It was the richest French colony. Saint Dominque, and the first European settlement in the New World. France and Spain warred over it, so there was a division; the West side to France, the East to Spain.
During the French Revolution, slaves and free people of colour had their own Revolution, which ended with the abolition of slaver, and the defeat of the French army.
Haiti came into exist on the 1st of January 1804. It was the first Independent nation in the Caribbean and Latin America. It is and was the only nation established by a slave uprising. Nations of the world, including the United States under President Jefferson refused to recognise Haiti.
Trade deals were impossible. Jamaica stepped in, bought indigo from Haiti and sold it as if it were local. Of course Jamaica never had indigo.
If the governments of Haiti were not corrupt, perhaps if they cared about their people, the lack of recognition would not have create a society of such permanent poverty for the majority, and absolute luxury for the minority.
Perhaps if Haitians spoke a known language, such as French instead of Creole they might have a chance to participate in a global economy.
But Haiti has been doomed to poverty, exclusion, and corruption.
In 2016 Hurricane Matthew claims nearly 1000 lives in Haiti. The Earthquake of 2010 left perhaps 80,000 dead.
This is ‘normal’ for Haiti, for a tropical storm in 2004 left 3,000 people dead.
Also, ‘normal’ is that millions of dollars of aid disappears. Corruption is so endemic that six years after the Earthquake the Aid given has still not led to housing, schools, medical care.
To describe corruption in Haiti borders the absurd. Planes carrying Aid could not land until the airport was cleared of its plethora of private planes.
Ships were delayed at sea while yachts were moved.
Haiti is always listed at the top of the most corrupt nations on Earth.
So, where Jamaica battens down for a hurricane days in advance, with shelters being opened, where Cuba has the best plans on Earth for moving people from the path, Haiti does nothing.
And as aid pours in, pockets are lined, people starve and die.
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Is it only the language that is isolating Haiti from the rest of the world? The corruption is rampant means the people have no ways to ventilate their grievances at the International forum. Most of the people who speak and are capable to take it to the International forum are corrupt and as such, they successfully suppress the feelings that work against their interests. Adding fuel to the fire the earthquakes are doing a good job in minimising the number of sufferers from the hands of the Government. Instead of people suffering starvation and the death in the hands of the Government nature is taking care of them. It painlessly taking away the lives of the people.
But, a day will definitely come when the Governments have to repent over their scant respect for human loss. They are not feeling the pinch of it. The aid is not reaching to the people even after six years of the Earthquake means one can imagine the height of proportions to which the corruption has reached. It is totally ignoble thing which the Government should feel and the rest of the world must teach such Government a lesson.
Haiti is a very complicated story. It has been as is/where is for over a century
Poor Haiti, battered by disasters and battered by corruption. The Haitians maybe can bear the natural disasters that constantly passing in their lands, but the sad thing is the aids that keep coming for them but was not given. Now, Matthew have once again tested them, hope they can recover soon.
When Matthew was days out, Jamaica was under a watch, battening down. No one told the Haitians. Many, interviewed by BBC said they didn't know a storm was coming.
The Aid given to Haiti in 2010 never reached the people. Haiti is so corrupt and uncaring for its people.
Looking at the pic of destruction of Haiti my senses fail what happen with the children, men and women how may lives have been destroyed in this heavy hurricane but it is natural all men and scientists are useless before it because I think it God's wrath upon human being, why/No body knows.
I have read in the newspaper that the storm was late afternoon yesterday centred about 55 miles (90 kilometres) south-west of the eastern tip of Cuba and was moving north near 10 mph (17 kph).
The centre of the storm was projected to pass about 50 miles north-east of the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
In Cuba, workers removed traffic lights from poles in the city of Santiago to keep them from getting blown away.
In the United States, Florida Governor Rick Scott urged coastal residents to prepare for the possibility of a direct hit and keep three days’ worth of food, water and medicine. The Red Cross put out a call for volunteers in South Carolina, and the White House said relief supplies were being moved to emergency staging areas in the southeast.
“We do not know yet whether the centre of Matthew will actually come ashore in Florida. That’s possible,” said Rick Knabb, director of the hurricane centre.
Haiti's government doesn't care about the people. The very rich, yes. The foreigners, yes. The average people? As far as it seems, they should die. They are always left to die.