the heroes of burial road: a story of haiti's dead

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
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Great Read DV8 - Thank God people like Father Frechette and Mr. Louigene - stronger men than myself for certain
 

GringoRubio

Bronze
Oct 15, 2015
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Thanks DV8. It's been a concern as my girlfriend's Haitian mother nears the end of her life. The mortuary costs are extremely high and even higher than the US.

I skimmed it, so maybe a missed it, but people are disposing of bodies with the usual residential waste stream.
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
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Excellent article, however sad. One wants to feel pity for Haitians, but having lived among, and worked around them for the past 17 years, I feel none. have a look at Lauderhill, FL, Little Haiti in Miami, St Martin, TCI, and other locales in order to gain some understanding of what goes on in most of those communities.
I, for one, see no hope.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Excellent article, however sad. One wants to feel pity for Haitians, but having lived among, and worked around them for the past 17 years, I feel none. have a look at Lauderhill, FL, Little Haiti in Miami, St Martin, TCI, and other locales in order to gain some understanding of what goes on in most of those communities.
I, for one, see no hope.
Why do you think that is, no hope?
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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Sad story indeed, but Haiti never fails in producing such stories. Copies of this report need to be dropped on to the floor of the United Nations, as well as the desk of Jovenel Moïse. Demand answers and accountability.
 

ROLLOUT

Silver
Jan 30, 2012
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Its hard to explain. i think a change in attitude is in order. E.g.; why eradicate almost all the timber on your island for the immediate gratification of charcoal? It is not only that. Greed is a factor as well. I have witnessed boatloads of charcoal being unloaded at Bahamian ports by Haitian sailboats. Education is a key element as well. And the corruption.......don't get me started there.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
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Its hard to explain. i think a change in attitude is in order. E.g.; why eradicate almost all the timber on your island for the immediate gratification of charcoal? It is not only that. Greed is a factor as well. I have witnessed boatloads of charcoal being unloaded at Bahamian ports by Haitian sailboats. Education is a key element as well. And the corruption.......don't get me started there.
I understand that the deforestation began when the Haitians "bought" their freedom from France, with much of the "price" being paid with mahogany for the greater part of a century.

That was a bad deal.

The Haitians should have just killed the French---the slaves certainly had the upper hand at the time---instead of raping their own country's resources to make payments for their freedom from their brutal European slavemansters. The price of freedom is blood, not money. It was easy for the French to snooker former slaves who had no education or exposure to outside world practices or diplomatic theory.

What started as an easy way to buy itself turned into a cultural paradigm and norm.

I do agree with you: I'm not sure Haiti can ever be fixed. The only possible way would be for an entity, a benevolent dictator, to just completely take it over as a client state, government, industry, everything, for three generations, do the right thing, install institutional honesty and efficiency, and to educate the youngsters in the New Way and purge the corrupt oldsters. Who should do it? Not the US or UN, and not some Politically Correct group.

So that's why I opine that Haiti is helpless to be fixed. Nothing, nada, not any outside help has made any difference at all. In fact, a case could be made outside "help" has made things worse. One need look no further than the multi-billion cluster f the world---the US included---inflicted post-2010 earthquake Haiti: money came in from International Do-Gooders and money went out to feckless NGO's and their career bureaucrats living the High Life.

IMO, Haiti's short-term future is resort tourism because they have some of the most stunning beaches on the planet. But can you imagine a tougher job than Minister of Tourism of Haiti? Tourism cash is about the easiest cash possible, and that is what Haiti needs: an influx of a consistent stream of hard cash. At one time Haiti was one of the most popular Caribbean tourist destinations!

The DR policy of border protection, deportations and economic and logistical help during a disaster is wise. Best to keep most Haitians in Haiti for the sake of the DR. Hire documented temp workers as needed, but don't let Haitian dysfunction spill over because the DR has its own flavor of dysfunction to deal with.

The issue DV8 brought up is just one reflection of sad Haitian dysfunction as a whole.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
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Ah, the time proven Benevolent Dictator. I happen to agree with you in regards to this suggestion Señor Cobraboy. It is the only hope.