse.gov: Haiti Earthquake Relief US citizens can learn about how to adopt a child from another country, and how to bring that child to live with them in the United States, from our website: Adoption.State.gov.  It has information on the inter-country adoption process and flyers that provide country specific adoption procedures. USAID: Operation Protect Children

Question 11. Where can I find information about travel to Haiti?

Travel Warning on Haiti

Question 12. How can I contribute funds to the relief effort in Haiti?

Please visit the White House web site. To learn about other ways to provide assistance or expertise in Haiti, please see the Center for International Disaster Information’s Haiti Earthquake page. You also can send your message to: helphaiti@state.gov

13. Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud Alert

01/13/10—The FBI reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate money in the aftermath of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before responding to those requests. Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause. The FBI has published a warning on Haitian Earthquake Relief Fraud and Scams. National Center for Disaster Fraud to Coordinate Haitian Fraud Complaints National Center for Disaster Fraud FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO WWW.STATE.GOV

the Ledger.com: DeeDee Moore Arrested in Shakespeare Case

She is charged Tuesday with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

By Merissa Green
The Ledger

Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 1:02 a.m.

LAKELAND | Dorice "DeeDee" Moore, the woman at the center of the investigation into the disappearance and slaying of Lakeland Lotto winner Abraham Shakespeare, was arrested Tuesday and was charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee at a press conference Tuesday night outlined a series of steps that Moore took to hide Shakespeare's body and to make it appear he was still alive.

Gee said Shakespeare was killed in April and at that time, Moore arranged for someone to dig a hole at the Plant City home owned by Moore's boyfriend where Shakespeare's body was found last week.

Although Moore, 37, was not charged with Shakespeare's murder, Gee said the investigation into the slaying is far from over. He did not say who investigators think actually killed Shakespeare, 43.

"She can be charged with murder," Gee said about Moore. "This investigation is still unfolding, and I suspect there will be other charges. This case involves not only the murder of Mr. Shakespeare but also the fraud involving what happened to his fortune, and that is right now a very complex part of the investigation that we will eventually get to."

Since November, when officials said Shakespeare was missing, Moore has repeatedly maintained that she befriended the lottery winner and had helped him disappear to escape child support obligations and constant requests for money.

But in an interview with The Ledger late Monday night, Moore said she told investigators who killed Shakespeare but said she did not "pull the trigger."

"God knows I did not pull that trigger and the court system will prove that," she said. "I'm guilty of covering up his death. I will go to jail and I will prove my innocence."

Moore said Shakespeare's death was a result of a robbery. She said there are witnesses to what happened and others will be arrested in the case.

She would not answer questions about whether a gun was involved.

FULL STORY in the Ledger

Miami Herald.com: Responding to Haiti's tragedy

OUR OPINION: cf,gtm Security, coordination needed to avoid chaos

Hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes. When it comes to death-dealing natural disasters, the nations of the Caribbean have seen it all, but the magnitude of the calamity afflicting Haiti has no precedent in modern times.

Survival and recovery will tax the remarkable endurance of Haiti's resilient people and the resources of the international community.

On Friday, the Obama administration took a bold and decisive step that will help immeasureably by granting temporary protected status to undocumented Haitians as of Jan. 12.

This will allow the tens of thousands of Haitians expected to qualify to stay here and work and send home money to help with the relief effort.

For the moment, though, with estimates of the dead now running at some 50,000 or more and virtually all essential services knocked out, the needs are far greater than available resources. The priorities at this time include coordination, security, logistics and preventing a horrible situation from getting worse.

Among the casualties in Haiti is the government and its public-security sector. The Parliament and the National Palace lie in ruins.

There is no effective goverment. Machete-wielding gangs have been spotted on the streets. Immediate action is required to stifle any violence.

U.S. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said a brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division and the 2,000-strong 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are on the way to Haiti.

That may not be enough. The U.N.'s security mission in Haiti consisted of 6,700 military personnel and 1,622 police officers, but it, too, has been hit hard by the earthquake.

The U.S. military may have to assume responsibility for security in the country, in tandem with what's left of the U.N. forces, and that may require the deployment of reinforcements.

With or without them, the security forces should be in charge of the rescue effort at the outset because only the military has the resources and chain-of-command effectiveness required in the first days of a major disaster relief effort.

To avoid what one expert called a ``humanitarian circus,'' clear lines of authority must be established right away. President René Préval remains the ultimate authority figure in the country, but he is in no position to take charge of the gigantic rescue effort that is required. A relief coordinator appointed by the United Nations with the consent of the United States and other major donor countries should be named at once.

The United Nations also needs to appoint a watchdog panel of experts to monitor aid distribution and blow the whistle on attempts to divert assistance and enrich private individuals.

What can private individuals do? For the moment, cash donations are the most effective way to provide relief that makes a difference. Sending foodstuffs, bottled water and equipment at this time will clog up the supply chain.

Aid agencies say the initial response has been overwhelming, with the American Red Cross alone receiving pledges of nearly $40 million by week's end. That's a strong start, but Haiti is still bleeding.

Miami Herald.com: Haiti, for the long run

Over the decades, those who have sought to help Haiti win a better future have learned a bitter lesson: the road to failure is paved with good intentions and worthy plans. This time, for the sake of Haiti's nine million inhabitants, everyone must get it right.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration veered far off course, endangering the lives of hundreds of grievously injured earthquake victims when it halted U.S. military flights on Wednesday that were supposed to take patients to American hospitals, mostly in South Florida. The military first blamed Gov. Charlie Crist, who had asked federal officials to spread the care to other states with trauma hospitals and sought for the federal government to share the costs.

The governor's reasonable request became a pretext for the military to halt flights for the most severely injured victims. Washington officials added other excuses over the weekend, saying logistical challenges made it difficult to find U.S. airport runways capable of having large military planes land near trauma hospitals that were waiting to help. Pathetic.

By Sunday, the White House promised flights would resume Monday morning. It's unconscionable that this situation ever occurred and that it would take so many days to resolve.

Beyond the immediate needs of helping an estimated 200,000 Haitians injured in the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands, this hemisphere's poorest country needs a decades-long commitment from the international community. It's the only way to bring Haiti into the community of prosperous nations.

A good start was made at the recent Montreal conference, where participants seemed to realize the magnitude of the recovery task. Another round takes place this week. Next month, a conference at the United Nations should produce more-concrete plans.

The notion of a Marshall Plan for Haiti captures the spirit of what Haiti is going to need, including training Haitians -- from pipe fitters to accountants -- to reconstruct their country. Just throwing money at the problem isn't enough. Nor will piecemeal efforts work.

In the coming weeks and months, we will examine Haiti's needs and the recovery effort in depth. Several areas will dominate the task of creating a new Haiti:

• Governance. Haitians might balk at surrendering any measure of sovereignty, but some sort of international authority must have a strong say in guiding the aid effort and making decisions about where the money goes and avoiding corruption.

• Orphans. Some one million children are orphaned or lost one parent. The government is right to call a halt to large-scale adoptions by foreigners at this moment, but ultimately these children will need homes, many outside of Haiti.

• Diaspora. Haitians living abroad are some of the country's best and brightest. They want to help. Allowing them a say in the government of that country by permitting dual citizenship will ease the way.

• Security. Partisan rancor seemed to have abated in the last year, but U.S. forces will be needed to keep order while there is a humanitarian crisis, and the pre-existing U.N. force will need reinforcements over the longer run.

Above all, Haiti needs a sustained effort. In the past, well-meaning countries and aid partners lost interest or just gave up far too soon. A few years is too short a time to fix all the things that are wrong.

See Miami Herald.com

ETURBONEWS.COM: Crime Wreaking Havoc On Caribbean Economies

By Robert Kelly, eTN | Feb 01, 2010

A study on the situation of Caribbean youth has revealed that youth’s risky behaviors are wreaking serious havoc on the economies of the Caribbean.

This is according to a study conducted by the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) in keeping with its mandate from Caricom heads of government to analyze the situation of Caribbean youth and recommend policy intervention to improve their well being.

The study conducted by former World Bank Economist, Jad Channban, found that murder rates in the Caribbean - at 30 per 100,000 annually - were higher than any other region in the world and that youth were the primary perpetrators, as well as the victims, of crime and violence.

The report revealed that the economic costs of youth crime had two components: the first being direct financial costs related to public expenditure on security, policing, arrest, judicial processing, and incarceration.

The second component was indirect costs linked to the foreign earnings of the criminal while s/he was in prison and to the losses in tourism revenues linked to youth crimes. Lost tourism revenues as a result of crime had reached in excess of US$200 million per year for the CARICOM region and overall youth crime was costing at least 7 percent of the region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Based on the findings of the study, teenage pregnancy was seemingly costing CARICOM governments on average US$2,000 per year for every young pregnant mother. These mothers were also losing potential earnings they could have achieved if they had been able to delay their motherhood and continue on to higher educational levels.

With regard to HIV/AIDS, the study illustrated that CARICOM countries were spending US$17 million per year on HIV treatment with an average cost of therapy treatment estimated at US$641 per person.

The study also highlighted the point that every young person with untreated HIV faced a risk of death, and society would lose much of its human capital as a result of the AIDS epidemic. “Each person dying from AIDS could have joined the labor force at prevailing conditions and earned an annual income, which, if summed up, would represent a potential for each youth cohort of nearly US$1 billion for the CARICOM region in future earnings,” the report noted.

In quantifying the costs incurred by governments and individuals as a result of these risky behaviors, the study pointed to estimates that indicated that if youth unemployment were to be reduced to the level of that of adult
unemployment (i.e., on average for the Caribbean a reduction from 23 percent to 8 percent), the Caribbean economy as a whole would benefit from an average increase of 1 percent in GDP.

The findings of the study have been incorporated in the report of the CRICOM Commission on Youth Development and was submitted to CARICOM heads of government at a Special Summit in Suriname (January 29-30). The conference was held under the theme, "YOUTH NOW for the Community Tomorrow."

The summit has been supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the European Union, and the Caribbean Development Bank. The commission’s work has been supported by the governments of Spain and Italy, the United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA), and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Technical support was also given by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the Commonwealth Youth Program (CYP).

ETURBONEWS.COM: Thai rice donation ceremony for Haitian people

Today (February 1, 2010), the Thai Government and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), as well as the government and private sector cooperated together in transporting 100 tons of Thai rice on a THAI freighter aircraft. The humanitarian donation of Thai rice will benefit the people of Haiti who have been affected by severe earthquake. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand, presided over the donation ceremony witnessed by representatives from the government and various organization in the ramp area of THAI Air Cargo, Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI President, said that transporting 100 tons of Thai jasmine rice from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti was possible due to cooperation from the government and various organizations, in order to provide assistance as quickly as possible. THAI provided relief aid by conducting a humanitarian freighter flight to transport 100 tons of Thai rice that was donated from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti, on board THAI freighter flight 9S888 at a flight time of 36 hours on the route Bangkok to the Republic of Haiti. Transport by ship takes approximately 5 to 6 weeks, therefore, through cooperation between the Thai government, THAI, and various organizations, this humanitarian relief effort was possible. In particular, the donation of Thai rice reflects on Thailand’s national identity as a country that is known as a “world kitchen” and one the world’s largest sources of rice production.

The aircraft utilized in transporting 100 tons of Thai rice from the government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti is a THAI cargo freighter Boeing 747-300F, which the company obtained for cargo freight transport. THAI’s cargo freighter flight departed from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 1400 hours, with refueling at Incheon Airport in Korea; Anchorage, Alaska; and Miami, Florida in the United States of America, and arrival at Port au Prince Airport in the Republic of Haiti on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 0800 hours (local time), at a total flight time of 36 hours.

SEE ETN

Miami-Herald.com: Desperate parents' plea: Please take our children

kmcgrory@MiamiHerald.com

In tent camps where thousands of people are living in the Haitian capital, women approach aid workers and journalists with a desperate request:

Take my baby.

``I love him, but I have no choice,'' Mirlene Benche, 26, pleaded with a woman to take her 4-month-old son, Jean Kenley, back to the U.S. ``I don't have enough money to take care of him.''

In a country where many parents had abandoned their children even before the earthquake in hopes they would be adopted by parents in a more prosperous country, the practice has now become a matter of life-and-death.

Parents don't have enough money to buy food. Suffering is widespread and death imminent. Orphanages don't have enough beds.

`COMMON'

``It's an unbelieveably common occurence,'' said Tom DiFilipo, who heads the Joint Council on International Children's Services, one of the nation's oldest and largest child welfare organizations.

``The country was a disaster to start with,'' DiFilipo said. ``Now you are living in a camp where there is no sanitation, disease is rampant. Then you get a chance to get your child out of that -- and it may be the only thing you've got. You want to keep your child alive, but there's only one way to do it: try to get your child into another country.''

760,000 ORPHANS?

Prior to the earthquake, about 380,000 Haitian children had lost one or both of their parents. Experts believe the number has doubled.

Child-welfare officials are now expressing concerns about orphaned children being trafficked into prostitution or slavery. Last week, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told The Miami Herald that he would not release any children for adoption without his permission.

``We are trying to do something about this,'' said Bellerive. ``There are few chances these children will ever get to the States and that in some occasions they are going to end up in bordellos in Santo Domingo or be used to get organs.''

In addition, the U.S. government is only allowing children with valid adoption papers or children who were in the process of being adopted to enter the country. Other countries have designed their own policies.

Even if a foreigner agreed to take a Haitian child, the Haitian government would likely not allow it. Many Haitian officials believe that some parents are being encouraged to sell their children by intermediaries.

On Sunday, 10 U.S. citizens were detained for trying to take 33 children out of Haiti through the Dominican Republic without documentation. Members of the group said they were not kidnapping the children, but rather bringing orphaned Haitian children into safe homes. They remained in custody on Monday.

``We are working in a more institutional approach but the arrest on the border of 10 Americans is a consequence of these measures,'' Bellerive said.

`LINE OUT THE DOOR'

At the Maison des Enfants de Dieu, an orphanage in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, adoption director Jean Kuislin Alexis said more than 100 parents had knocked on the doors since the earthquake, each for help finding homes for their children.

The orphanage isn't accepting new children now.

``If we say that we're receiving children, there will be a line out the door,'' he said.

His priority is finding homes outside the country for the orphanage's 135 children.

As of Monday, only 27 remain in his care.

After the earthquake, Diliane Florial, 35, brought four of her children to a Port-au-Prince orphanage. Thinking their photographs would be taken, the mother bathed her children and gave them clean clothes to wear, she said.

When the family arrived at the orphanage, they were told there were not enough beds. The director took the mother's phone number, but never called.

``It hurt me so much,'' Florial said. ``I want them to go to school and learn something so they will not be like me.''

Florial was still hoping to have Lender, 13, Jhenica, 12, Beverly, 9, and Tailor, 8, adopted -- hopefully by a family from the United States, she said.

``This is not a good place for children,'' she said of the makeshift tent in the city center, where she moved her family after the quake. She pointed inside.

Flies buzzed around the children, the stench of garbage and human waste thick in the air.

ANOTHER VIEW

Diana Boni, with Kentucky Adoption Services has been helping Haitian children find adoptive homes.

``I think Haitian people love their children more -- and more unselfishly -- than we do,'' said Boni.

People in the United States often express scorn for parents who simply give up their children -- but they can't comprehend what it's like to raise a child in crushing poverty, she said.

``A lot of birth parents are often shunned and scorned by their neighbors'' for giving up their children, Boni said. ``But when you are watching your child die, your neighbor's opinion matters a little less.''