21820: Esser: The (unstable) Cost of Water in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Oxfam America (http://www.oxfamamerica.org) states on their web-site
(dateline: April 30th 2004) that:

"...Government agencies in Haiti are unable to deliver basic services
to thousands of people in need. The cost of water has risen by at
least 50 percent since February. ..."

Does anybody else have information on the price of water in
Haiti--presumably this refers to Port-au-Prince? If it is indeed true
it is not very plausible why this increase should have been so steep.
Haitians are not likely to sharply consume more, especially since
prices of other basic commodities have risen sharply and available
income therefore decreased. The only likely conclusion is, Latortue
and the occupiers have failed to ensure that the basic needs of the
Haitian population are being met and the de facto rulers and ruling
classes are jointly engaging in schemes to profiteer from an already
dire crisis. If Latortue did come out in condemnation of the
skyrocketing costs of basic goods and submitted a plan to ensure that
the basic needs of the Haitian populace continue to be met at least
the way they were under Jean-Bertrand Aristide's watch, somehow the
media seems have not reported on it. So essentially two questions
here: 1. Has anyone information regarding the post coup rise in water
prices and 2. What are the installed regime's answers to the severe
crises that have befallen the Haitian people; aside from the
worsening human rights situation?
  .