The reconstruction of the capital, Port-au-Prince is more and more into confusion. Tens of thousands of dollars were spent in conferences and meetings in Haiti and abroad. But so far there is no single plan that is emerging, and even less a shared visions...

Last summer, Ronald Baudin, Minister of Economy and Finance had announced that the government had invited the Prince's Foundation [Prince Charles] o submit a plan for the reconstruction of downtown of Port-au-Prince.

"We chose the Foundation, for its international experience, the foundation in the past has redesigned downtown areas in often difficult conditions like those of Kingston (Jamaica) or Kabul (Afghanistan) and because it was an independent organization to nonprofit [...] and we sould not enter in a tender process."

According to the Minister Baudin and market rates, the proposal of the Foundation could have cost almost a million dollars. For its part, the Haitian government has paid 295.000 dollars to the Foundation https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1401-haiti-reconstruction-the-foundation-of-prince-charles-in-troubled-waters.html

If the presentation of the project by the Foundation had raised the enthusiasm https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2228-haiti-reconstruction-first-images-of-the-future-port-au-prince.html , since nothing goes...

Jean-Yves Jason, the Mayor of Port-au-Prince has stopped all dialogue with the Foundation. For the Mayor, it is necessary that Port-au-Prince is planned by Haitians. The Mayor would have asked, on a voluntary basis, to a Haitian society, to submit to him new plans. In reality, this approach can not hide the frustration of the Mayor, to be sidelined for the reconstruction of "his capital..."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation, would have engaged the Canadian firm Daniel Arbour and Associates (DAA). Like the Foundation, the fees of DAA would be paid by the Government. However, to the Ministry person can't, or does not want to say, if this contract has been awarded by tender, if DAA is working on the proposals of the Foundation of Prince Charles or if it's a a new "strategic planning" and "spatial orientation" of the downtown... As for the cost of this contract, no official seems to be able [or is authorized] to specify the amount. The rumor talking about a cost of about two million dollars... The Minister Beaudin, as the leaders of the company DAA, have no comment to make... and remains silent before the questions...

The Mayor Jason, who wants to play a leading role in the reconstruction of the city, acknowledges being aware of the DAA project, he said he is open to dialogue but regrets that "that nobody of the Ministry of the Canadian company, is entered into contact with the City Hall..."

Beyond the differences of visions, the political role of each other or the competition between projects, the rivalry of reconstruction plans is explained simply by a sets of influences to obtain the final contracts. "We shouldn't hide this, the reconstruction is first and foremost a question of money and investments. A lot of money" admits the Mayor of Port-au-Prince.

HL/ HaitiLibre