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Thursday, 08 July 2010 |
Dear Friends:
 I want to personally thank each and every one of you for all of your support for the people of Haiti. I have just returned from my second visit to Haiti since the January 12, 2010 earthquake that killed more than 250,000 people and have left some 1,000,000 homeless. The following is my personal brief synopsis.
The medical clinic located in Lakul and built in 2008 with the financial support from the SouthShore Community was not damaged by the quake. Initially staffed by one part time nurse the clinic is now a full blown hospital. It is open 24/7 for emergency care as well as providing outpatient care and in-hospital care. Diagnostic capabilities include ultrasonagraphy, radiography, and laboratory testing. Furthermore, the hospital serves as a base of operations for medical teams to visit remote areas of the region. A large multi-purpose building is under construction to house visiting individuals and teams, serve as a halfway house for orphans and to provide space for meetings and education. The seed planted by your community has grown into a giant strong oak.
The destruction in Leogane, Port au Prince and surrounding Haitian cities, towns and communities is beyond one's imagination. Six months after the quake and there is little evidence of progress being made to remove the rubble and to provide shelter beyond the thousands of tents and stick supported tarpaulin-like tents. One reliable source told me that at the current pace it will take 1000 trucks working full time for 3 years to remove the rubble. During both of my visits combined, I saw ONE backhoe and ONE truck filled with rubble! On the other hand I saw several motorcades of brand new shiney clean UN and government vehicles parading through Port au Prince. Much of the work that I observed being done was being done by the Haitians working individually and by Canadians and Americans and citizens from other countries all over the world...many, but not all of which were church based youth groups...removing rubble one piece at a time.
It is my personal observation that the Haitian people are a very hard working proud people who fear that their future will be designed and imposed upon them by greedy self serving politicians from home and abroad. IF Haiti is to survive it must be with the PARTICIPATION of the Haitian people at ALL levels. With that in mind I am working with a Canadian based non-profit organization called the Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA) in conjunction with productive cooperatives Haiti pcH. This organization has twenty-five years of experience in Haiti in increasing economic capacity and sustainability through agricultural production in rural communities. Through microfinancing farmers are able to obtain credit (not gifts or handouts) to practice sustainable agriculture. The cooperative model is based on the farmers working through established democratic principles with individual entrepreneurialship.
If anyone wishes to talk with me individually or wish for me to speak to their group concerning Haiti, I welcome the opportunity and I can be contacted through the Ruskin Animal Hospital @ 813-645-6411. Dr. Hal Ott
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