Gwen Graham: “I wish to share a few observations and thoughts about the current circumstances, the tragic circumstances in our near…”

“I wish to share a few observations and thoughts about the current circumstances, the tragic circumstances in our near neighboring country of Haiti. Haiti was once a beautiful country. It was one of the jewels of the Caribbean. Its people, who secured their freedom from France in 1804, have suffered a long history of despair, poverty, and misrule. This country has now fallen into chaos. Regrettably, Haiti is one of the poorest nations on Earth. It is ranked 172 out of 208 countries in per capita gross national income. It is the only country in the Western Hemisphere to be labeled a least-developed nation. Haitians are also among the most malnourished people in the Western Hemisphere. The World Health Organization reports that the average daily caloric intake for Haitians is the lowest in the hemisphere and on a par with the poorest nations in Africa. Violence is on the rise. At least 70 people have been killed in the recent uprising, and the number of dead and wounded grows daily. Indeed, the country of Haiti now faces twin crises. The first is the possible collapse, if not the violent overthrow, of a democratically elected government, with no agreed-upon follow-on governmental structure. An opposition leader predicted on Sunday that the capital, Port-au-Prince, would fall to armed rebels in 2 weeks. Second is the humanitarian catastrophe, primarily caused by the violence and the disruption that the violence has created.”