Introduction
This paper is aimed at discussing the redevelopment plan of Haiti. Currently, this country faces a great number of economic and developmental challenges. It is possible to identify the steps that could have been taken by a person who has unlimited political authority. They are mostly related to such areas as infrastructure, the work of non-governmental, and decision-making in governmental institutions. These initiatives are supposed to benefit various layers of the Haitian population. The critical task is to enable people to take part in economic and political activities. These are the main issues that should be addressed.
The empowerment of Haitians
The most important step that should be taken by the so-called Haiti Czar is to give voice to the citizens of Haiti. In particular, these people should have an opportunity to express their needs, while the government must develop policies that meet their requirements. One of the strategies that should be adopted is the decentralization of power. Currently, the majority of decisions are taken in the governmental institutions that are located in Port-au-Prince (“From Relief to Recovery” 1). In turn, researchers believe that the state should give more freedom to local authorities because they are better able to assess the needs of small communities ((“From Relief to Recovery” 1). In this way, the government can improve the use of resources and funds that are now poorly allocated. So, a political leader should be able to delegate some authority to other people to improve the efficiency of the state.
One should keep in mind that the plans for the reconstruction of Haiti have often been designed by international organizations. However, the representatives of these agencies are not fully aware of the problems that are currently faced by Haitians nowadays. Yet, adequate policies can be designed provided that public administrators understand have a clear understanding of infrastructural and developmental problems that should be resolved as quickly as possible (Reitman unpaged). This is why one should view the recommendations of international authorities critically. In many cases, these suggestions can be unfeasible. This is one of the points that can be made.
Furthermore, it is important to increase the participation of people who have often been excluded from public life. For example, it is necessary to speak about the needs of women. They are often unable to protect their labor rights (Bell and Field unpaged). Furthermore, they do not have access to education (Maguire 2). Such difficulties can be encountered by many poor people living in Haiti. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on such areas of human development as education or accessibility of healthcare services. Moreover, the government must ensure that their civil rights are not violated. These are some of the main details that should be considered.
Economic redevelopment of Haiti
Additionally, it is critical to developing strategies that can contribute to the economic revival of Haiti. I would emphasize the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs). These organizations are important for the development of public infrastructures such as roads or telecommunication. This sector is critical for economic activities (Hornbeck 8). In turn, PPPs should make sure that the investment serves the developmental needs of Haitian society. For example, these institutions should pay attention to the management of Official Development Assistance (ODA) that often takes the form of investment. This is one of the aspects that should be identified since it is critical for avoiding the risks of corruption or inefficiency. Furthermore, this policy can improve auditing in governmental organizations.
Apart from that, it is vital to consider the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This set of principles can be important for protecting the rights of employees. At present, the main task is to make sure that businesses, which start their operations in Haiti, can create some value for local communities (Sontag, “Earthquake Relief Where Haiti Wasn’t Broken”). For instance, one can mention such a company as Sae-A Trading that invested in the development of an industrial part in Haiti (Ferreira unpaged). Therefore, policy-makers should attract companies that are willing to follow the principles of CSR (Ferreira unpaged). To some degree, this objective can be attained by lowering the taxes. In other words, the government should encourage the use of CSR. This strategy can revitalize the economic life in Haiti and help the country struggle with the long-term effects of the earthquake.
The use of improved evaluation tools
The redevelopment of Haiti can be effective, provided that the state uses accurate evaluation and decision-making techniques. It should be noted that Haiti has often been affected by the cholera epidemic (Sontag unpaged). One of such outbreaks led to the extermination of the Creole pigs which were critical for the sustainability of many farms. This policy has been advocated by the United States Agency for International Development. It should be kept in mind that the Creole pigs were adapted to the climate and ecology of Haiti. In turn, farmers were not able to make the pigs provided by the United States. This example shows how people were forced to abandon the assets which were critical for the agriculture of Haiti. Moreover, this case demonstrates that policy-makers have to use proper assessment tools before they make decisions that can impact the entire population of the country. For example, these professionals need to consider various factors that could have contributed to the outbreak of the cholera epidemic. It is quite possible that there was no necessity to slaughter the entire population of the Creole pigs. These animals might not have posed a serious threat to the life of Haitians. Secondly, one should consider the long-term impacts of a decision on various stakeholders. In this case, much attention should have been paid to the needs of farmers. This is why I would have tried to improve the decision-making in governmental institutions; otherwise, their initiatives are not likely to improve the welfare of citizens. This is why the role assessment tools should not be overlooked.
Regulating the work of non-governmental organizations
Furthermore, it is vital to focus on the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It is estimated that before the earthquake, the number of such agencies ranged from 3,000 to 10,000 (Kristoff and Panarelli 1). This is why Haiti is often called the “Republic of NGOs” by researchers (Kristoff and Panarelli 1). Moreover, many Haitians preferred to quit governmental institutions and work for these NGOs. Furthermore, international donors preferred to provide more funding to these agencies, rather than the Haitian government (Kristoff and Panarelli). Several problems should be addressed. First, the efforts of NGOs are not always coordinated. Thus, their actions were not always efficient. Furthermore, the budgetary needs of the Haitian government were not met because international donations were directed mostly to NGOs (Maguire and Copeland 1). Furthermore, many of these organizations were not fully accountable to stakeholders. So, If I were the main decision-maker, I would make sure that the activities of NGOs are aligned with the policies that the government implements. It may also be necessary to limit the number of such organizations. Much attention will be paid to those NGOs that do not have accountability programs. In turn, the state will give preference to the projects that are related to the initiatives of the government. Although this step may not be popular, it is essential for better use of resources. These are the main strategies that should be adopted by the state.
Conclusion
This discussion indicates that the redevelopment of Haiti requires the government to carry out several changes. An all-powerful political leader should make sure that public administrators should consider the interests of the entire Haitian population. They should concentrate on the following aspects: 1) corporate social responsibility; 2) the use of valid decision-making techniques, and 3) aligning the work of NGOs with the policies of the government. These policies are supposed to increase human development in Haiti. These are the main goals that should be reached. However, these results can be achieved if the international community offers financial assistance to Haiti. Furthermore, these suggestions can be plausible provided that a certain political leader has the authority to implement the laws which are related to various areas of public life. This is one of the arguments that can be put forward.
Works Cited
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“From Relief to Recovery: Supporting good governance in post-earthquake Haiti.” Oxfam. 2011.
Ferreira, Susanna. “The Clintons in Haiti: Can an Industrial Park Save the Country?” Time World. 2012.
Hornbeck, John. “The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act.” Congressional Research Service. 2010. Web.
Kristoff, Madeline, and Liz Panarelli. “Haiti: A Republic of NGOs?” United States Institute of Peace. 2010.
Maguire, Robert. “Haitian Women: The Centerposts of Reconstructing Haiti.” United States Institute of Peace. 2012.
Maguire, Robert, and Casie Copeland. “The International Donors’ Conference and Support for Haiti’s Future.” United States Institute of Peace. 2012.
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