My Latest Dispatch From Haiti

26 January 2010

Good Morning! RED ZONE/GREEN ZONE still seems to be an issue when getting aidto different neighborhoods.

All Haitians are EQUAL. Some Haitians are more EQUAL than others.

I'm hearing rumors that Carrefour Feuille is not receiving the internationalattention warranted by the destruction there.

Drove in a car yesterday 4 the first time. Saw more from the car but you don'tFEEL THE PEOPLE.You don't get a sense of the people...Like TV.

My son flies back to college tomorrow. He didn't want to abandon us. Missed aweek of school. We told him it's time to go.

What happened to money from 6 years of devastation. Big Black Hole. Go visitGonaives if u don't believe me.We need new people involved, NOW.

Has anyone ever heard of an audit? Historically, devastation funds don't gowhere they're supposed to. What's the difference this time?

2009 was the YEAR of FRAUD in Haiti.

If Haiti is part of IMF auditing system, then why is no one in JAIL?

Some people are just showing up and looking for ways to help "on the ground".

Don't know what advice to give.

It's not recovery if it's embedded in FRAUD and CORRUPTION.Did you see thoseelections last year? Internat. Comm. 100% approve.

Going to try and find a bank today. The ones in this neighborhood havecrumbled...

I hear the long lines aren't at the banks; the lines are at the money transferplaces.I'll find out soon.

The Central Bank isn't open yet so things aren't really functioning money wise.Long lines at Cam Transfer and Western Union.

To drive around the whole city of PauP is too unbelievable. Destructioneverywhere. Found an open Sogebank at Delmas 48.

People are asking me about donations. I recommend:Gheskio, Fonkoze, Lambi Fundand Red Cross.Google them for more info.

Visa and other credit cards are not functioning in Haiti yet. Maybe by nextweek.

The guards at the palace are eating food from USAID.

I had this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach while driving around today.

The devastation is too much to take in at once.

If the Palace doesn't have food, what's that tell you about every one else?

Folks are telling me the Dominicans are doing a great job at water/fooddistribution as well as hot meals; also giving big bags of rice.

I haven't seen any Haitian Govt presence since day 1. Today I drove around townand didn't see a traffic cop or a clean up crew. Nothing.

I guess the Haitian Govt is too busy raising money for themselves to helparound town...

Considering amount of AID allocated 2 Gonaives during last 6 years for disasterrelief,considering how much relief;we got problems.

The UN was becoming part of the problem.Never said anything about disappearingAID and approved fraudulent elections.

We're living day to day trying to supply world press withinternet, food, drink, water and mattresses. Found food for Haitians. That's Good.

I've been in the RED ZONE for most of the decade. I've had cops dressed in blackwith ski masks try and freak out my guests.

I've had no news on the libraries or Archives Nationale.

There's a pretty heavy-duty PR campaign against African based religions as wellas Afro Caribbean religions; KNOW YOUR ROOTS.

Gheskio may be the first AIDS research organization in the world and is solidlybacked by Cornell University. Exception proves the rule.

I hear 13,000 US troops on the island but I only saw two sand colored jeepstoday as I drove around town. Indecision??

It almost rained tonight. Light sprinkles. It seems so quiet now. I'm going to tryand find some tents for some of my staff and band tomorrow

I hope the Haitian people and their allies can figure out a way to get thissituation under control. So much to do...Time to say Good Night

Signing out, 1:30 A.M. -- Port-au-Prince, Haiti.