Haiti Recovery Strategies

[Ric]

What strategies should be considered for Haiti Earthquake Recovery
Planning?
Capital and/or Airport Relocation?
Reforestation?
New Capital Master Plan?
New Regional Plan?
Building & Zoning Code Updates?

[Hari Srinivas]

A little bit of all, depending on what priorities have been identified
and put in motion.

Note that much of the recovery and reconstruction efforts will be led
by the national government, which international/bilateral
organizations (UN, World Bank, USAID, EU, GTZ, et al) will fund. The
key here is visibility (that as urban planners, we are available), and
on-the-ground links (any ISOCARP members from Haiti?? how many of us
on this list can speak Spanish?)

Does Haiti have a national planning body? If so we need to contact
them and let them know of us and our desire to help. If not, we need
to find out who is responsible for planning and then inform them.

Thanks,
Hari

[Nuin-Tara]

I would add an economic development plan to Ric's list (maybe this is
incorporated into a regional plan...).

Also, the official languages of Haiti are French Creole and French, so
I think we should also take a tally of how many of us speak either of
those languages in addition to Spanish.

I don't speak Spanish or French Creole, but have basic French skills.
Others?

[Ric]

Shi Nan, Secretary General of the Urban Planning Society of China, has
forwarded several documents on Chinese earthquake recovery programs.
They are located in the Files section.
Thank you!

> > > Building & Zoning Code Updates?- Hide quoted text -
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> - Show quoted text -

[andor]

I agree with the comment that economic development should be part of
our strategy. The high death toll associated with this earthquake as
well as the destruction from the hurricanes in 2008 is a direct result
of the grinding poverty burdening the country's population. The
deforestation in the country stems from a failed energy policy where
only 33,5 % of the population are connected to the grid 54% of energy
needs are met by traditional fuels to the detriment of the
environment. In the highly fossil fuel dependent Caribbean region,
poverty and inadequate energy supplies often go hand-in-hand.

In Haiti where there is such a high potential for producing energy via
biomass, solar, wind and hydro, (renewable) energy should be a main
focus of energy policy and economic development. Sustainable energy
and economic policy should be a key tool to guiding the country out of
poverty and reducing its exposure to shocks both natural and economic.
My involvement in the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum and work in
this field in Eastern Europe has demonstrated to me that any effort to
reduce poverty and inequality in this region must address energy
issues.

[RosilPlanner]

In regards to a Haitian planning body:

Perhaps the Haitian embasy in DC could provide this,
or here is a link to their departments with address and phone numbers.

http://www.toiledhaiti.com/gouver/minis.htm

Rosil

[Ric]

[From Alex Macgregor]

1. I am uncertain that a snapshot UPAT is the right way to go about
this thing.
I think the scale and extent of the work needing to be done will take
several years
and could eventually require the setting up of a working project
officer on the island who can draw in from ISOCARP the professional
skills that will be needed from time to time. The exercise will
require some fairly astute and competitive pricing to appeal to
potential funders. I know from discussions with various consultants
that the price we charge for UPATs is considered to be peanuts. we, on
the other hand are seeking to allow the employers whomsoever they may
be maximum professional help at reasonable cost freeing up money for
development work.

HOWEVER FOR THE MOMENT

2. I suggest that the best possible beginning would be for a small
team to get together to visit the island without delay to get a sense
of the sheer immensity of the damage. they could begin to assemble
information. photos, maps, historical records, political structures,
if any, banks, economic base such as produce, tourism (even though
this is/was unlikely, the other bit of the island i.e. dominica, does
attract a lot of American visitors.
A. the team would must assemble data without which we cannot really
proceed.
B. data such as what form the local/central authority takes (elected
or whatever), what planning and building control laws and by-laws
exist to control development and its build quality. are there any
other control measures in place or is it a free for all. are there
any building records of say the last 50 years
C. is there a GIS data coverage of any kind, to indicate
infrastructure, gas, electricity, transportation networks, potable
water, sewage, rubbish disposal and so forth.
D. extent of any ordinance related map coverage, extant local
authority/central government civil service structures (if any and also
if elected) everyone remembers "papa doc duvalier" and the other
dreadful gangsters who ran the country. if there is no plebiscite
who will control the new PORT AU PRINCE as it grows again and what
shape will it take and in what context, with what sort of public
consultation and what kind of governance.
E. I have other things to say here but the above will suffice for the
moment. however, now is not the time for in situ student involvement.
there will be tremendous opportunities for professional and academic
interfaces and live/studio projects especially with the universities
offering courses in dealing with disaster in its many guises.

3. Despite the donations rolling steadily in this is likely to peter
out and the really serious funding for reconstruction will have to
come from somewhere and therefore will fall within someone else's
constraints and strictures.
I have had experience of work in Tanzania where I was appalled to see
so many inexperienced faces running about in 4 by 4's working for
this international or that international agency. the sheer number of
these consultant youthful wallahs was depressing as the humming
activity did not match any significant change on the ground. this
disaster will certainly draw everyone and his aunty to haiti like a
swarm of flies. there is nothing new about disasters they will
continue and be mindless of even bigger issues about global warming
etc. so lets concentrate on the matter in hand. you were in the azores
with me and you well remember the dark blue tents which were provided
to shelter the folk made homeless by the fairly constant earthquakes
in that area. we need shelter for people first and foremost. get the
tents from the azores or anywhere else for that matter.

4. you well know my approach to urban design and architecture which is
to build on the past with a keen eye to the future and absolutely no
tricky 'starchitecture'. we therefore must know what has been
irretrievably lost and what can be restored from the heritage of the
place. there is nothing new in this, think london, berlin, the forum
in rome (un-restored but mindful of history). the previous PORT AU
PRINCE city plan layout must be fully researched and somehow or other
used to inform any new city plan making which will be as safe as
contemporary methods can make it and its buildings against future
earthquakes.

5. the transportation guys will also want whatever information they
can get about road conditions, structure drainage safety, etc. the
economic guys will have
their work cut out trying to sort out the shaky politics, denuded
landscapes, excising poverty by whatever means they can be it tourism
or fruit growing, etc. perhaps there are lessons to be learned from
neighboring dominica.

4. we, at ISOCARP, offer genuine expertise across the spectrum of
experience and ability. moreover, we work on the spot with the guys
concerned and it is all done with the minimum of fuss and bother.
there is no vast superstructure to support, etc. and our track record
is superb. we should strive to keep it that way and let our work
continue to build our international reputation

Alex Macgregor