At the outset of their trip, Geoffrey and Liam arrived by bus to Port Au Prince where we were met by our guide and chief local collaborator Thierry, who is Haitis greatest guide.
The largest problem facing normal Haitians is the extreme economic distortions caused by the earthquake. To hire a car for the day is costing many times more than it did before the earthquake and rental vehicles are outright inaccessible. Bags of rice are selling for at least 75$ Canadian, but Haitian incomes have not expanded in the same manner. Much of the aid sent is being sold through stores for profit. Tents are costing upwards of 125 USD.
A nun, Sister Mary of Matthew 13 house who has been working in Haiti for over a decade told us that tents are no longer being sent to Haiti as they are considered to be barriers to economic development. We are unsure precisely what that means as are the Haitians who are living under blankets.
Near Thierrys house is a small tent city which is housing 2000 people in an area the size of a large Canadian yard. People are living under blankets propped up with sticks. This is particularly a problem when it rains. Thierry tells us “the people of Port Au Prince have not slept”.
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