Haiti's election: Whomever they voted for, the government plans to win
My Dad recently told me that I post too many half-assed entries without any substantive explanations, and that sometimes hearing about gunfire and riots in Jeremie without any explanation frightens him. He’s probably right. I am, however, really really busy right now. I have several things I want to write about, but for now I’ll share this very concise roundup of the issues in the recent election. This is why people are burning tires and cars and buildings (just tires in Jeremie, though).
Today Madame Manigat and Martelly rejected a recount and a run-off that included all three candidates (i.e. one that includes Preval’s candidate from the Inite party, Jude Celestin).
The airport has been closed since last wednesday, but is scheduled to re-open on Tuesday, and I’m scheduled to fly home for a holiday visit on Saturday. Hopefully that will all work out as planned! Despite the closure, Sarah Palin still found a way to come to Haiti today.
Lastly: cholera is really bad here. Here is an article from Haiti Libre (bad translating) that gives you an idea. They’re building a second Cholera Treatment Center in Jeremie, and we’re in hyper-education mode right now. In that vein, today I worked with Aqua Clara and a bunch of nurse educators and nearby health agents to build a 55 gallon water filter out of a drum, pvc piping, 150 US pennies, and various layers of sifted sand and rocks. Next week we’ll build one out in the mountains and if it goes well, we should be able to train health agents on their construction. As my friend Pierre Emile put it, “we can teach 40 people, and they all teach 2 people, and then they teach all of their communities.” That seems to be the model around here, and I heartily approve.
