When a strong earthquake struck Haiti in January, the international response was prompt and positive. Humanitarian and other assistance from around the globe poured into the island nation. That and the resilience of the Haitian people prompted a generally successful short-term rescue effort. Long-term recovery in what is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, however, remains elusive. There are numerous reasons for that.
Even before the earthquake, it was difficult to build civic, social, governmental and economic momentum in Haiti. The nation was plagued by a lack of physical and governmental infrastructure. Political paralysis was long-standing. Investment capital and money to build vital economic and social networks was almost non-existent. The catastrophic quake exacerbated those problems.
Consequently, resolution of crippling post-quake issues has been slow in coming — even by Haiti’s glacial standard of movement. That appears to be changing. Haitian President Rene Preval announced recently that postponed presidential and legislative elections will be held in late November. That’s reassuring. It indicates to Haitians and to the global community that the government remains committed to democratic government.
A natural outgrowth of that commitment should be a renewal of recovery and rebuilding efforts. Many organizations obviously were looking for reassurance about Haiti’s political future before providing additional investments of manpower and money. They understandably feared any sort of political disruption that could impede their work. The fact that free elections are now scheduled should help ease those fears. It does not reduce the hardships many Haitians still face.
International aid officials estimate that at least 1.5 million people displaced by the January earthquake still live in shantytowns, camps and rudimentary shelters. All are vulnerable to the heavy rains and hurricanes of the hot-weather season. Experts agree a strike on Haiti by a major storm could claim hundreds or thousands of lives. Mr. Preval and his government will have to work quickly to prevent such a calamity.