#2097: Re: #2091: Can Haiti Feed Itself? : Gill replies to a different question

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Mark Gill <markgill@midwest.net>

the question, it seems to me, is not whether Haiti imports certain
foodstuffs.......rather, the question is how to protect the little
producer so as not to destroy the informal economy....

perhaps this informal economy is not "efficient" as compared to say, the
US....but, it still is the backbone of Haiti....

the free trade tneories completely ignore this aspect, in this case, of
Haiti....

lets remember that following free trade theories, coupled with the
demand of the World Bank/IMF, means focusing on export production as a
way of generating income to make sure there is a "correct" balance of
payments situation....after all, the balance of payments problem is the
reason the IMF is involved in Haiti at this point....

and, if the focus is on exports, we know that only the existing economic
elites have the ability to finance and produce such exports....thus, the
little producer, the "little man" is completely left out of any
advantage that free trade might bring.....