The reason for this tragedy and loss of life due to the earthquake in Haiti is unfathomable.  But the real question is where?  Where do we go from here and can we rebuild a sturdier and more sustainable Haiti?  You see not too long ago, Haiti was sustaining the masses.  It was

The republic of Haiti occupies the western portion of the island of Hispanola

the master of the 18th century cash cow – Sugar.  And for France at that time, the “business” of Haiti provided an extraordinary benefit.  In fact, one in eight French derived there wealth directly or indirectly from the colony.  In 1789, the GNP of Haiti was equal to 1/3rd of the French mainland’s economy.  The western side of the island of Saint- Domingue was also rich in gold and minerals.  You may ask “what is your point”?  The point is to demonstrate that poor Haiti was not always “poor Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere”.  It was a sustainable country.  Responsible for building wealth and bringing prestige.  So, knowing the history, how can we re-build a sustainable Haiti?  First it must start with a sustainable plan.  One that must be engineered from the ground up.  The country has many opportunities now.  We must never forget the Heroism of a people who yearned to build a sustainable Haiti.  They have a term used frequently in Haiti it is called ”Degaje” and it means “do what you have to do” or make do with what you got.  We want to make do but we want to ensure that we build a Haiti that is lasting.  What would be your sustainable plan for Haiti?

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) — Tropical Storm Erika weakened to a tropical depression in the northeast Caribbean on Thursday but still threatened Puerto Rico and neighboring islands with heavy rainfall, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Most government offices and schools closed early on Thursday afternoon and Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno urged residents to leave flood-prone areas before the storm struck the US territory. (more…)