Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

U.S. paving way to rebuild Haiti (With Bill Clinton in charge!)
Miami Herald ^ | 11 February 2010 | Jacqueline Charles

Posted on 02/11/2010 5:21:27 AM PST by IbJensen

The Obama administration is quietly advocating a plan to reconstruct Haiti that could involve a central role for former President Bill Clinton.

The plan, designed by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's staff and presented to top Haitian officials in recent days, calls for the creation of an Interim Haiti Recovery Commission to oversee the ``urgent early recovery'' over the next 18 months.

The commission's top priority: create a Haitian Development Authority to plan and coordinate billions in foreign assistance for at least 10 years.

The plan, obtained by The Miami Herald, states that the commission could be co-chaired by the Haitian prime minister and ``a distinguished senior international figure engaged in the recovery effort.''

Haiti observers believe the job description describes Clinton although he's not named in the document. The United Nations has already named him to coordinate its reconstruction efforts.

``I think he's a good choice if he can commit himself to doing the job,'' said Robert Maguire, a Haiti expert who is a professor at Trinity Washington University and chair of the U.S. Institute of Peace's Haiti Working Group. ``He seems to be a logical choice, someone with a deep commitment, connections and the trust of most, if not all of the players.''

Clinton could not be reached for comment.

IN PREVAL'S HANDS

Sources familiar with the plan say it was presented to Haitian President René Préval during Clinton's visit last weekend, and it was endorsed by Hillary Clinton's chief of staff, Cheryl Mills. Mills traveled to Haiti with Clinton in their second visit to the Caribbean nation since the Jan. 12 earthquake.

A State Department spokesman declined to comment, pointing instead to the secretary of state's comments about the importance of transparency and accountability in Haiti's reconstruction.

CHOICES

The administration's plan is among several that have been floated over the last week to Haitian government officials. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive called a meeting of international partners in Haiti to discuss the various proposals.

Washington's proposal comes a month before international donors are scheduled to meet in New York to raise billions to help rebuild a country that in less than a minute lost more than 250,000 buildings, including private homes, schools, hospitals and government offices.

The cost to rebuild Haiti remains elusive but economist Jeffrey Sachs estimated that the country's recovery needs could tally about $3.5 billion annually over the next four to five years to cover reconstruction, social assistance, development, peacekeeping and justice.

In recent years, the country has received about $1.2 billion in foreign aid, half of which has gone to peacekeeping and just 25 percent -- $30 per Haitian citizen -- for development.

Led by Bellerive, the government is expected to present its development plan during the conference. Donor nations and financial institutions have been jockeying behind the scenes to influence the reconstruction blueprint. Their suggestions have included various versions of the Washington plan.

TRUST FUND

For example, Canada is considering advocating for a trust fund managed by the World Bank. The idea, also outlined in Washington's proposal, calls for donors to channel funding through a single multidonor trust fund. Sachs, who does not support the Washington plan, is pushing for the Inter-American Development Bank to manage a similar trust fund.

``We should not see this as a U.S. political effort but a multilateral one,'' he said. ``It clearly should be the Haitian government alone. It shouldn't have a mixed membership of the president and international figures.''

Préval has not publicly commented on the proposals although he made a vague reference to the Washington plan on Saturday to a group of visiting Caribbean leaders.

WHAT'S NEEDED

Bellerive, who has called for greater donor coordination on Haiti, told The Miami Herald that the Washington plan is ``very close to what is needed to ensure transparency, efficiency and a leadership role of the Haitian government.''

But the final decision rests with Préval, who could form the interim recovery commission by decree.

The plan outlines the structure of the interim commission, which gives the Haitian president veto power. It also solicits advice from donors and experts in Haiti and the diaspora.

Maguire, who has not read the State Department document, said the plan sounds similar to an idea that Hillary Clinton was considering long before the earthquake. Her office has sought over the past several months to better coordinate assistance to Haiti, which remains impoverished despite billions of dollars in foreign aid.

``I think there is an approaching chaos of people getting involved in the reconstruction of Haiti, people who just want to make decisions on their own or people who want to profiteer from this,'' Maguire said. ``There is a desperate need for some sort of decision-making entity and it's clear the government of Haiti needs reenforcement.''


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: billygoatclinton; haiti; lifetimejob
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last
Billy's presence will guarantee that Haiti won't be better off a decade from now regardless of the hundreds of billions of dollars of money we don't have being spent.
1 posted on 02/11/2010 5:21:28 AM PST by IbJensen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All

Obama will make Haiti America’s 58th state.


2 posted on 02/11/2010 5:22:12 AM PST by IbJensen (A Prayer for Obama (Ps 109.8): "Let his days be few; and let another take his position.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

It seems that every 10 years or so for one reason or another the US has to keep running back and trying to straighten out Haiti. Talk about your quagmire!


3 posted on 02/11/2010 5:25:42 AM PST by rhombus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen
All the houses will look like the Clinton Bordello Library.
4 posted on 02/11/2010 5:25:58 AM PST by JohnLongIsland ( schmuckie schucks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

You know it’s going to be bad when they say
the process is going to be transparent,
just like the health bill.


5 posted on 02/11/2010 5:27:25 AM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Oh the opportunity for graft for Bubba.


6 posted on 02/11/2010 5:28:02 AM PST by Bahbah (Only dead fish go with the flow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

At the rate we are going America will be on the same level as Haiti in a few short years.


7 posted on 02/11/2010 5:28:54 AM PST by unixfox (The 13th Amendment Abolished Slavery, The 16th Amendment Reinstated It !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Bill will rob the program blind.


8 posted on 02/11/2010 5:29:29 AM PST by bmwcyle (Free the Navy Seals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

This will a great opportunity for Slick to fatten his wallet; and, believe me, he will.


9 posted on 02/11/2010 5:32:05 AM PST by izzatzo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

I heard several weeks back that the cell-phone rights in Haiti are jointly owned by Bill Clinton and the late Ted Kennedy. The cell phone towers will be top priority.


10 posted on 02/11/2010 5:33:51 AM PST by Uncle Chip (TRUTH : Ignore it. Deride it. Allegorize it. Interpret it. But you can't ESCAPE it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

New vistas for the Rapist.


11 posted on 02/11/2010 5:36:11 AM PST by Arthur McGowan (In Edward Kennedy's America, federal funding of brothels is a right, not a privilege.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

all that money, all those black women-

Haiti could be heaven on earth for Bill Clinton as its new colonial governor


12 posted on 02/11/2010 5:40:02 AM PST by silverleaf (My Proposed Federal Budget is $29.99)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: izzatzo

Bill will do that Voo Doo that he does so well! Oh! Wait! It’s Haiti! That might just work! /s


13 posted on 02/11/2010 5:43:55 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen
Giving Slick Willie and his cohorts another opportunity to rob Haiti blind?

That's sick.

14 posted on 02/11/2010 5:47:30 AM PST by Trailerpark Badass (One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

I actually think this is a decent idea. As Christians, we can’t morally let all these people starve.

We could conquer them, but that would drain our treasury and there is nothing there worth holding onto.

We could feed them, but ignore the rebuilding, but then we don’t wnt 5 million of them showing up in Miami on rafts either. My friend is in the NYPD and says the Hatians are the worst. They live like animals.

As far as Clinton goes, he isn’t going to be interested in the women there so he might actually work efficiently!


15 posted on 02/11/2010 6:01:03 AM PST by wolfman23601
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

Let the Saudis pick up the bill. Have they given a dime yet?

Alms, smalms.


16 posted on 02/11/2010 6:02:19 AM PST by exit82 (Democrats are the enemy of freedom. Sarah Palin is our Esther.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen

So Hillary and Obammy finally found something/somewhere for Slick. It’s at least a four year project, I’m sure.


17 posted on 02/11/2010 6:08:53 AM PST by Jane Long (Clean out Congress...give 'em term limits and their own dose of "government" healthcare.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jane Long

We’ll pay for Haiti to be rebuilt. Then Hugo and Fidel will sponsor the goon that will kick us out and turn it in to a “Worker’s Paradise”.


18 posted on 02/11/2010 6:17:43 AM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: IbJensen
Klinton’s only in this for the graft and under the table pay-offs. Might be our chance to finally see him in prison (fingers crossed).
19 posted on 02/11/2010 6:47:51 AM PST by Lockbar (March toward the sound of the guns.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: massgopguy

Ok, so I’m “mean spirited”. Since all Haitians didn’t get killed in the earthquake couldn’t they rebuild THEIR country? Maybe instead of being corrupt, voodoo worshiping, smoking weed and generally hanging out they could do something constructive for their country. And maybe the rich Haitians could empty some of their ill-gotten Swiss bank accounts to help THEIR country.


20 posted on 02/11/2010 6:48:01 AM PST by hal ogen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson