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Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Bipartisan bill demands Trump administration come up with strategy to help Haiti
One of Haiti's staunchest advocates in Congress wants to force the Trump administration to come up with a clear U.S. strategy for helping the gang-ridden Caribbean nation return to stability — and to consult with various groups and experts before devising it. U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat and the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced late Wednesday the bipartisan 'Strategy to Address Key Priorities Affecting Security and Empowerment in Haiti Act of 2025.'' The bill is also dubbed the 'SAK Pase in Haiti Act of 2025,' which plays off the popular Haitian Creole saying meaning, 'What's happening?' 'The level of human suffering in Haiti is completely unacceptable, and we need a comprehensive strategy to address it,' said Meeks, who is co-sponsoring the legislation with U.S Rep. Greg Murphy, a North Carolina Republican. 'Today's legislation represents a bipartisan commitment in the House of Representatives to adopt a comprehensive strategy that will support the Haitian people during the ongoing dire humanitarian and security crisis.' Murphy, a physician, worked as a medical missionary in Haiti, where today most of the hospitals in the capital are shuttered due to gangs and a faltering health system. Schools and social services are on the brink of collapse. 'As a medical missionary, I spent a great deal of time in Haiti and understand first-hand the issues that are plaguing the country and the need for stability,' Murphy said. 'I am proud to support the bipartisan Sak Pase Act with Ranking Member Meeks and look forward to exploring ways the U.S. can bring peace to Haiti.' The legislation, if it passes, would require Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy to counter gang violence and advance stability in Haiti within 90 days of enactment. The State Department would also need to consult with key groups in developing a strategy, including Haitian civil society, international partners such as the European Union, Canada, the 15-member Caribbean Community known as CARICOM, as well as the United Nations and other international agencies. The legislation also requires the secretary of state to submit to Congress a report describing progress made in implementing the strategy no later than 120 days after the submission of the strategy and annually thereafter for five years. One requirement in the bill that sets it apart from other congressional legislation is that it also asks for an assessment on the importance of supporting the Haitian national police, the Armed Forces of Haiti, the Multinational Security Support mission headed by Kenay and other security forces to counter gang activity and violence in Haiti. The legislation also seeks to support the current under-resourced Kenya-led security mission, whose funding runs out in September, and figure out the feasibility of a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission. The inclusion of the Armed Forces of Haiti is unusual and underscores a growing call among Haitians for the formal recognition of the country's small army and the need for its use in the fight against gangs. The force was disbanded years ago, and past human rights violations have prevented it from being properly armed or supported by U.S. officials. Nevertheless, there is emerging consensus that Haiti needs a second force and that the country's army, barely 1,000 individuals, can't remain on the sidelines at at time gangs have forced 1.3 million people out of their homes and pushed schools, hospitals and the economy to the brink of collapse. The Trump administration has yet to define a clear strategy on Haiti. U.S. officials have commended Kenya for stepping up to help the Haitian police fight gangs, but have not said if they will continue to support the mission, which remains under-equipped and under-funded as its mandate heads to renewal before the U.N. Security Council in October. That lack of clarity has also stalled any action by the U.N. Security Council, whose members on Wednesday once more condemned the escalation in gang violence and armed gangs' rapes, murders and recruitment of childre,n but failed to take any serious action. 'The lack of security, and overall instability in Haiti, threatens to impede the holding of free and fair elections in a timely manner, while the territorial expansion of the gangs threatens to undermine the important gains made by both the Haitian National Police and the Multinational Security Support mission,' John Kelly, the U.S.'s acting representative at the U.N., said Wednesday during a discussion on the situation in Haiti to decide on the renewal of the mandate of the U.N. office, which expires on July 5. 'A few days ago, at the OAS general assembly, the United States made clear we believe this regional organization needs to take a stronger role in Haiti. That is why the United States co-sponsored a resolution to galvanize action for Haiti and complement efforts here at the U.N.,' Kelly said. 'The resolution passed unanimously. As we have said before, an increased role for the OAS is compatible with various models of U.N. support under consideration.' Last month, while answering a question about the escalating gang violence in Haiti, Rubio said the State Department was currently working on a strategy. In the meantime, Haiti observers have watched contradictory measures by the Trump administration, which recently used Haiti's ongoing gang violence as a rationale for ending immigration protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status. Both Meeks and Murphy say the United States has a national security interest in helping Haiti deal with the security, economic, political and humanitarian crises. Their bill also mentions expanding economic opportunity for Haitians through the duty-free Haiti HOPE/HELP program. 'The gangs unleashing violence and suffering across Haiti represent a threat to stability in Haiti and the region,' the legislation says. 'Stabilization of the security situation and full participation of civil society in Haiti must be a precondition for open democratic political processes; and a lasting solution to the crisis in Haiti must garner support from and be led by the Haitian people.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Haiti police, army to get more money in ‘war budget,' but overall increase still small
Haiti's security forces are getting an additional $33.46 million this year to take on the country's armed gangs, whose escalating attacks have left communities decimated, police stations in flames and nearly half of the population going hungry. But the increase, announced as part of a revision to the country's current annual budget, is coming under criticism from political figures and at least one economist because very little of the funding is coming from new revenue. Instead, they money in what the government is labeling a 'war budget' is being shifted from other priorities, such as the cleaning of canals in flood-prone communities and agriculture investments, while the government has shown no willingness to reduce its own spending. 'This budget isn't going to make any difference,' said Clarens Renois, a former journalist and head of the Union Nationale pour l'Intégrité et la Réconciliation party, who says the country's ruling Transitional Presidential Council is keeping its hefty pay. 'If you have a war budget, the first thing you would like to see is the council making the sacrifice and reducing their own salaries. You don't see any reductions.' The council, which has been criticized for using intelligence money to fund its salaries in the amended 2024-25 budget, which began on Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. Aimed at tackling armed gangs and the worsening humanitarian crisis, it described making 'a strategic distribution' of $277 million to support the national police and Armed Forces of Haiti. It 'reflects the firm will of the State to act decisively on the security, humanitarian and institutional fronts,' the ruling panel said in a statement. Before Monday's amended budget was approved by the council of ministers, Haiti's overall budget was 323.445 billion Haitian gourdes — or $2,488,038,461 in U.S. dollars — for an estimated 12 million people. After the decision was made to increase spending on anti-gang efforts, the new budget was approved at 323.451 billion gourdes, or $2,488,084,615. The difference between the old budget and the new one amounts to an additional $45,831 — a minuscule boost for a nation not only reeling from uncontrolled gang violence but its fallout, which is being felt in the capital of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas. Gangs are carrying out deadly attacks that have left more than 1,000 people dead since the beginning of the year and are taking over communities in the capital and areas in other regions of Haiti. On Monday, as the new spending plan was being rolled out, a gang leader circulated a video showing him destroying a police station in the town of Mirebalais, northeast of Port-au-Prince. Mirebalais and the town of Saut'd'Eau in central Haiti are the latest to come under the control of members of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition. Spending for the Haiti National Police in the revised budget will now be boosted to $253.85 million, a 10% increase. The Armed Forces of Haiti will see a 20% funding increase to $64.43 million. The amounts, however, are still a pittance compared to what is needed for equipment, weapons or to even replace the dozens of police stations that have been destroyed by gangs. None of the funds will go toward the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, which is financed through voluntary contributions to a United Nations trust fund. The mission received over $629 million from the United States under the Biden administration last year to fund its operations, which included $400 million to operate a base. Another winner in the budget changes will be social programs focused on education and humanitarian assistance. The funding will increase from $639.2 million to $688.4 million. Some critics say it's not enough, considering more than a million people are homeless and living in soiled encampments that don't even have latrines or access to drinking water, and thousands are being deported each month from the neighboring Dominican Republic. There is also concern that the revised budget will mean less money for food production and public works, which though not a priority in the capital are vital necessities in rural communities where torrential rains this week pose the risk of landslides and deaths. 'When you are pulling money out of public works and agriculture to put in social programs. and security it may not seem like a bad thing, but in the mid-term and long-term you are going to pay for it because you're going to get less infrastructure, and you are going to get less food production,' said Kesner Pharel, an economist who lives in Port-au-Prince. Pharel said his analysis shows that while there are significant budget increases for the security forces, he doesn't see anything in the amended changes to promote growth to continue paying for the funding. Also, the government is paying for the changes by going deeper into debt, borrowing from treasury bonds. 'We need a war budget to fight poverty and extreme poverty. We don't need a war budget to be feeding into institutions like the army and the police that cannot perform,' Pharel said. 'We are losing plenty of territories, we are losing police stations, we are losing almost everything. They've increased the security budget for the last five years, but what have been the results? What is the performance, beside losing more territories every day?' The government and nine-member transitional presidential council, he said, 'are trying to see how they can solve a short-term problem' by doing business as usual. 'The first thing to do is to change the structure of the government. You can't have the same structure like, the same number of ministries,' Pharel said. 'You have too many ministries, you have too many people, too many organizations. They're spending money like hell.' One example is the 3.5 billion gourdes, or $26.9 million, in the budget for Parliament. Haiti hasn't had a parliament since the last 10 senators left office in 2022 and its building is currently in a no-go zone that's been overtaken by armed groups. 'Where are the employees? Who are you paying for? What are they doing?' Pharel said. Renois said Haiti's exploding gang phenomenon isn't just about armed groups exacting violence on the population, but about the inequality and grinding poverty in communities that have been abandoned by the government. 'To make a difference you would need to have a budget that allows the police and the army to hire more people, and they would need equipment. From what I see, there aren't enough provisions here for that,' Renois said. 'It's clear there is no political will to change the situation.'
Miami Herald
16-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Haiti police, army to get more money in ‘war budget,' but overall increase still small
Haiti's security forces are getting an additional $33.46 million this year to take on the country's armed gangs, whose escalating attacks have left communities decimated, police stations in flames and nearly half of the population going hungry. But the increase, announced as part of a revision to the country's current annual budget, is coming under criticism from political figures and at least one economist because very little of the funding is coming from new revenue. Instead, they money in what the government is labeling a 'war budget' is being shifted from other priorities, such as the cleaning of canals in flood-prone communities and agriculture investments, while the government has shown no willingness to reduce its own spending. 'This budget isn't going to make any difference,' said Clarens Renois, a former journalist and head of the Union Nationale pour l'Intégrité et la Réconciliation party, who says the country's ruling Transitional Presidential Council is keeping its hefty pay. 'If you have a war budget, the first thing you would like to see is the council making the sacrifice and reducing their own salaries. You don't see any reductions.' The council, which has been criticized for using intelligence money to fund its salaries in the amended 2024-25 budget, which began on Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30. Aimed at tackling armed gangs and the worsening humanitarian crisis, it described making 'a strategic distribution' of $277 million to support the national police and Armed Forces of Haiti. It 'reflects the firm will of the State to act decisively on the security, humanitarian and institutional fronts,' the ruling panel said in a statement. Before Monday's amended budget was approved by the council of ministers, Haiti's overall budget was 323.445 billion Haitian gourdes — or $2,488,038,461 in U.S. dollars — for an estimated 12 million people. After the decision was made to increase spending on anti-gang efforts, the new budget was approved at 323.451 billion gourdes, or $2,488,084,615. The difference between the old budget and the new one amounts to an additional $45,831 — a minuscule boost for a nation not only reeling from uncontrolled gang violence but its fallout, which is being felt in the capital of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas. Gangs are carrying out deadly attacks that have left more than 1,000 people dead since the beginning of the year and are taking over communities in the capital and areas in other regions of Haiti. On Monday, as the new spending plan was being rolled out, a gang leader circulated a video showing him destroying a police station in the town of Mirebalais, northeast of Port-au-Prince. Mirebalais and the town of Saut'd'Eau in central Haiti are the latest to come under the control of members of the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition. More money for police, army Spending for the Haiti National Police in the revised budget will now be boosted to $253.85 million, a 10% increase. The Armed Forces of Haiti will see a 20% funding increase to $64.43 million. The amounts, however, are still a pittance compared to what is needed for equipment, weapons or to even replace the dozens of police stations that have been destroyed by gangs. None of the funds will go toward the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, which is financed through voluntary contributions to a United Nations trust fund. The mission received over $629 million from the United States under the Biden administration last year to fund its operations, which included $400 million to operate a base. Another winner in the budget changes will be social programs focused on education and humanitarian assistance. The funding will increase from $639.2 million to $688.4 million. Some critics say it's not enough, considering more than a million people are homeless and living in soiled encampments that don't even have latrines or access to drinking water, and thousands are being deported each month from the neighboring Dominican Republic. There is also concern that the revised budget will mean less money for food production and public works, which though not a priority in the capital are vital necessities in rural communities where torrential rains this week pose the risk of landslides and deaths. 'When you are pulling money out of public works and agriculture to put in social programs. and security it may not seem like a bad thing, but in the mid-term and long-term you are going to pay for it because you're going to get less infrastructure, and you are going to get less food production,' said Kesner Pharel, an economist who lives in Port-au-Prince. Pharel said his analysis shows that while there are significant budget increases for the security forces, he doesn't see anything in the amended changes to promote growth to continue paying for the funding. Also, the government is paying for the changes by going deeper into debt, borrowing from treasury bonds. 'We need a war budget to fight poverty and extreme poverty. We don't need a war budget to be feeding into institutions like the army and the police that cannot perform,' Pharel said. 'We are losing plenty of territories, we are losing police stations, we are losing almost everything. They've increased the security budget for the last five years, but what have been the results? What is the performance, beside losing more territories every day?' The government and nine-member transitional presidential council, he said, 'are trying to see how they can solve a short-term problem' by doing business as usual. 'The first thing to do is to change the structure of the government. You can't have the same structure like, the same number of ministries,' Pharel said. 'You have too many ministries, you have too many people, too many organizations. They're spending money like hell.' One example is the 3.5 billion gourdes, or $26.9 million, in the budget for Parliament. Haiti hasn't had a parliament since the last 10 senators left office in 2022 and its building is currently in a no-go zone that's been overtaken by armed groups. 'Where are the employees? Who are you paying for? What are they doing?' Pharel said. Renois said Haiti's exploding gang phenomenon isn't just about armed groups exacting violence on the population, but about the inequality and grinding poverty in communities that have been abandoned by the government. 'To make a difference you would need to have a budget that allows the police and the army to hire more people, and they would need equipment. From what I see, there aren't enough provisions here for that,' Renois said. 'It's clear there is no political will to change the situation.'
