Less grand standing and more grand plan needed

IT would be easy to get the impression that the tragedy of Haiti is seen as little more than a public relations opportunity to some in power.

Many seemed to be rushing to get in front of television cameras rather than doing something constructive. Getting help the island seemed to be painfully slow despite so many politicians getting involved and making promises.

The rows and apparent delay in responding immediately after the earthquake have underlined very starkly the weak organisation of structures that are supposed to help at times like these.

The United Nations is a by-word for inefficiency and bureaucracy and nobody seems capable of changing this malaise, no doubt made worse by political interference.

The US, being the closest and most powerful neighbour, was the first to take charge of some of the vital aspects, such as the airport. However, this army operation led one frustrated French minister, watching more than half the Medicines Sans Frontieres planes being turned away, to accuse the US of behaving like occupiers.

Medicines Sans Frontieres has operated hospitals in the country for years. Their staff, in some cases pulling equipment from the rubble, have provided essential care in the aftermath.

The confirmation that the Pennsylvania governor pulled strings with the US authorities to have his private plane land in Haiti to take on board orphans with a full panoply of media in attendance shows the ugly side of how international aid can become little more than political opportunity.

EU political officials were initially criticised for not taking the first flight to the beleaguered island south of Florida.

Then they were harangued for contributing just €3 million by critics unaware that this is the limit that can be announced in the immediate aftermath of an emergency.

No doubt these same critics now believe the pledges of more than €400m from the European Commission and the member states that followed are due to their demands.

Haiti was a country of abject poverty before being hit by the earthquake that has left it completely devastated.

With a population that is 95% black, most French-speaking and Catholic, the country has been too much rather than too little the subject of other countries’ interference. It may have been one of the first colonies successfully to revolt and gain independence, but it has since failed to develop for the good of its citizens, thanks to corruption. The interference of countries like France and the US did little to improve matters.

The UN stabilisation mission active in the country since 2004 has helped achieve a measure of political and security stability. The EU has been one of the main donors to the national reconstruction plan and committed €257 million towards developing agriculture, education, health and transport services.

Since 2008 aid has been more focused on supporting government to develop the services themselves. But the earthquake has been a major blow to all this since so much state infrastructure based in the capital has been destroyed.

EU officials say they have been trying to learn some of the lessons from previous catastrophes such as the Asian tsunami and have been trying to coordinate the response from the commission and the member states.

But the political opportunism and delayed response to this natural disaster should hold lessons not just for the EU.

Most cities and regions in developed countries have disaster response plans, perhaps it’s time the rich countries get together and prepare one so there is less grand-standing and more effective and timely responses.