Words could never explain or convey the magnitude of such catastrophe
However one is tempted to cast aside conventional thinking when contemplating the plight of this much tortured country and ask: just what is Haiti? Much as Dubai is an artificial city, Haiti is an artificial country, created by a rapacious western nation: France.
This is a country that has no natural resources, no minerals, no energy sources (no oil, gas, hydro), little arable land (it is very mountainous)
Perhaps it has the potential for tourism if such service industry could be developed.
The French crammed hundreds of thousands of slaves, imported for such agro-industries as plantations of coffee, sugar cane, cacao and rum. That is, nothing that can be used as a source of food.
Haiti proved to be very successful at the production of these agricultural commodities, and as long as it was in a position to sell them in Europe for great profit, it thrived earning for itself the name of "Pearl of the Antilles" and the envy of other colonial powers. Of course, the slaves did not enjoy the fruits of such success.
Once France had been expelled from the island in 1804 (owing in part for the abominable treatment of the slaves), Haiti lost its markets but was left with hundreds of thousands of mouths to feed and nothing to eat. It should be noted that Haiti, being the second country in this American continent to have gained its independence (only second to the US), such was not recognized by the United States until 1869.
The French left no educated middle class or any class of educated people, except for a few hundred Europeans who stayed behind to continue work on the plantations with the new freemen, citizens of Haiti. This did not help Haiti to diversify or attempt the development of alternate industries or economy.
During its convoluted history, Haiti has been ruled by an endless succession of operetta characters with generals uniforms, peacock feathers and all; it has suffered the occupation by the US military* (sometimes as brutal as the French had been) and finally the "Doc" two-whammy dynasty of the Duvaliers, followed by a few more military tin pots with a tiny sprinkling of democracy. Even so, commendable as it may be, democracy alone does not put food on the table.
*As hard as this may be to believe, the US had concerns because there were some 200 German nationals living in Haiti. These Germans were contributing to much of the economic activity in the country and were fully integrated into society. The concern was about a potential German threat to the approaches to the Panama Canal. When some US Banks voiced concern to Wilson about possible Haiti loan defaults, the future Nobel Peace Prize winner ordered the Marines in. They would not leave for some 29 years. Some cynics may say, paraphrasing Colin Powell, "we broke it, we own it", even though it was already broken.
All along the economics did not work. They still do not work.
Haiti still earns its meager subsistence from the exportation of some agricultural products such as mangoes and coffee and some manufactures namely garments, much as the maquiladoras south of the border except that everything must be imported including the energy to run the sweatshops.
Due to deforestation for cooking fuel, the impact of natural disasters is greater than otherwise should be.
Perhaps this is not the best time to say this, but Haiti under the best of circumstances does not seem to be a viable country. Perhaps if the population were a fraction of what it now is, the country would be able to sustain itself. Perhaps it would be better for the country to join France as a department and receive what it needs from the forgetful motherland. Perhaps it would be best for the whole population of Haiti to migrate to France (like baby-doc did) , and say to the French: here we are. You forgot us behind!
Manuel Sotil
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