9903: How major a priority is public internet access in Haiti? Corbett replies

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

I am a computer junky and spend huge amounts of time on-line.
I teach entire university level courses on-line and see
great educational value in the web for both formal and especially
informal self-directed education.

But then I am literate, feed and not malnourished, safely
housed and able to prioritize my health needs before my
computer needs.

The mass of the Haitian people have none of those things
which make the luxury -- in one sense-- of my web access
both possible for me and a decent use of my EXCESS funds
above my basic necessities.

I would not down play some potential gains for people were
they to have web access.  But given that the huge mass is
illiterate if they had web access at all it would have
to be toward the graphic aspects, not the reading and
seeking of information.

I am one who is highly skeptical of such a noble goal
being much of a serious priority for the needs of contemporary
Haiti.

Bob Corbett