Submitted by Paul Weisenfeld
USAID's Haiti Task Team Coordinator Paul Weisenfeld discussed opportunities for minority business owners to get involved in Haiti's reconstruction effort. Photo Credit: Ben Edwards
As the U.S. Government works closely with the Government and people of Haiti to rebuild their country, we’re seeing encouraging signs of progress that reflect the resilience of the Haitian people. For example, together with the Haitian Government and the international community, we’ve removed over 881,000 cubic meters of rubble through programs including cash-for-work and vaccinated over 1 million people against highly contagious diseases like polio. But we remain realistic about the magnitude of the challenges facing the earthquake-ravaged country – over 1.6 million displaced Haitians and millions of cubic meters of rubble remain. The U.S. Government is committed to staying with the Haitian people to face these challenges together and build back better.
I was pleased to share this message with a diverse group of minority business owners at the 2010 Minority Enterprise Development Week Conference in Washington D.C. Partnering with minority-owned businesses is a priority for USAID. The energy and creativity of the private sector — both U.S. and Haitian — will play a key role in the reconstruction effort. It’s critical that we work with the Government and people of Haiti to target the four areas where U.S. reconstruction efforts are focused and we believe can have the greatest impact:
- Increasing agricultural productivity to strengthen food and economic security
- Improving infrastructure, including housing and electricity
- Supporting sustainable healthcare and other basic services
- Making strategic investments in governance, rule of law, and security
PHS, a Hatian American firm, removes rubble at the Truitier landfill in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Photo Credit: Kendra Helmer
One of the first contracts that USAID awarded after the earthquake was to PHS Group, a minority-owned 8(a) firm to manage a debris dump site in Port-au-Prince. For pictures of PHS working with local Haitians to clear more than 2,000 cubic meters of rubble per-day, including rubble from USAID cash-for-work programs, click here.
The event concluded with an inspiring story from a minority business-owner who was visiting Haiti on business when the earthquake struck. He described how he partnered with a Haitian business in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy to import 600 portable toilets at a time when sanitation posed a significant risk to Haitians.
“Yes sir, things are difficult,” he said. “Things are challenging. But if somebody is persistent, and if you want to work with a local Haitian partner, there is a lot of opportunity.”
He concluded: “If there is persistence, there is a way.”
Indeed – things are moving forward little by little however the lack of transparency, contracts being signed without any bids and questionable processes makes a firm like mine and american partners discouraged and getting more and more disinterested in our participation. E-mails sent to USAID asking any basic question or guidance as to who to contact and where for information remains without answers. Bill Clinton’s involement, in my eyes, gave some credibility to the reconstruction process. Boy, was I wrong.
While it is great to have minorities operating such businesses, it seem that a modern trend these days; IS to prefer minorities over already established organizations. Then when anyone asks why you used a lesser capable organization, they get called racist.
Now if the minority is best for the job then by all means, but don’t cause more problems by using a weaker company.
great work guys, keep it up
@Kevin
Yes it’s a good job.
Chris from Belgium
That is absolutely a great idea
Infrastructure is needed for clear pathways for development and NGO project partnerships. transparent and clear direction is essential.
Haiti Initiative Group
Partnership for development
http://haitiinitiative.com
@develophaiti
It is important to also remember and build upon USAID-supported and Haitian efforts in business and agriculture that have been going on since well before the earthquake, with success to show for it then and now. Through the Farmer to Farmer Program, USAID has been supporting agricultural production and agribusiness in Haiti since 1996, implemented by Partners of the Americas and also supported by HBCUs in the US. As a result the Haitian-born and Haitian-run Makouti Agro Enterprise has grown and created agricultural and employment opportunities in Haiti. New initiatives are needed but let’s not forget to build upon the prior successes of USAID and local business in Haiti.
I’m a MLM coach here in the US and I know how small business can positively impact individuals and families. I’m of the opinion that the citizens of Haiti can do a lot to help themselves if they are empowered with a little business knowledge. We need to keep on supporting these reslilient beautiful people so they can experience happiness, safety and fulfillment like most of us do here in the US.