US Lawmakers Press Bush Administration on Haiti
- From: "Gwo Mango" <boukman2003@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 14 Mar 2007 10:31:10 -0700
US Lawmakers Press Bush Administration on Haiti
By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
14 March 2007
http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-03-14-voa3.cfm
Congressional lawmakers have pressed a Bush administration official on
U.S. assistance to Haiti, saying Washington needs to do more to help
the island nation climb out of poverty. VOA's Dan Robinson reports
from Capitol Hill.
A Brazilian peacekeeper in Port au-Prince
The United States remains Haiti's single largest aid donor and has
helped the people there through such programs as President Bush's HIV/
AIDS prevention and treatment program.
In the president's fiscal 2008 budget, Haiti receives a $36-million
increase to $83 million for AIDS as part of an overall boost in
assistance to $223 million.
But Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel, chairman of the Western
Hemisphere Subcommittee, is concerned about reductions in all other
areas not related to AIDS.
The United States, says Engel, is in a position to help the government
of Haitian President Rene Preval to make some progress:
"For the first time in years, there is a window of opportunity in
Haiti, and a bipartisan consensus here on Capitol Hill, but that
window is small and we must act quickly," said Eliot Engel. "With a
stable political situation in place, we must turn our attention to
Haiti's development needs and the role that the international
community can play in supporting the Haitian government's efforts to
curb poverty."
Adolfo Franco is Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Latin
America and the Caribbean for the U.S. Agency for International
Development.
He says Haiti's political situation under President Preval provides
reasons for some optimism, adding that President Bush remains
committed to helping Haiti:
"President Bush has told us from the beginning that we are committed
for the long haul in Haiti," said Adolfo Franco. "He believes in
Haiti, he believes in democracy for the country and committed to do
whatever we need to do to continue to demonstrate the leadership of
the U.S."
Franco acknowledges, however, that security problems continue to
hamper development efforts in Haiti, adding that the country suffers
from endemic problems preventing it from moving forward.
Congressman William Delahunt believes the continuing presence of a
United Nations force in Haiti will be crucial to maintaining security:
"I think we need the U.N. there to provide security for years, so that
the Democratic institutions can prosper," said Congressman Delahunt.
The other witness at Tuesday's hearing was Wyclef Jean, musician,
entrepreneur and founder of Yele Haiti, a foundation supporting
education, health, environmental and other projects in Haiti.
He also advocates a continuing United Nations presence, and says
programs are needed to address the problem of gang violence.
"Seventeen-year-old kids, 18-year-old kids, the kids look at me in the
eyes and I say to them, you know you're going to die tomorrow," said
Wyclef Jean. "And they said we know, but what do we [have] to live
for ? And I think what we need to do is we need to start providing
programs for kids that want to change their life and go from negative
to positive."
Jean also supports dual citizenship for Haitian-Americans, currently
not permitted under Haitian law, and is involved in efforts aimed at
encouraging Haitians in the U.S. to send more money back to their
country of origin.
The congressional focus on Haiti came a day after Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez stopped in Haiti at the end of a trip to Latin American
and Caribbean nations.
The Venezuelan leader, who continued to criticize President Bush U.S.
Latin America policies during his regional tour, met Haitian President
Preval and promised more assistance for Haitian electricity generation
and social services.
.
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