Global Study Katz Jonathan’s book

The Big Truck that Went By, is strong in condemning the international aid that was pledged to the devastated Haiti for leaving it short of factual help. From the content of chapter two, I agree that the outsiders harmed Haiti more than the good they did, or intended to do, following the 2010 earthquake. Agreeably, Haiti is one of the world’s poorest countries, but my opinion is that the international community cannot really be blamed for the harm that resulted from the aid they extended towards the country. Rather, the Haitian government can be blamed for the country’s slow development, occasioned by corruption and weak governing institutions.

It is for this reason that the international community bypassed the government and channeled their aid funds through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). From the time Haiti got independence, it has failed to construct proper buildings and have efficient infrastructure and public service in place. Decade after decade, the authorities in Haiti do not have much to show in terms of developmental goals achieved, despite receiving aid from several donors as well as grants (Brooks 1). From this, I believe the government might have no development plan in the first place or, its excessively corrupt officials are drowning any national, people-oriented agendas.

It follows that a government that has no development plan or is full of corrupt officials cannot have a practical means of using aid to bring down poverty. It is argued that the aid received is not sufficient. However, that hardly seems the truth, because the highest number of NGOs per capita in the world is found in Haiti. I think Haiti needs to do away with its anti-developmental cultural influences because, like Barbados, the both come from oppressive histories of slavery, but Barbados is not facing poverty problems to the extent witnessed in Haiti.
Haiti is languishing in abject poverty because of the lack of a growth policy. It is true that much of the pledged money in terms of aid after the 2010 earthquake was not received, but the government did not portray the image and capabilities of an able custodian of the people’s aid. It is true that the government is by all means accountable to its people, albeit through democratically elected representatives, but NGOs are not.

Yet, aid was channeled through the NGOs. In this sense, the government is doing itself more harm by allowing the international community to belittle it in full awareness of its subjects (Brooks 1). This all goes back to lack of a growth policy. The big truck went by, yes, but the damage was more because all the aid that it brought along was pocketed by the NGOs that are not accountable to the people. Bad policies, or the total lack of policies are a reflection of the agendas and qualities of poor leader and, looking further beyond, it also reflects on the culture that bred them. The culture of impunity in Haiti throughout its dictatorships, coupled with the combined three centuries of French, British and Spanish rule in which not a single school was built, is cause of the disturbing status (Brooks 1).

Works Cited

Brooks, David. The Underlying Tragedy. . 2010. Web.