Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Here's where the money went

Many times my friends ask me where the money went after the earthquake in Haiti. 


Here is a summary.


Money from the United States: Of the $1.4 billion promised to Haiti, $655 million in funds was reimbursed to the Department of Defense.



$220 million went to repay the US Department of Health and Human Services for "stuff" for the people right after the earthquake.


$350 million went to disaster assistance-medical care and sanitation.


$150 million to the US Department of Agriculture for more rice.


$15 million to the Department of Homeland Security for Immigration fees and aircraft fares for the lucky few injured Haitian refugees brought to the United States.


It gets worse.


There was $2.4 Billion pledged by all the other people in the United Nations.


34 percent or $864 million of those funds were given back.


28 percent or $672 million was given to UN and non-governmental humanitarian projects such as housing and health-care. Only $184 million has been actually “obligated to projects”. The rest is still unspent and not many house have been built thus far.


26 percent or $624 million was given to contractors for things like road-building and infrastructure. I didn't see any new roads when I was there and infrastructure is almost non existent.


5 percent $120 million was given to various international Red Cross/Red Crescent societies.


According to a professor of foreign affairs at the University of Virginia. REAL Haitian people got LESS THAN ONE percent of the money. 99% went back to the countries including the USA that promised the money for the services they provided. Yes, the Haitians benefited from the services of all of the above, but you can clearly see that the money does not stay in Haiti. Nor did it drill any wells so they would have water or fix many roads. The the last time I was there I saw the people still carrying rubble away by hand.


It's time we quit wondering why our money isn't doing any good to help the people of Haiti.