Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Haiti news: Recapitalization of SMEs' total disappointment

The recapitalization process of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are still stuck in Haiti despite the promise of $ 20 million made by former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. The Haitian private sector representative in the HRIC, Dr. Reginald Boulos, complaining. "It's total disappointment, " he said Tuesday at the show on the airwaves Panel Magik Magik 9. The businessman took the opportunity to establish the difference between the HRIC and the FRH and announce the creation of a housing bank.
Co-Chair of the Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (HRIC), Bill Clinton, announced Thursday, June 17, 2010, the creation of a fund of 20 million U.S. dollars to finance small and medium businesses affected by Haitian duly the earthquake of January 12, 2010. "We wish this fund is a model for SME financing and recapitalization," stated the former president of the United States. He said two businessmen, billionaire Carlos Slim and the Canadian director Franck Gustave, have each contributed ten million dollars to the fund.
Since then, the case drags. And this raises the discontent of Reginald Boulos. Two words reflect reality, "complete disappointment", he stressed. "Huge disappointment because, due to the lack of aggressive leadership at national reconstruction, these issues hang in the offices of public officials and international ... The money is there for SMEs, but there must be structures that can advance the process, "he said.

Guest on the show Magik Panel on Tuesday, the representative of the private sector in Haiti is the HRIC has called for the supervision of small and medium enterprises in the country, major job creators.

The HRIC is not the HRF

We must change the perception that suggests that this is the HRIC that receives money from donors, said Dr. Reginald Boulos. "I think it's one of the biggest problems of perception of HRIC. The Commission does not receive or disburse money. The HRIC is a sort of round table between the government of Haiti, Haitian civil society and donors together to review whatever the project to give its approval and find funding, "he said.
On nearly $ 1.7 billion available for approved projects that have already funded, the Fund for the Reconstruction of Haiti (FRH) does not receive more than $ 100 million. "90% of project funds approved by the HRIC does not pass through the HRF, said the businessman. The HRF is a fund that all donors to direct feed without having to use a particular project. The majority of donors do not pass through the HRF. They give money to projects.

Mr Boulos has made, for example, the Department of Public Health who presented the project as the reconstruction of the Hospital of the State University of Haiti (HUEH) for $ 50 million . "The HRIC has approved the project, and France immediately promised to give $ 25 million. The HRIC calls that can complete the project, the U.S. agreed to put the rest, so 25 million. After this phase, the HRIC has nothing to do. This is the MSPP, which completes with the two donor countries, is bidding ... The HRIC does not receive a monthly report from the Department putting aware of the progress of the project, "he explained.
By cons, "said Dr. Boulos, if a project funded at 90% and there is no funding for the other party may apply to the HRIC FRH to disburse the money needed to finalize the project.
The HRF is managed by members of the Haitian government, donors have contributed more than $ 30 million. The Minister of Economy and Finance, Ronald Baudin, is the governor of the fund. Two new countries, Spain and Japan have joined the team. They have each contributed $ 30 million.
During the sixth meeting of the HRIC Monday at the Karibe Convention Center hotel, about 13 projects estimated at 255 million U.S. dollars were approved by members of the Commission. These projects focus on capacity building of institutions, housing, health, job creation, among others.
A bank housing
Reginald Boulos welcomed the fact that, at the 6th meeting of the HRIC Monday-for the first time a fund is a housing bank was approved to allow whatever the person - poor or middle class - to access to credit to rebuild his house. "We will work in the coming weeks on the issue in order to formulate a recommendation to government on how to put this in place," said Mr. Boulos.

Asked, on the other hand, the subsidy on petroleum products by the Treasury, the businessman said that the choice of the authorities is to ensure political stability in the end the government's mandate. "I think the government has chosen to give priority to public peace and economic stability ... "Has he said.

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