[poekfpojoibien]

At this time of suffering, loss of lives and dismay in Haiti's capital, this may certainly be a thread who's mere existence may be challenged by a wide variety of perceptions of political correctness.
Still, I am sure, I am not the only one asking myself what the social, demographic, financial and even political impact of this disaster may turn out to be on the Dominican Republic (?).

Now that our attention has been so brutally directed onto Haiti and more specifically it's capital city, Port Au Prince and the dreadful conditions even on "T minus 1", and then on the horrors of the situation of today, I believe that what we are learning only little by little may not only be appalling and disturbing, but may eventually turn out to become of direct concern to the Dominican Republic.

• When only 7 year ago, the official census declared a little over 700 thousand residents in Port Au Prince, news agencies seem now to suggest a population of around 3 Millions! 200 to 300 thousand just in ONE one-by-one mile "barrio" (Cite Soleil) alone!
• The city is overtaken in size by "barrios" said to be more populated and even more dangerous than even Sao Paulo's and Rio's "favelas"!
• Help organizations lament the total lack of most basic infrastructure, like only road ways, power, water, sewer, short EVERYTHING at T-1. Some "barrios" don't even have businesses like colmados anymore because of the the lack of basic services and crime. Of the little there ever was in some few select neighborhoods, it is feared none may be left salvageable either now.
• 80% of Haitians live under the poverty line, over 50% below the worst poverty.... that's a NATION wide AVERAGE! The data released only now would suggest that the bulk of the later 50% live in a city like Port Au Prince... so, the numbers will be worse there.

The list of sad and deplorable data could probably go on and on. A country which by all means can be labeled a failed state, has virtually LOST it capital and thus ability to be governed and helped from within.

I think that, with this time, really, but REALLY nothing to look back upon, many residents of Port Au Prince will quite naturally find nothing holding them back from leaving the city and most likely a good portion of these, the country. Easiest way out? The DR would probably top the list!

Can the DR handle more immigrants from Haiti? Many of which will come from that nation's poorest situations, probably lacking the most basic education and trained working skills and rather used to live in crime riddled barrios?
Can the DR's frail social system take them up without collapsing and failing to it's own people?
Will the Dominican people accept more Haitians living among them?
Can the DR's government (afford to) withstand international pressure to freely accept undefined numbers of Haitian refugees and can it handle refugees in orderly manner so that they can be redistributed to other locations once they would be found?

I understand that this has ALWAYS been a delicate subject. One which can easily raise points which can easily at least be suspected to be driven by racial thoughts and nationalistic hatred. And especially in these days, I myself, writing these thoughts and questions of mine here, wonder if it is not just blatantly politically incorrect to bring this up at this time.
But on the other hand, I am almost certain, these are issues we will sadly have to confront, may be sooner than we would like to think.

So, lets try to discuss this in an educated manner, never forgetting to show respect for the hardship Haitians are going thru right now.


... J-D.