REP. YVETTE CLARKE ON HAITI MONEY. Last Wednesday, the Congressional Black Caucus held a four panel forum that tackled issues facing Haiti. They had a few members of Congress who showed including Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York whose district has a large Haitian population. One of the issues she focused on was whether the United States should fund the Haitian government directly as aid is provided. This is a touchy subject because the history of the Haitian government has been filled with tales of corruption as those in government live high on the hog as citizens live in unbelievable poverty. But to fix the country, the government has to have cash right?
Should money be given directly to Haiti?
Rep. Clarke: “(Haiti) is government made impotent by a network of NGOs (non-governmental organizations). Can we run a govt using a NGO network?”
Rep. Clarke argues that money to Haiti should go directly to the government but added, “to some that idea is ludicrous,” she acknowledged.
“Can a civil society develop w non-governmental organizations? I am for funding the Haitian government directly. You have to let the past be the past. A civil sociery there has to be a government…or democracy is dead. A democracy can not be run by NGOs. We have to take a leap of faith. We must empower the Haitian government. We’ve done it in Afghanisatn, Iraq and Indonesia. There is no reason not to empower the Haitian government.”
