15 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

www.telegraph.co.uk said:

Western governments have been urged to write off Haiti's international debts of nearly $1 billion (£620 million) after its prime minister said rebuilding the country could take a decade.

Jean-Max Bellerive told an emergency meeting of ministers in Montreal, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, that the "colossal" effort would take "at least five to 10 years".

He said: "The people of Haiti will need more and more and more in order to complete the reconstruction. What we're looking for is a long-term commitment. Haiti needs the massive support of its partners in the international community in the medium and long term.

Responding to criticism that the Haitian government had been almost invisible during relief efforts he said it was working in "precarious conditions".

"We are fully conscious that the prime responsibility for our future lies in the hands of the Haitian government and the Haitian people."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said: "It was not an exaggeration to say that at least 10 years of hard work awaits the world in Haiti."

Read more...

[conspiracybeliever]

I thought everyone already wrote off Africa's debts with the concert for Africa a while ago. The one with MJ, Bono, Diana Ross, etc.?

[Cadetak]

conspiracybeliever, on 26 January 2010 - 12:37 AM, said:

I thought everyone already wrote off Africa's debts with the concert for Africa a while ago. The one with MJ, Bono, Diana Ross, etc.?

Haiti isn't in Africa

[The Silver Thong]

I think the point being is that they could never pay it off in the begining. Have to use the old saying, can't get blood from a stone.

[conspiracybeliever]

Cadetak, on 26 January 2010 - 05:55 AM, said:

Haiti isn't in Africa

OMG I just searched for it and you're right! Well that's embarrassing. Not sure where I got that idea from.  

[questionmark]

Cheap shot. The chances of ever seeing tat money again are so minimal that it does not need to be written off.

conspiracybeliever, on 26 January 2010 - 02:04 PM, said:

OMG I just searched for it and you're right! Well that's embarrassing. Not sure where I got that idea from.  

Dos it start with P?

[stevewinn]

Haiti is a right mess, and if it wasn't for the loss of life some would say the earthquake actually improved the place.

like has been said any money given to the country is never going to be paid back.


here's a very nice offer.
http://news.bbc.co.u...ica/8463921.stm

Edited by stevewinn, 26 January 2010 - 04:36 PM.

[conspiracybeliever]

questionmark, on 26 January 2010 - 02:53 PM, said:

Cheap shot. The chances of ever seeing tat money again are so minimal that it does not need to be written off.



Dos it start with P?

P?

[ExpandMyMind]

stevewinn, on 26 January 2010 - 04:35 PM, said:

Haiti is a right mess, and if it wasn't for the loss of life some would say the earthquake actually improved the place.

like has been said any money given to the country is never going to be paid back.


here's a very nice offer.
http://news.bbc.co.u...ica/8463921.stm

wow. now that's something you don't see every day. what a kind gesture, truly.



and who's military will be there if the people of haiti decide to take them up on the offer?

good luck to whoever runs next against obama after he's aquired a 52nd state!   quite an achievement that would be.

Edited by expandmymind, 26 January 2010 - 04:58 PM.

[Lord Umbarger]

Not the 1, on 26 January 2010 - 05:59 AM, said:

I think the point being is that they could never pay it off in the begining. Have to use the old saying, can't get blood from a stone.

That's true! But, as the Sargent at the jail I used to work at used to say: "You can't get blood from a stone but, you CAN own the stone!". Smart guy on some things.

On a different note, I heard a rumor the other day that the French were saying that the troops the U.S. sent to Haiti for the relief effort were the vanguard of an occupation of the place. Has anyone else heard this one? I mean firstly, why would we even want that place> It's the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. No resources, no industry, nothing. Not to put the people that live there down or anything but, in all honesty, they'd be nothing more than a drag on an already flagging U.S. economy.

Edited by Lord Umbarger, 26 January 2010 - 08:07 PM.

[Lord Umbarger]

expandmymind, on 26 January 2010 - 04:57 PM, said:

good luck to whoever runs next against obama after he's aquired a 52nd state!   quite an achievement that would be.

"Fifty-SECOND state? When did we get a fifty FIRST one? See what I get for missing U.M. staff meetings!?! I go screw around for a few months and Scotland petitions Congress for statehood! I can't leave this forum for a minute, can I? LOL!

[danielost]

how come no one demands that other nations write off the usa's debt when we have a major natural disaster.

[ninjadude]

danielost, on 27 January 2010 - 12:55 AM, said:

how come no one demands that other nations write off the usa's debt when we have a major natural disaster.

I'm trying really hard to resist saying something REALLY snarky. I'll just point out you live in the richest country on earth.

[danielost]

ninjadude, on 27 January 2010 - 01:42 AM, said:

I'm trying really hard to resist saying something REALLY snarky. I'll just point out you live in the richest country on earth.

i live in the country with the biggest debt.

[ninjadude]

danielost, on 27 January 2010 - 01:44 AM, said:

i live in the country with the biggest debt.

are you just being dense? when you have nothing any debt is greater than our debt because we have much.