New York Times Offers Tip To Help Haitians

Now that they're as destitute as a society can be, bring back the sweatshops.

Return of Baseball Manufacturing Can Play Role in Rebuilding Haiti

"Nearly 20 years ago, Rawlings Sporting Goods closed its baseball assembly plant in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and completed a move to its other factory in Costa Rica. Rawlings cited Haiti’s political instability for idling about 1,000 workers."

Translation: Because a potential new movement in Haiti towards social reform and a decent wage level (NYT "political instability" above) headed by former priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide was imminent, Rawlings fled to where paying pennies per hour was safe.

"And while there would be public relations value to returning to Haiti, there are great challenges. Companies willing to invest there know it will take substantial time to rebuild the infrastructure, institutions and housing needed to make major investments pay off in a country plagued by extreme poverty and sky-high unemployment."

Translation: It would look good, but the bottom line is god.

"Do they have an obligation?” Josh Dewind, the co-author of “Aiding Migration: The Impact of International Development Assistance on Haiti,” said Tuesday in a telephone interview, referring to Rawlings. “I suppose they did quite well in Haiti, so, yes, in a humanitarian sense, it would be morally right to go back and help out, given that they benefited from Haiti.”
He added that the despot Jean-Claude Duvalier helped foster the low-cost business environment “by making sure there were no independent unions.” He said Rawlings was not alone in paying its workers “what the World Bank called less than the minimum daily amount to support a family.”

Translation: None necessary.