US-Haiti Envoy Urges Patience on Recovery-Added COMMENTARY By Haitian-Truth

U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten (2010 file photo)

Photo: AP
U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten (2010 file photo)

VOA NEWS:

The U.S. ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten says it will take years to complete reconstruction efforts from the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Merten compared the pace of reconstruction efforts in Port-au-Prince to that of New York City’s World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attack and the area is still being rebuilt.

“There are a lot of actors on the ground in Haiti coordinating everybody’s work,” he said. “It’s not an easy task, but reconstruction is happening and I think we have to keep pushing and make sure it happens as fast as possible.”

Haiti’s January 2010 earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and left millions homeless. A cholera epidemic following the quake claimed several thousand more lives.

The ambassador says the reconstruction has been complicated by problems with Haiti’s infrastructure, which was in poor condition before the disaster, and a “limited capacity of government,” as many officials were killed in the earthquake. He also noted the surprise resignation last month of Prime Minister Garry Conille after just four months in his post.

“As partners of Haiti we hope they work that out as quickly as possible because there are certain things that cannot happen without a government in place,” Merten said. “We are eager and anxious to continue our work, [and] I would encourage all actors to put a government back into place as soon as possible.”

Merten said he is proud the United States had a “very big, positive impact” in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, and he also credited the many actors on the ground who helped deliver food, water and shelter to the victims.

The ambassador said there was no concern about two former Haitian leaders, Jean-Bertrand Aristide and former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, living in their native land years after they were each forced into exile, describing the fact that both men are apparently staying out of politics as a sign that Haiti is a “mature, or maturing democracy.”

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COMMENT: HAITIAN-TRUTH.ORG

Ambassador Merten is somewhat naive when he suggests that Jean-Bertrand Aristide is staying out of politics. Aristide made millions from the cocaine trade, and more millions from money stolen from Haiti’s treasury. Some suggested, when he was in exile, that his accounts contained more than $1,500,000,000.

Aristide has the money and has always – unlike other Haitians – been willing to spend it in an effort to attain his goals. As always, his goal is complete and total power – no opposition. You can see his efforts, on the streets of Haiti, as he pays for demonstrations and works to destabilize the Martelly government.

His intelligence people are aware of this, unless they too are naive.

Aristide is still a major player in the came and his return to Haiti – with no one at the airport to greet him – no matter what his propaganda says….. to the point – today – where people are frustrated by the blocking of reconstruction… and are starting to accept his lies – yet again. They do not understand that Aristide’s people, with the Preval team are responsible for the Nation’s terrible situation.

The game has only begun and we hope the Americans are players and not naive tourists.

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