Is the third time the charm? Prime Ministerial Candidate number three Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis was approved in a 61-1 vote in Haiti’s lower legislative chamber.  Sexism, homophobia, and power politics could yet derail this nomination. Haiti needs a Prime Minister in order to have a functional government that can tackle developmental challenges, chief among them food insecurity. Read more »

Strike two. Preval’s second nominee for the position of Prime Minister was rejected.  While food insecurity continues, politicians squabble.  I have a modest proposal - Give the politicians concerned one meal a day until a Prime Minister has been selected and a new goverment can be formed.  This is, after all, the reality for many in Haiti.  I suspect officials would work out a solution rather quickly. Read more »

Everyone agrees urgent action is needed to address global food security but no one seems to agree on what should be done.  The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) called a summit to discuss steps for addressing food insecurity.  Anytime +180 countries need to come to an agreeement on this issue, there are bound to be "food fights."   If, as the FAO says, food output must double by 2050 to meet demand, we have a long way to go. While there were no shortage of ideas raised at the Rome Summit, only sustained committment and long term action will make a difference in countries like Haiti. Read more »

Attached is an assessment carried out by the World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (EMAP) on Haiti's reliance on wood based charcoal for its energy needs - estimated to be about 70% of total energy usage.   Having read the assessment, I feel it raises some sensible interventions even if they do not go far enough.  However, the strategy could provide a foundation upon which to build. Read more »

A bilateral trade agreement with the Caribbean nation of Haiti could greatly improve the quality of life in that country, the hemisphere’s poorest nation. However, business culture in Haiti is exceedingly regressive, which is highlighted in a recent report by the World Bank. The report, hopefully, is a wakeup call to Haitian President Rene Prèval for comprehensive regulatory and structural reform of the private sector.

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In an article posted today by the Economist Intelligence Unit, they reported on a World Bank analysis of regional customs houses in Latin America and the Caribbean. What they came up with was shocking, but not unexpected. According to the article, the report (which I have been unsuccessful finding) concludes that Haiti's customs houses are at the bottom of the list for efficiency. Read more »

July 27, 2005 (World Bank Press Release) -- In the past year, Haiti created tens of thousands of new jobs, rehabilitated nearly 200 schools, and rebuilt 300 kilometers of roads. Read more »