Supporters of Haitian presidential candidate Jude Celestin show their support for him during a campaign rally November 25, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
(Joe Raedle/Getty)
Haitians want change. They have been struggling to physically rebuild their society in the aftermath of the earthquake. This weekend, they will attempt to do some political rebuilding, as well. The country is set to vote for a new president, 99 deputies and 20 senators this Sunday.
But the cholera epidemic has some wondering if it might be best to delay the vote. Others have little faith that elections, either now or in a post-cholera future, will create any real change in the country. We speak with Amb. Colin Granderson, head of the Joint Electoral Observation Mission, to hear what's happening on the ground as the election nears.
We also hear the latest on the ground from BBC reporter Mark Doyle.
(Below, a slideshow of recent happenings in Haiti)
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Defining Normal After a Diagnosis of Schizophrenia, The Mayor of Oklahoma City, A New Kind of Commencement Speech
The IRS Scandal: The Criminal Investigation, Afghanistan and the Struggle to Walk Away, Does Medicare Part D Care About Safety?
Tornadoes Tear Through the Midwest
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
Major funding provided by:
Comments [1]
Haitian EcoNomics, a Practical Solution
There are two time proven, green technologies that could provide Haiti with a sustainable economic and agricultural base, one, separating toilets and two, industrial hemp. Here is how they work.
First of all, separating toilets, separating toilets collect urine and feces in separate places. The urine is 18 percent nitrogen and can replace imported fertilizer. Separating toilets do not use and pollute the water supply and are being utilized all over the world to ensure sanitation, protect the environment and collect the most essential of agricultural resources, Nitrogen. How much Nitrogen, enough Nitrogen to produce all the food and biomass fuel necessary for a sustainable society, Here is the math, 125 gallons of urine per year, per person, 50 pounds of nitrogen per person. One million participants could yield 50 million pounds of organic, renewable fertilizer and provide the key to greatly increased food and biomass production.
Secondly, Industrial Hemp, we take the nitrogen and grow industrial hemp on a massive scale. Hemp’s complex root system will help restore the denuded Haitian ecology and hills while producing the raw material for an entire industry. Hemp production, processing and manufacturing will provide full employment for millions of Haitians. Hemp can be made into fuel, fiber, building material, food, medicine and over 25,000 other products used by modern civilization. It is possible to plant enough Industrial Hemp in Haiti to provide the foundation for a sustainable and prosperous economy, providing, fuel, food, fiber and thousands of green, permanent jobs.
Haiti needs to completely rebuild their sanitation system, they need fertilizer for agriculture, they need to create an economy based on production and can accomplish all of this with simple technology. This plan is doable, deployable and decentralized. The Haitian people and nation could become the example of how to establish and maintain a sustainable, independent civilization.
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