ARTICLE - GREATER COLLABORATION NEEDED

GREATER COLLABORATION IS THE KEY TO RECONSTRUCITON EFFORTS IN HAITI
(Trinidad and Tobago Newsday) -

“There is a massive need for construction and reconstruction services in Haiti. The challenge is also in delivering quality construction, given the more than 300,000 deaths in 2010 and the extent of serious injuries with each catastrophic event”.

Speaking on behalf of PJ Patterson, special representative of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community on Haiti, Ambassador Byron Blake of the Office of Caricom Special Representative to Haiti delivered the introductory remarks at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Construction Forum, at the Hyatt, Port-of-Spain on Monday.

The Forum, the first of its kind to be held in the region, was attended by over 140 local, regional and international stakeholders in the construction sector, namely contractors, engineers, architects, project managers and other industry experts. Among the key participants was a 42-member contingent from Haiti, comprising public and private sector specialists, headed by the Mayor of Port-au-Prince, Jean Yves Jason.

In his introductory remarks, Ambassador Byron Blake referred to the March 2010 action plan for national recovery and development as envisaged by the Haitian authorities. This plan encompasses territorial, economic, social and institutional rebuilding - not only of the capital Port-au-Prince but of six other regions including Les Caye, Cap Haitien and Hinche among others.

While the international private sector has responded to the reconstruction of Haiti as a major business opportunity, Ambassador Blake indicated that the Caricom private sector’s responsibility was qualitatively different from its international counterparts.

“The Caricom private sector has an obligation to ensure that development takes place in Haiti, whether or not there are international resources”, he said.

“It must also position itself to bid for any international resources that might become available; this requires building strong partnerships among themselves and with reputable external companies”, he ended.

Also addressing the gathering yesterday was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry Carl Francis, who noted Haiti is to be the beneficiary of a non-reciprocal trade agreement with Caricom. Caricom has therefore pledged full support for the reconstruction efforts and the development of more stringent regional building codes.

Past president of CAIC James Moss Solomon opened the Forum, delivering the welcome address. He stressed that collaboration was critical in the success of both the conference and the efforts in Haiti.

Various industry experts presented on a range of themes and perspectives during the course of the day. One such individual, architect Tom Marvel of Puerto Rico shared the outcomes of a three- day workshop held last July to determine how Port-au-Prince can be made more livable. Currently many persons still live in tents and potable water is not widely available. Participating planners, architects and engineers projected that reconstruction would take place over a 25 to 30-year period, while focusing on infrastructure, mobility, density and housing among other critical areas. During the technical session, it was reiterated that as Haiti currently sits on the cusp of welcoming a new political administration, the business climate remains considerably positive regarding future growth and investment prospects.

While there are still some drawbacks in some areas, including telecommunications and the accessing of visas for travel, there is a general sense of optimism particularly among the younger generation.

A direct result of a Caricom Private Sector Forum held in Haiti in July, 2010, CCF is being hosted by the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Trinidad and Tobago, the Caricom Secretariat and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).