A Brief Summary of the Government of Haiti's Recovery Plan
The Haitian government's Action Plan for National Recovery and Development of Haiti is a 55 page document that outlines how Haiti is to allocate funds and resources in the next 18 months to recover from the destruction of the January 12 earthquake, and to lay the foundation for a better organized society by 2020. The plan is divided into four sections: Territorial Rebuilding, Economic Rebuilding, Social Rebuilding, and Institutional Restructuring.
1) Territorial Rebuilding: To reconstruct the major areas affected by the quake : Port-au-Prince, Leogane, Jacmel, and Petit Goave. It also addresses the long-term need to build important infrastructure such as a network of roads, 2 more airports, 2 more deep seaports, electricity, water treatment, and hurricane preparation . One potentially controversial component of this section is The Appropriation of Land for Public Use: The government is to design a new urban plan, and determine which land will be public and which will be private, and then resell remaining land. About 1.1 billion is allocated for the territorial rebuilding. This allocation excludes the costs of building airports and seaports.
2) Economic Rebuilding. To encourage the Haitian private sector, investors, and the State to increase production in agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing; textiles; tourism ; and urban housing construction. About 400 million is allocated for this purpose and additional funds are expected from the Haitian Diaspora. On page 29, the government states "One also has to identify ways for the remittances of the Haitian diaspora to become investment sources for the social and economic development of the country."
3) Social Rebuilding: To provide housing, employment, schools, healthcare, food security, water, and sanitation. About 1. 5 billion is allocated for this. This allocation does not include the cost of building temporary housing. Low interest rate loans will be made available for rebuilding private homes. 400,000 individuals will be employed. The government will subsidize private schools, but recognizes that "the long-term objective of the government should be free and universal access to primary education".
4) Institutional Restructuring. To decentralize the government and enhance its ability to function and fund elections. Each region of Haiti will have its own taxation system and development center. The government will also communicate with the population through internet and mobile telephone. About 800 million is allocated for this restructuring.
State of Emergency imposed: A total of 3.8 billion dollars is budgeted for the 18 months during which an Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, (HICR) made up of both Haitian representatives and international donors, will co-ordinate resources through a transparent system. The Interim Commission will reject or approve specific project proposals. The nearly 10 billion dollars pledged to Haiti will be placed in a Multi-Donor Trust Fund that will be administered by the World Bank.
During the 18 months, the Interim Commission will have the power to implement the Recovery Plan. Only the President of Haiti can veto the Commission's decisions and prevent implementation of decisions that the Commision has taken.
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