Friends of Haiti,
We start this letter with an article that appeared in the Washington Post concerning Haiti, the problems of the new President, and how those relate to the country’s continuing problems.
Haiti, Stuck in the Mud
The Washington Post – August 15, 2011
“Three months after his inauguration, the presidency of Michel Martelly, Haiti’s new leader, is dangerously close to running aground. Two of his nominees for prime minister have been rejected by Haiti’s opposition-dominated parliament. In the absence of a fully functioning government, international aid and investment have slowed to a crawl. So have Mr. Martelly’s own top priorities, resettling hundreds of thousands victims of last year’s earthquake that are living in tent cities and reviving the nations shattered public schools so that children have access to education.
No one expected miracles from the new president, a political neophyte whose celebrity as a bawdy singer helped catapult him to the presidency. The keys to his elective success were his popularity as a performer and his status as an outsider. But, with no real party structure of his own, he’s also been unable to work his will in parliament. Hence the rejection of his two candidates for prime minister.
Mr. Martelly shares the blame. Rather than seeking reconciliation and new allies following bruising, deeply flawed elections, he has continued to rely on a small circle of friends and advisers. His first pick for prime minister, an intelligent American-educated entrepreneur, had no more political experience than Mr. Martelly, His second, a former justice minister remembered chiefly for reprisals and repression directed at his ideological enemies, stood no chance of confirmation as Mr. Martelly was repeatedly and publicly warned.
Meanwhile, the president made five overseas trips in his first eight weeks in office including one to Spain, a country of little significance for Haiti.”
The article goes on to say that Martelly has good ideas and instincts, but if he hopes to have even the slightest chance of success, he has to reach out to his adversaries in parliament, widen his circle of advisers, and broaden his base of support — because, so far, he is stuck in the mud.
Close on the heels of this is the news of the cholera outbreak. An August 15 report out of Port Au Prince said the number of cholera fatalities in Haiti has topped 6,000, according to the health ministry.
By July 31, 5,968 people had died with 10 more succumbing every day, the ministry said. More than 420,000 people have been infected since the outbreak started in October and another 600 cases are registered daily.
And if those two things are not enough bad news, the Haiti based Human and Civilians Rights Protection Organization told the local media that the country is on the brink of extreme famine. Gary Mathien, Haiti’s spokesperson for the National Food Security Organization, is quoted as saying within months it will be difficult for Haitians to find any food.
Those of you who give and pray for this ministry and the country of Haiti can see what you do each month is not in vain. We don’t like saying, “at least,” but…. at least in the areas we and others work, people are not and will not have these needs to add to their daily problems, as long as we are able to continue at the pace we are.
It seems that we are always sending nothing but bad news, but as we have said before, good is taking place. The majority of it is because of people like yourselves who give even though our economy is in terrible shape. Giving, not thinking of yourselves, but of those who have so little. We pray God’s blessings, for you, will be great.
Serving HIM together,
Steve and Terry
