Speech #970098231

Unfortunately. these many wouldbe benefactors not only fail to coordinate with each other but also compete with each other to hire away the few trained government officials available to follow through on projects. What is required. as Congressman LONG of Maryland has long insisted. is a complete overhaul of the USAID program in Haiti. Although the Reagan administrations reduction of more than 30 percent in the proposed AID budget for Haiti runs counter to its own interests in reducing illegal immigration. it is difficult to argue for more when the funds previously appropriated have been spentor misspentwith so little effect. We need a comprehensive and detailed development plan for the Haitian economy as a whole. emphasizing the direct delivery of assistance to the people of Haiti. avoiding transfers of funds to the Haitian Government. avoiding the traditional AID bias toward unnecessary capital expenditures when there are countless Haitians desperate to do the work for which AID purchases American machinery. and encouraging the more efficient and farsighted use of Haitis scarce agricultural resources. The program needs more detail in the planning stages and less delay in execution.