Business
Bulk of Haiti earthquake aid went to U.S. firms, organizations – Latest report
In Haiti, Chemonics has received more than the next three largest recipients since 2010, a total of US$196 million, or 17 percent of the total amount.
In Haiti, Chemonics’ mandate has involved setting up a temporary structure for Parliament, renovation of public plazas and repair of the country’s main courthouse, as well as organizing televised debates for the 2011 presidential election.
Typically, major players such as Chemonics subcontract project work to smaller firms, some of them of them local.
USAID has awarded US$27.8 million of the US$1.15 billion to Haitian and Haitian-American firms since the earthquake, according to the agency’s website.
The obstacles blocking Haitian businesses from the contracts are many. They’re often not competitive because they may not be able to get the financing they need from local banks.
Smaller firms also lack the resources to prepare costly, time-consuming applications, nor do they have the big companies’ track records in other parts of the world or the kinds of connections that help open the right doors.
The report said subcontract information should be made available and called for increasing direct contracts for Haitian entities.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
