Bad help

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

It seems that Haiti has been the scene of misguided charity and unintended consequences.

Andreas Widmer of Switzerland says that surplus, subsidized rice from rich countries has been dumped on Haiti with the result of massive job losses and economic collapse. Jacob Donatien, Haitian farmer, says "That situation completely destroyed us."

 "We made this devil's bargain on rice, and it wasn't the right thing to do," said former Pres. Clinton speaking of his government's actions toward Haiti. "We should have continued to help them be self-sufficient in agriculture."

Charity in humanitarian emergency situations is welcome. But Haitian Daniel Jean Louis says the NGO's should know when to leave, otherwise "A short-term natural disaster turns into a long-term un-natural disaster."

~from award-winning documentary "Poverty, Inc."

(cont'd tomorrow)