Tim Carney, former US Ambassador to Haiti and Mark Schneider, Senior
Vice President of the International Crisis Group discussed the recent
economic and political changes in Haiti, a month after new president
Rene Preval took office in May 2006. Speakers discussed the challenges
facing the Preval government, as they attempt to recover from decades
of political upheaval, weak institutions, social injustice, and
institutionalized corruption. Carney and Schneider discussed several
measures which the U.S could take to assist these goals, emphasizing
the un-tapped Haitian-America police force, the importance of rural
economic development, and of circumventing the regressive cycle of
spoiler politics and ending customs and port corruption. Also
highlighted was the longstanding U.S. interest in Haiti, whose plight
furthers the problems of refugees and drug trafficking. Speakers ended
hopefully; arguing that this interest, and the interests of Latin
America, and the international and donor communities are all in general
concord about Haiti’s situation, which may signal a more hopeful future.
