Would-be Haitian contractors miss out on aid

[unhappycamper]

A Haitian man removes debris from a house damaged by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday Dec. 11, 2010. Out of every $100 of U.S. contracts now paid out to rebuild Haiti, Haitian firms have successfully won $1.60, The Associated Press has found in a review of contracts since the earthquake on Jan. 12. And the largest initial U.S. contractors hired fewer Haitians than planned. There are many reasons for the disparity. Among them, US AID is more familiar with some U.S. contractors and gave out some no-bid contracts out of urgency, and fears the corruption that is rife in Haiti. On the Haitian side, there is a limited understanding of U.S. government practices.


Would-be Haitian contractors miss out on aid
By MARTHA MENDOZA
The Associated Press
Monday, December 13, 2010; 12:00 AM

-- In a Port au Prince warehouse loaded with tarps, plywood, corrugated roofing, nails and other building supplies, company owner Patrick Brun says he had hoped to get contracts from the billions of dollars in international aid promised to Haiti.

His 40-year-old company, Chabuma S.A., sells cement blocks, doors, sand bags and other materials for international companies. But what he wants is a more significant role in his country's recovery, which is why he says he keeps bidding - without success - for U.S. government contracts.

"You can imagine that if we can't win the contracts ourselves, we become totally dependent on foreign companies and nonprofits, and there is not much hope in that," he said. "We may not have the extended capacity of a U.S. company, but we are respectable. We keep good books and records, we have foreign suppliers, we have good credit, we pay our taxes and our customs dues."

Out of every $100 of U.S. contracts now paid out to rebuild Haiti, Haitian firms have successfully won $1.60, The Associated Press has found in a review of contracts since the earthquake on Jan. 12. And the largest initial U.S. contractors hired fewer Haitians than planned.

~snip~

Of the 1,583 U.S. contracts given so far in Haiti totaling $267 million, only 20 - worth $4.3 million - are going to Haitian-owned companies. And an audit this fall by US AID's Inspector General found that more than 70 percent of the funds given to the two largest U.S. contractors for a cash for work project in Haiti was spent on equipment and materials. As a result, just 8,000 Haitians a day were being hired by June, instead of the planned 25,000 a day, according to the IG.

[malaise]

1. Now we know why Palin and Graham

went to Haiti - they're looking for their cut.

This is sickening.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. You kidding? This will be used as a fund-raising massive TV "infomercial"

that will be broadcast all over the nation like the Billy Graham Crusade.