Comments on: Aid shouldn’t require earthquake’s initiation http://www.tommiemedia.com/opinions/aid-shouldnt-require-earthquakes-initiation/ Campus, local and world news reported daily by University of St. Thomas students Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:14:33 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kathryn Pogin http://www.tommiemedia.com/opinions/aid-shouldnt-require-earthquakes-initiation/comment-page-1/#comment-1499 Kathryn Pogin Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:17:35 +0000 http://www.tommiemedia.com/?p=5133#comment-1499 But USAID is a government organization, and I think she was referring more to our role as citizens. Also, just as a comparison, in 2009 USAID gave around $1.5 billion in aid to Afghanistan, $1 billion to Pakistan, $500 million to Sudan, and only $700 million of USAID's total budget went towards infrastructure costs worldwide. That said, US agricultural policy has had a significant negative impact on the Haitian economy- as well as population distribution (i.e. population growth in urban areas as people moved from farming areas that were no longer economically viable despite the fact that there wasn't infrastructure to accomodate the existing population, let alone new comers, in urban areas). But USAID is a government organization, and I think she was referring more to our role as citizens. Also, just as a comparison, in 2009 USAID gave around $1.5 billion in aid to Afghanistan, $1 billion to Pakistan, $500 million to Sudan, and only $700 million of USAID’s total budget went towards infrastructure costs worldwide.

That said, US agricultural policy has had a significant negative impact on the Haitian economy- as well as population distribution (i.e. population growth in urban areas as people moved from farming areas that were no longer economically viable despite the fact that there wasn’t infrastructure to accomodate the existing population, let alone new comers, in urban areas).

]]> By: John Rouleau http://www.tommiemedia.com/opinions/aid-shouldnt-require-earthquakes-initiation/comment-page-1/#comment-1498 John Rouleau Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:05:40 +0000 http://www.tommiemedia.com/?p=5133#comment-1498 I personally find it sad that so many people have what appears to me to be a sense of guilt for being Americans and feel the need to look back through the past and say "we didn't do enough" or something along those lines and this will be an attempt to clarify some points regarding past assistance for Haiti. In the case of the misinformed author of this article the claim that "The damage in Haiti might have been much less extensive if we had been donating millions of dollars to well-run charities before the earthquake. Then those charities could have helped fix the infrastructure and build safe houses. The damage from the earthquake may have been much less catastrophic." Unfortunately what the author fails to realize is that America DID donate millions to Haiti prior to "the earthquake". In 2008 alone almost 300 Million in aid was given to the Haitians through USAID (United States Agency for International Development), prior to that the number held steady right around 200 Million per year from 2004-2008 and in April of 2009 that same organization pledged 700 Million, so to say that things had not been done is a false accusation and I am not sure where the idea that so many have that we just sort of left Haiti to be all on its own and fend for itself comes from. I personally find it sad that so many people have what appears to me to be a sense of guilt for being Americans and feel the need to look back through the past and say “we didn’t do enough” or something along those lines and this will be an attempt to clarify some points regarding past assistance for Haiti. In the case of the misinformed author of this article the claim that “The damage in Haiti might have been much less extensive if we had been donating millions of dollars to well-run charities before the earthquake. Then those charities could have helped fix the infrastructure and build safe houses. The damage from the earthquake may have been much less catastrophic.” Unfortunately what the author fails to realize is that America DID donate millions to Haiti prior to “the earthquake”. In 2008 alone almost 300 Million in aid was given to the Haitians through USAID (United States Agency for International Development), prior to that the number held steady right around 200 Million per year from 2004-2008 and in April of 2009 that same organization pledged 700 Million, so to say that things had not been done is a false accusation and I am not sure where the idea that so many have that we just sort of left Haiti to be all on its own and fend for itself comes from.

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