In the Aftermath of Hurricanes, Haiti Situation is Critical

A decade ago, when Hurricane Mitch devastated Central America, the world reacted with immediate, nearly unlimited generosity. Two weeks after that disaster, the U.S. already had pledged $263 million. Soon thereafter, Sweden hosted an international pledging conference that produced pledges of $9 billion to rebuild smarter and better. By contrast, in barely three weeks beginning in mid-August, four hurricanes — Fay, Gustav, Hannah and Ike — lashed Haiti and the Caribbean, and the international response has been eerily muted. In Haiti, roads are still blocked, bridges are down, and the country’s agricultural heartland is flooded. More than 800 were killed, […]