17860: LOCCM: Re: 17858: Ryan: RE: 17854: Uttley: Re: 17841: Karshan: Press conference

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LOCCM@aol.com To: corbetre@webster.edu Subject:
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Lord willing, I will return to Haiti on Wednesday for my 167th trip there
since
1971.  It appears to me that the situation in Haiti is getting worse month
by
month.  I don't even care who is to blame, I still think that there are at
least some solutions.  Some of my Haitian friends blame president Aristide
and
many blame the United States.  It does not appear that Aristide is going
to
leave and I doubt that the United States is going to release another
$8,000,000
to the current Haitian government with no strings attached.  10,000
marchers
will probably not cause the president to leave in the near future but what
if
they marched to encourage him to quit building parks around PaP and spend
the
money repairing the roads?  Instead of spending for celebrations why not
demonstrate to encourage him to spend the money improving the school
system?
Every friend I have in Haiti would be happy to pay three or four times
what we
are paying for electricity if we could get it at least most of the time.
Why
not demonstrate to encourage the president to establish a power system
that was
dependable.

Those of us who are doing our little bit to help are frustrated by the
"system"
while we try to accomplish simple things like buying plates or getting our
vehicles inspected.  I had a franchise allowing me to bring things to
Haiti
without paying huge fees.  When a donated used pickup truck arrived in
Haiti I
was charged $12,000 U S to get it out of customs.  I hired agents, lawyers
and
sought help from friends for six months and finally gritted my teeth and
paid
it.  I use the truck to buy rice and distribute it in remote areas.  Why
not
demonstrations to eliminate these practices that discourage compassionate
U S
citizens from providing benovelence?
In spite of what happens, as long as God provides, I will continue to
operate
my two orphanages, 31 churches and schools, occupational training  and
provide
food for the needy but I don't mind adding that it is a struggle to stay
focused.

L.O.C.C. Mission    John Hawthorn