Comunidade

Dois especialistas dizem cooperação com o Haiti é "uma bagunça"

PARIS, França (defend.ht) - Dois especialistas em relações internacionais têm considerado que, embora a cooperação estrangeira que chegou ao Haiti tem sido feito com boa vontade, que ainda existem problemas de hoje agravadas pelo terremoto de 12 de janeiro de 2010. Isso porque, a ajuda nunca foi nem uma estratégia coordenada nem guiados pelas idéias de haitianos.

Doctors Francisco Nieto, and Jean Francois Claverie, directors of the Cooperation of L'Observatoire des Changements’ in Latin America, agreed that all aid into Haiti enters in a dispersed manner and there exists no coordinating body at both national and municipal level.

For Nieto, the reconstruction of Haiti must be a "coordinated cooperation which does not have to come in separate pieces.... hand in hand with Haiti, that the Haitians be heard before any action be undertaken " and, if legislation needed so be it, on a project, ideas, results.”

In addressing this issue, Claverie said that:

He explained that the disorder is expressed by many people who came to Haiti with lots of good intentions... "But with no coordination with respect to their role, for example, the role of the United Nations, MINUSTAH..."

He added that those who make international cooperation in Haiti, both institutionally and in terms of the NGOs think that there "no state, no towns, there is no public education, as opposed to the fact that before the earthquake there were indeed institutions, they were (certainly) weak but had mayors, ministers ... ".

Considered that cooperation done in those conditions, "the effectiveness of this cooperation is very negative; Haitians do not understand why the money does not arrive. But in fact there is money, the problem is that the projects are so disordered and further, the implementing agencies do not think in the Haitians themselves."

Claverie cited the case of the University Quisqueya, which collapsed a month after being inaugurated, where he spent five million dollars. "And now, almost two years of the earthquake, the courses are taught in a tent in 35 degree heat, incomprehensible that in two years after there is no progress, not even the least minimum of reconstruction in an area to teach courses..." The French expert was flabbergasted.

Projects in Haiti. Nieto has been the creator of several centers in universities specializing in public policy issues and corruption.

He has also done consulting for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Friedrich Ebert and Hanss Seidel and has been a consultant to the World Bank, Andean Development Corporation (CAF) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"We join with the Institute of Latin America, which are over fifty institutes in the United States. We created a network with Georgetown University a red of 18 universities ranging from Mexico to Argentina.

“Our idea of coming here is to make two or three specific concrete projects involving Europe and America through the Foundation for Democracy and Development and say yes you can do with results and projects that are under the matrix that Haitians want; this must be respected, "said Nieto.

Revealed that the Haitian Association of University Rectors will request the training of teachers, because they went abroad and in Haiti there is a lack of well prepared human capital.

Nieto said he accepted that request and will train teachers to Haiti with the cooperation of France, the United States and Funglode.

He added that "through this mechanism also we are going to form diplomats but also teachers specialized in the social issues, which is our area. This is not going to take long and we are not going to invent anything. There is a clear document made and approved by the Haitian authorities about what they need in the area of higher education.

He said that in Haiti has recognized that the infrastructure issue is serious because there is still debris in the city, but that others will take care of it because "what we are saying is that important projects can be made in Haiti, in absolutely important areas such as education or other. It is a matter of thinking ahead and materializing a joint project (effort), having a clear result in mind, a clear objective that is measurable."

Corruption: zero tolerance. Nieto also referred in general terms corruption, and in this regard said that we must try to bring it down to reasonable levels, because in their opinion the deisire will always exist to take it down.

He felt that something fundamental for combating corruption is: "the institutionalization, the creation of civil service, in moderation, because if we do not fall in the case of Greece, where the state apparatus ate the state becoming too heavy and cannot survive. It Must be made that the state like in many countries in Latin America, that the state lives of the nation and not vice versa, the nation living of the state."

Nieto said that "democracy, organically, the first thing is to organize a process which gives equal rights, entrusts assets and liabilities, possibility to elect and be elected to all eligible citizens."

He adds that the second thing that makes democracy is "set periods of time to undertake tasks. You will be given a certain kind of task that your will be fulfilling... responsibilities to perform in a given time. If I am giving this task...” Further “considering I have given you an order for you to comply with requirements, it is logical that you report to me."