Even before Haiti's worst earthquake in more than a century caused untold damage and devastated the nation's already-fragile economy, Haiti held the dubious distinctions of being the Western Hemisphere's most impoverished and corruption-ridden country, a combination of circumstances that tended to reinforce each other.
That history now overshadows Haiti's future, as the United States and its partners mobilize an international relief mission to help the country recover and rebuild from Tuesday's earthquake.
"On the edge of despair before the earthquake, Haiti has now fallen into the abyss," said James Roberts, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation who served as economic counsel at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti in 2006 and 2007.
Haiti "began with a very shaky start and has had a very destabilizing history ever since," Mr. Roberts said.
Weak government institutions and a culture of corruption, he said, have combined to prevent the country from achieving sustained economic development.
The roots of the country's woes run deep.
In 1804, Haiti became the world's first black republic to declare its independence, after a rebellion by impoverished slaves defeated their French colonial masters. Haiti is the hemisphere's second-oldest independent country.
For generations, however, the vast majority of Haitians have led grim economic lives. An estimated 80 percent of Haiti's 9 million people live below the poverty line, and more than half live in abject poverty.
With a gross domestic product of about $7 billion, the per-capita GDP is less than $800 per year, or barely $2 per day. In addition to widespread unemployment, more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs.
More from The Washington Times story here.
That history now overshadows Haiti's future, as the United States and its partners mobilize an international relief mission to help the country recover and rebuild from Tuesday's earthquake.
"On the edge of despair before the earthquake, Haiti has now fallen into the abyss," said James Roberts, a research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation who served as economic counsel at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti in 2006 and 2007.
Haiti "began with a very shaky start and has had a very destabilizing history ever since," Mr. Roberts said.
Weak government institutions and a culture of corruption, he said, have combined to prevent the country from achieving sustained economic development.
The roots of the country's woes run deep.
In 1804, Haiti became the world's first black republic to declare its independence, after a rebellion by impoverished slaves defeated their French colonial masters. Haiti is the hemisphere's second-oldest independent country.
For generations, however, the vast majority of Haitians have led grim economic lives. An estimated 80 percent of Haiti's 9 million people live below the poverty line, and more than half live in abject poverty.
With a gross domestic product of about $7 billion, the per-capita GDP is less than $800 per year, or barely $2 per day. In addition to widespread unemployment, more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs.
More from The Washington Times story here.
25 comments:
I hate to say it but what do you think the percentage of black republic's in the world are impoverished and corrupt?
In the history I've read , they have been given many oportunities.
Their government has been corrupt
and , the funds provided by the U.S. and other countries were not spent on the needed progress. None of this surprises me , Africa is is very similar.
2/3 rds of the work force doesn't have jobs , look out U. S. , here we go! Lock and Load!
give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for the rest of his life.
But they keep having children.
The Democrats say give a man a fish and buy a vote.
We should take some of the people on unemployment in our country and pay them more to go over there and help rebuild. It would be well worth the money AND it would get these people doing something!
so once again the usa is supposed to save these people from themselves. I am tired of hearing about these third world countries that do nothing but screw, do drugs and spread disease. let the rest of the world do something for a change! time for the usa to take care of things here at home for once! obama couldn't amke a decision on other matters for weeks on end, funny how he rushed in there!
3:19~Amen!
4:51, your stupidity amazes me, and it takes a lot to amaze me, given all the stupid people I've met in my 65+ years. How in the world can you make such inane statements, particularly during this time of utter devastation? Have you ever met a Haitian? I know very personally several Haitians who have come to this country to better themselves. They are not screwing and doing drugs; rather, they are seeking an education so that they can become productive citizens. Don't blame the people of Haiti who have suffered under corrupt governments.
4:51....I had to re-read your comment twice..screwing, doing drugs, and spreading disease....I thought you were talking about the Thrift Travel Inn.
I think we should all pray for them but I cant help but thinking that maybe Haiti was better off when it was controlled by the French colonists....Baby Doc and all the other travesties came after the revolution.I mean come on,even
Afghanistan was a halfway decent place to live for its citizens when the Commies controlled it.When the Commies were ran out,guess who took over?Taliban.I am not saying that native Haitians were happy living lives of servitude but sadly they probably had better living conditions under slavery than they have in the last century...thats awful to say but its close to the truth.If you cant donate and most of us cant,at least pray for them and thank God that even though America isnt perfect,we Americans have it alot better than some in this world.
At least none of the Haitians are planting roadside bombs. They are our neighbors, not some faraway foreign outpost. And, if, 4:51, you had even an ounce of decency, you would have kept your ignorant rantings to yourself--at least while buried children are still dying. You, Pat Robertson and Limbaugh. Three of a kind.
8:25 exactly my point, like you said they have to come here to better themselves! why can't they get it together over there and better their own country and their own fellow countrymen? why the hell is it our responsibility?
add up how many billions have been poured into that cesspool over the centuries, has it improved one iota? you did make me laugh using the words productive citizen when refering to them. and for another point you blame their government, well you get the government your collective stupidity elects, how do you think we ended up with obama?
yup, here we go! might as well bring them all here!
Haitians in U.S. Illegally Can Stay Temporarily
Friday, 15 Jan 2010 09:21 PM Article Font Size
The Obama administration said Friday it will allow Haitians who were already in the U.S. illegally to remain for the time being because of their country's catastrophic earthquake.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano granted the temporary protected status on Friday, two days after she temporarily halted deportations of Haitians, even those already in detention. The protection is only available to Haitians already in the country as of last Tuesday, and allows them to stay and work for 18 months.
Unemployment my a$$! You lazy rednecks don't want to work.
Your reaction to the Haiti disaster is disgusting. You claim to be christians but, really, you're nothing but POS racists.
You find a way to blame everything on Obama and the Democratic party. At least have some balls to admit that your only problem with the government is "that colored fella running the country."
More ignorance from the eastern shore. Spend some time off the shore and out in some of the commmunities that you bash before you make these judgments. But then again, why bother? Beck and Rush tell you what to think.
I bet 4:51 is a church going christian. Warped view of reality (check) inflated sense of self importance (check)Baseless assumptions about an entire nation of people he/she know nothing about (check). Yep, I bet 4:51 is a church right now!
F--- the Haitians.
Help america.
YEah 1:06!!!
help us FAT americans! Im almost out of diet pepsi and my hedgehog of a wife doesnt want to drive into town to get more. WHERE is MAH gull-darn handout. Being selfish RULES!
I gotta say that I agree with 4:51
The real tragedy is that all of the money that we send to that backward country will just wind up in the hands of some corrupt politician.
The reason all their buildings feel down is because cardboard doesn't hold up well in a quake.
I agree with 4:51 let some other country protect them from themselves!
1:52~don't forget the chips and T.V. dinners.
I almost wonder if Pat Robinson was right and GOD is punishing them.
It is so hard to understand how it can be so bad there after all they chances they have had to make it better.
Same Island yet so much worse off.
I understand Voodoo is still the biggest religion in Haiti.
But I do not believe God takes free agency away by cursing or helping people. We are on our own guided only by the wisdom he imparts through the scriptures and prayer.
Haitians and New Oleanders were bad of because of the people they chose or allow to lead them. Remember the School Buses that drowned instead of being used to evacuate. Haiti has made almost every bad choice it could.
sorry folks been around most of the world seen how much these countries love us americans first hand! got some news for ya, they hate us. All they want is the american dollar whii due to the last two idiots in the white house has become worthless! You won't need to rush over to haiti to rescue them wait another couple of years and it'll be like that here!
whether or not I worship God is irrelevant. How I choose to see my hard earned money spent is my perogative! if you are gonna talk the talk then you surely know you need to walk the walk, get your ass on the next plane over there if you are so concerned!
Pat Robertson is the lowest of the low common denominators. anon 2:21 you sound like you could be borderline insane! Did "GOD" tell you that after you murmured into your hands?!
seriously people- if you are too selfish to help out, just say so- you dont have to make excuses~ haha
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