Stanley Lucas on René Préval's visit to Washington

It is striking that the only result announced as a result of Preval's visit is a new UN Red Helmut task force. The only thing he asked for was support for elections in November. This is astounding. People were expecting results from this trip and it seems he is going back with nothing. It is also striking that he asked for no help to weather the upcoming hurricane season which starts in two months. Sixteen hurricanes are forecast for the summer. Can you imagine what will happen? People still don't even have tents to live in. For a summary of specific requests he could have made, see http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2010/03/haitian-president-visits-dc-what.html

It is equally striking that there is a reported blueprint being developed for Haiti's reconstruction. In fact, this was a plan developed by Jeffrey Sachs, the renowned poverty expert, and being filled out by international aid workers and some representatives of the Haitian business cartel on the ground. Not one city mayor has been consulted. None of the Haitian Ministers are involved. No one from the private sector, outside of the business cartel, have been consulted. And none of the Diaspora community, which has made repeated offers to come back and support rebuilding, have been included. Quite the opposite -- they have been actively excluded and barred from the process.

The list of people named in this article are the same old guard -- both from the international community and the Haitian community. They have been in charge of Haiti for the past 20 years and you can see where Haiti is as a result of their efforts. It is time for some change and a new guard. Expecting new results from the same old people is futile -- and the very definition of insanity.

Stanley Lucas
www.solutionshaiti.blogspot.com