Bill Clinton - Haiti Observer Blog

Former US President Bill Clinton acts as the United Nation's special envoy to Haiti. His duties have taken him on two trips to the country so far this year. First, in January, he came for the 3-year anniversary of the devastating 2013 earthquake, which took place shortly after his tenure started. His latest visit, a two-day event that consisted of site visits and a donation announcement, on March 10 & 11 saw him accompanied by a nearly two-dozen strong delegation of potential investors from the restaurant, perfume and lingerie industries.

During his visit, he spoke about the controversies and misfortune faced by the country, but stressed that Haiti is still replete with 'staggering potential.' It's a sentiment also expressed by Haitian President Michel Martelly who's 'Haiti is open for business' slogan was designed with luring potential investors from around the world in mind. While they are optimistic about foreign investments being the key to rebuilding Haiti, analysts at home and abroad warn that the country's flawed justice system and its archaic banking practices don't instill confidence in investors. Further concerns are the advisories by the U.S. government that warn potential visitors about concerns of health, security and a lack of proper infrastructure.

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In a persistent effort to attract private investment for the reconstruction of Haiti, post the 2010 earthquake, Prime Minister (PM), Laurent Lamothe, and President of Haiti, Michel Martelly, hosted the Philanthropic Summit on 3/09/2013.

Martelly and Lamothe spoke at the glamorous event at the Miami Ritz Carlton Hotel Coconut Grove, arranged by the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). Lamothe gave the keynote address to a roomful of potential investors, among them retired NBA Hall of Famers Glen Rice, Penny Hardaway, and Haitian-American Olden Polynice, Haiti's newly-named goodwill ambassador.

Lamothe stressed the government of Haiti's actualization of the 5E Initiative (Education, Rule of Law, Energy, Employment, and Environment), particularly education. He claimed that more than a million children under the Universal Schooling Program Free and Compulsory have been attending school, but more funding is needed to continue the 5E program.

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Emile Jonassaint was born on May 20th 1913 and became the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Haiti and later served as the president for a short period. Earlier the military regime had forced Jean Bernard Aristide to move out of the country.

Crimes by the Army

After a few years from May 12th to October 12th 1994, Emile Jonassaint functioned as the Head of the Provisional Government. During his tenure it is alleged that some of the most inhuman crimes were meted out by the Haitian army.

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Caracol, a village in Haiti, is located in the Nord-Est Deparment which is a municipality in the Trou-du-Nord Arrondissement. At 19°41′0″N and 72°1′0″W it is located at a slight elevation and has around 6236 inhabitants. It is the least visited destination in Haiti.
Caracol is in the northern coast of Haiti and it was a fishing village stricken by poverty. It is also known to be poorest of all villages in the country.

Climate

The region is mountainous and rough and it borders with the Dominican Republic for around 360 kms. Caracol enjoys a semi arid and tropical climate. Trade winds are easily cut off by the mountains in the region. French is the official language spoken in Caracol.

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Former basketball player with the Yonkers, Jim Boistic, has shown his interest to promote basketball games in Haiti. He said that he had met with the former US president, Bill Clinton and discussed how they would help in promoting the athletics teams in Haiti. The Yonkers icon said that his first time interest over Haiti was when the great earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. At that time he was aiming to rebuild a Christian academy which had been struck by earthquake which was owned by the Christ army tabernacle.

Jim Boistic's recent visit to Haiti since the time of earthquake came some few days back with another program which aimed at reviving Haiti National Basketball. The program is scheduled to last for four days beginning on June 25-29. He held several basketball clinics at the Quisqueya Christian School where he taught some basics in coaching and playing. He said that his aim was to train and have young talented players who would revive the hope of Haiti. He also said that his goal was also to give the youths the right tools which are essential for making them successful in life. However, the program has to take about two years before it reached its full completion.

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Opening ceremonies for Caracol Industrial Park (CIP) occurred on October 22, 2012. Michel Martelly, President of Haiti, hosted some of the biggest backers of northern Haiti's first industrial park, projected to eventually produce nearly 200,000 jobs. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with her husband, President Bill Clinton, presided over a crowd of investors and celebrities.

Haiti, the U.S., and the Inter-American Development Bank have donated a combined total of $464 million over the next six years. Other foundation and business donors are contributing to the development of Haiti's infrastructure.

Secretary Rodham-Clinton spoke before a lunch reception crowd. She told them that contributing to the sustained economic health of Haiti goes beyond sending relief aid to the earthquake-damaged island. On-going private investment in the infrastructure and economic initiatives to provide Haitians a better quality of life are key to raising Haiti out of its failed-state status. She said that although CIP was already in the planning stages before the 2010 earthquake shattered the country's infrastructure and economy, already feeble, the Obama administration has placed Haiti high on its priority list. The U.S. has followed through with a $124 million investment in CIP.

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This is something I am totally in favor of. What I would call a smart move by the Haitian government to defend its interest. Everyone else does it why not us?

So what is the big deal that all the medias have been reported upon, making people believe that we are doing something wrong?

It has been made public in the press recently that the Haitian government has hired a one-time Clinton administration official with the objective to influence U.S. officials who pledged $3 billion after the 2010 earthquake. Disclosures document obtained from the U.S. Justice Department also show other lobbying activities by Haitians to influence decision makers in Washington D.C.

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In Haiti, sports play an important role in nation building and country pride, most especially soccer. In hopes of uplifting the spirit of Haitians after the earthquake, former NBA player and Yonkers icon Jim Bostic and former U.S. President Bill Clinton are now trying to revive basketball in the country. Sports are one of the most significant human activities in the world. Almost every individual and nation anticipates for such events and tries to excel in different fields.

The pair teamed up after a chance meeting at a Haitian hotel they were both staying at. Clinton is currently working on his projects for Haiti through his foundation, the William J. Clinton Foundation. Bostic, on the other hand, has been involved in several missions in the country since the earthquake.

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