More than 7 months after the promise of $1.15 billion, made by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the donor conference on March 31, the U.S. government, after many delays, will transfer in the next days, 120 million (about 10% of the amount promised) to the World Bank-run Haiti Reconstruction Fund, announced PJ Crowley, spokesman for the U.S. State Department, which states that instructions have already been sent to the Department of Treasury for the transfer.

This money will be used among others: for debris removal, housing, a partial guarantee fund for loans, education reform and budget support for the Haitian government. Recall that the reconstruction projects of the Fund must be approved by the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC), co-chaired by former President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister of Haiti, Jean Max Bellerive.

The United States spent more than $1.1 billion in humanitarian aid for Haiti this year, most in the first weeks after the disaster. The reconstruction pledge is a different pool of money, intended to support long-term rebuilding of the nation and its economy.

In camps or makeshift shelters in the rubble, more than 1.5 million victims are no longer under the illusions of the promises of the international. After the passage of Hurricane Tomas, now they live in fear of cholera, "This money is going to be for the rich people" lamented a refugee, "nothing will change in our lives".

BF/ HaitiLibre