"My palace collapsed. ... I can't live in the palace!
*** Haiti President Rene Preval, January 14th, 2010
***Actual quote
Posted on 01/14/2010 4:42:35 PM PST by SJackson
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Aid groups asked companies to donate cash to help earthquake relief efforts in Haiti instead of supplies like clothing and tents that they cannot distribute yet because of the devastation.
World
Relief groups are trying to address immediate needs such as clean water and medical supplies, and also are trying to keep airspace around Haiti clear for those needs.
Planes full of supplies headed to the Port-au-Prince airport on Thursday, but they arrived faster than ground crews could unload them. Aviation authorities had to restrict non-military flights from U.S. airspace because they feared the planes would run out of fuel while waiting to land.
"This is not the moment to drop a container of cinderblocks or roofing material onto the tarmac. We need to do first things first, and we're in emergency relief mode," said David Owens, vice president of corporate development for humanitarian group World Vision.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti, the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, on Tuesday. The quake flattened hillsides, knocked out communication systems, blocked roads, and rendered Haiti's main seaport unusable.
Companies, including Lowe's Cos Inc, Google, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group announced donations of $1 million each to help disaster relief efforts, but aid groups said many more millions of dollars will be needed.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
I hear that $20 bills are good with Hidden Valley Ranch...
Send $$. Even libs on Brit web sites are saying send stuff because the money gets stolen.
And they are going to spend this cash where? I doubt there’s even a Home Depot there, let alone a hardware/pharmacy left operable. I’m sorry to sound so jaded, but this looks like an attempt to line some pockets. I”m pretty sure our planes come complete with their own field hospitals, which I’m sure the Doctors Without Borders will welcome. And we bring our own food..to share.
Hey, Haiti! We’re the US, let us do what we do best...helping after disasters. It’s not like we’re the UN or anything useless.
As I recall, after the 2004 tsunai, the first thing GWB sent was a Navy ship with massive water conversion capabilities.
Sheesh. Reminds me of this bum I gave my untouched, fresh from the bag fries’ that I got from McDonald’s because I felt sorry for him...
BUM: “Why fries? How about $6 my friend, you can afford it, I promise to buy food..
ME: “You have food in your hands, they’re called fries..”
BUM: “I dont like your attitude..”
I've not had a chance to look at the statements, but I heard an interesting commentary today. Per the Obama speach, "my administration" and "I" are involved in doing lots of things. Per the GWB Tsunami speach, the American people and America were doing those things. Can't vouch for that, hopefully someone will write about it in the next couple days, it's significant.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14234713.htm
Angry Haitians block roads with corpses
Aid is coming in faster than it can be received and folks think by blocking the roads
it will get there sooner? I understand their panic but helping to bury
the dead would be better in the short and long run.
But obama says the US is going to give $100 million in aid to Haiti. To who? How does that money get passed on to the Haitians if there's no "infrastructure". If Haiti is known for its corruption, I'd be careful. Need to establish some law and order there.
The President is alive. I suspect most of the political class are breathing. What more infrastructure do you need to process cash. Obama understands, he's from Chicago.
You're correct that it would be wise to donate only to clearly reputable charities.
Most of the money given to charities get stolen in the US itself. Liberals are professionals when it comes to setting up non-profit organizations and raising money. Their overheads are around 85%. To be fair, it isn’t just liberals who do this but also RINOs. I recall reading somewhere that Elizabeth Dole had a 500K a year salary while heading Red Cross.
Giving in kind is also a dubious way of helping out. Most non-profits prefer giving in kind because they can add up the value of the goods and the salary they pay themselves and claim that the total money went towards helping Haitians.
This is how it works. Say, you give hundred dollars to a charity group. Most of the time, it turns out to be a fraudulent liberal group. They buy half a dozen used blankets for one dollar each and disburse the remaining 94 dollars to themselves. Then they claim that they spent 100 dollars helping out the victims!
Believe me, I am not making this up. You may think I am cynical but I prefer some corrupt politicians and workers in Haiti stealing the money than the liberals stealing it. Those workers need it more than the lazy liberals who celebrate disasters so they can cash in on them.
The only charities I support are the old style ones in which charity meant giving one’s time and energy without any money in return.
How surprising . . .
The Salvation Army and the Amish come to mind as reputable charities.
I gave some money to World Vision. On their website they had some information. They have warehouses at various places throughout the world ready for emergency relief supplies. A plane full of stuff from their Denver Warehouse is scheduled to arrive on Friday morning. (I hope it can get in). I think what he was trying to get across was - we have the supplies ready to go. But we will need money for the airplanes, fuel, etc. And of course to replenish supplies.
They also said all of their 130+ workers in Haiti are okay but considerable damage to their main building. So, they have folks already in place that no the area, local resources, etc. to help distribute the items. All of the kids that they support are also accounted for and okay.
"My palace collapsed. ... I can't live in the palace!
*** Haiti President Rene Preval, January 14th, 2010
***Actual quote
Just when you think it ....
Never mind...
I wish that I could use swear words on FR right now....
He is our dictator right?
Government aid is nothing but money given to cronies for spending it as they please and claiming that it was given to Haiti.
I saw them interview him at the airport. Saying he was leaving and the guy interviewing him was dumbstruck. It was unreal.
I’m not familiar with World Vision, but I don’t think the article meant to suggest they’re not reputable. The idea of cash donations makes sense, but that’s what they’re getting from most people anyway. I suspect there’s a Reuters disconnect, the “request” may have been made to corporate donors. Still, I’d take what I get, in kind donations are common from corporate donors, and as I noted there are plenty of individuals to donate cash. And in kind donations can be easily sold.
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