ARTICLE - CANDIDATES - APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE

HAITI'S PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS APPEAL FOR MORE ASSISTANCE
(Jamaica Observer) - By CMC

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti's two presidential candidates put aside their campaign for a few hours on Tuesday and appealed to the international community to provide more aid to the earthquake battered French Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

Appearing before the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) former first lady Mirlande Manigat and popular musician Michel Martelly urged the international community to set a timetable for ensuring that the aid reaches the country quickly.

"A Martelly government would work with the IHRC but I would impose rapid results to support the rule of law and alleviate misery in Haiti.

"I've seen certain documents from this commission but where are we exactly?" he asked.

Manigat told the IHRC which was also attended by former United States president Bill Clinton that "I believe you could have met us way before and not just today."

She said she wants to see "a long-term commitment of the international community and not just generosity that comes from an emotional response" to the disaster.

The earthquake on January 11 last year killed an estimated 300,000 people and left more than one million others homeless. In addition the country is also battling with a cholera outbreak since last October that killed nearly 4,000 people.

The meeting with the IHRC took place after Clinton met individually with the candidates.

Clinton took the opportunity to ask for additional funding to support the work of the commission. "I think this process has proved it's worthy of the donors to honour their commitments," he said.

The international community pledged nearly US$10 billion to rebuild Haiti, but donors have held back on delivering most of the funds because of the tenuous political situation.

Prime Minister Jean Max-Bellerive stressed the need for continuity and said the new president "may well revise the reconstruction plan".