Ok so while aid is necessary in times of crisis I think the overall approach if seriously flawed. Say for example we take a portion of the overall aid sent for disaster say 10 billion dollars out of the 40 billion (these numbers vary based on which news program you watch but the concept I am proposing remains the same)
Use that money to develop a tourist zone build say 6 billion dollar resorts in close proximity. This immediately puts people to work in construction jobs. It also has a trickle down effect once they are up in running of constantly employing front desk staff, maids, bell hops, cooks, waiters, bar tenders, security staff, grounds keepers not to mention the supporting businesses like taxi drivers, tour guides, bus drivers, gift shops, bars, cafes etc. If you can hold the security you encourage other investors to step in Jimmy Buffet will open a Margaretville, hard rock, casinos. All of these business will need supplies purified water, safe food, fabric, arts and crafts etc suddenly you have bottling plants, processing centers all being built with labor and it produces an upward spiral. – Employing the people and improving the infrastructure now become the focus of a self sustaining country.
Use the other 4 billion dollars as business grants and for infrastructure; new roads, new sewers, clean water, better airports to facilitate trade.
Granted there are some geo political issues and cultural issues that would have to be addressed but moving towards self sustaining platforms is a much better long term solution to aid the country then sending an endless supply of bottled water and rice.
2 comments:
I think that is a really good idea Brian - just don't tell the tourists they are going to Haiti, it's a scary place :)
Good idea, I like it. Another issue is the fact that much of the 'donated' money never gets there. The GOP is currently holding up the money the US Gov. 'donated' to Haiti, we never sent it.
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