The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere has recently suffered a devastating 7.0 earthquake that demolished its capital city killing tens of thousands. As most people know, Haiti is currently in the world eye for the tragedy that happened there on Jan. 12. The world is responding with generous donations and major amounts of support for the impoverished country in order to help them gain their feet again after the tragedy.
The U.S. is not lacking in their generosity either. President Obama has recently stated that we will make, “one of the largest relief efforts in history,” and has ordered an immediate donation of 100 million to the grief stricken country. Not to mention the troops that have been sent to help “stabilize” the capital and other hard hit areas. Other countries have also sent relief workers and large donations to help ease the troubled country. In truth ,a viable army has been sent to the demolished capital in order to help restore order and a sense of normalcy in the country. And it seems that, in spite of this terrible event, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere is going to be okay.
But as the rubble settles and the dust begins to clear, what is really going to happen to the impoverished country? Is their future really secure? I mean, why is the rest of the world in such a hurry and frenzy to aid this devastated country? And why are we are so invested in securing the country when in the past we have dumped money into it and there has been little or no return on investment? In the past 20 years, Haiti has received more than $4 billion in foreign aid and has been the recipient of five UN peacekeeping task forces, and yet, the country has only fallen lower and lower in to poverty and desperation. Since 2003, the US alone has donated 600 million in foreign aid. But what have we gotten out of it other than goodwill? Well the answer is not much.
Haiti is almost deprived of anything worth anything. Their primary resources are coffee and mangos, and the majority of the country is involved in agriculture, primarily subsistence farming. About 40 percent of the country’s budget is comprised from foreign aid. But why do the first world countries insist on supporting this floundering country? The answer is quick and easy, but very painful; exploitation.
The US and other countries have countless companies in Haiti utilizing the cheap labor source of the impoverished Haitian people. These companies and corporations would be unable to function if the country was completely unstable. It is the interest of their own holdings that foreign countries have in mind when they aid a country like Haiti. And with this Earthquake comes a unique and different opportunity for foreign powers.
Take the US for instance we have sent a large military force into Haiti to help with the turmoil that the earthquake left. This occupational force is going so far as to start construction upon a US military instillation in the country. This military base is there for the “support” of the Haitian people in their time of need, but I am willing to bet that it stays a lot longer than the time it takes to reconstruct the capital. I will go so far as to assume that it will remain indefinitely. Not to mention the 100 million that has been recently sent to help aid in the reconstruction of the capitol and the country’s infrastructure. American Business ventures can not function if the country’s infrastructure is down.
The point is that the Western world is jumping on the bandwagon for helping Haiti, and they certainly do need aid in their time of need, but I doubt the altruistic motive behind the actions. In my experience, a country only helps those that can help them. And $.20 an hour helps the American company which helps America. We only care about the cheap labor, and that is the bottom line.
The Lewis Flyer
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