Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

A couple of vlogs I wrote about a video sharing website.  I talked about how it was similar to YouTube in allowing members to share, create, and watch videos.  You setup a small profile and you can then be a part of the site.  I also wanted to add additional features to the site. One of the features of this yet to be named video sharing site, will be a podcast app.  This will allow members to start their own podcasts.  This will also allow online radio stations as well.  I am not sure if I will have featured sites where they are company established podcasts, or if I will allow users to post their own. Having a podcast app will allow a well rounded experience for members.  Some of these podcast could be all music channels with little to no talk, some will be talk shows, some will be random podcasts that Haitians create.  All would be centered and focused around Haitians. These podcasts and video sharing will be Haitian based and will potentially hire locals who will be part of so

One thing that you see all over the internet is the cost of doing business in Haiti.  From the purchase of food in some areas, to the cost of attractions (mainly at Labadae), to the cost of hotels. Selling things extremely high, just because you might get someone to pay higher, isn't a good strategy.  Keep in mind that people will vote with their money.  I have experienced this with buying honeybees.  The cost of what a Haitian beekeeper was selling the bees, I could have bought two hives in the US.  Just because someone can pay more, doesn't meant THEY will.  The function of the co-op is to cut out the price gouging, as it also impacts other peer Haitians as well.  High hotel costs, even as the luxury ones, doesn't help anyone either.  Keep in mind most resorts in the Dominican Republic are better known and cheaper than many of the hotels that are considered luxury. This isn't an attack on Haiti, or Haitians.  This is saying that the mentality has to change.  The

I have been putting together the pieces for a video sharing website that will have a strong focus on Haiti.  Similar to YouTube in the US, and similar to Afreeca TV in S. Korea, this would be a video sharing website, but wouldn't offer streaming services. The hope is to have a few corporate channels where viewers can go and watch those specific channels.  In addition regular viewers will be able to videos as well.  Individual users will be able to view, upload, and share their own videos. The site would require a free membership, and users would have their own personal page where they can upload a picture of themselves, it will have all of their recent activity, and they can link their account to Facebook, so they can share videos on Facebook as well as the video sharing site.  I am still in the early stages of this, and will be aiming to get some Haitian advertisers who will add revenue to the site.  The goal is to eventually setup the site and have it headquartered on La Gon

There are many ways one can cook their food.  You have your typical electric stove, you have propane stoves, natural gas, and you also have the use of charcoal amongst other options.  All of the above have their advantages and disadvantages. Electric stoves are really common, however in a country with very little electricity, this isn't a good option.  Propane is risky in an earthquake zone in my opinion.  The lines can easy come apart creating additional issues.  Also consider that propane stoves can be very expensive.  You also have to rely on fossil fuels.  Natural gas, similar to everything I mentioned about propane.  On top of that, bringing these fuels in can be very hard challenge.  La Gonave doesn't have a large port where these fuels can be pumped into on-shore tanks.  Charcoal is bad as it destroys the environment.  There are other stoves that use sticks, dry grass, etc. One option that so far has us looking at is alcohol stoves. Westmarine.com These stoves

One idea to keep continuous supply of cash flowing into the co-op is to have a hotel.  Tourism is returning back to Haiti and most of that is centered in and around Port-au-Prince.  So putting a simple hotel in Port-au-Prince is really a smart choice for the future.  As you know I am a fan of shipping containers, and being the country's major port city, it is easy to get these containers in, and to move them in place.  This hotel would be very simple and only contain at most 12 rooms.  While it wouldn't be a major hotel, it would provide strong revenue into the Co-Op.  This will allow the co-op to employ staff that is needed once the Co-Op is larger.  Transporting, packaging, etc. are all jobs that are with the greater good of the cooperative, but not profit making ventures. To combat the problem of the Co-Op not being able to fun much larger programs, outside revenue sources are needed.  This will prevent the need for investments from outside sources or loan program

June 26th of this year a large concert that was organized by mega producer Swizz Beats was done, and Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne performed.  Swizz Beats did as well, but obviously the two star attractions were Lil Wayne and Chris Brown.  Some say the Haitian government paid money to bring these folks over to give a free concert, others, such as Swizz Beats claims the artist paid for it themselves.  People were saying that the President, who is a musician, paid for this concert to possibly win a re-election.  The government stated that this will boost tourism to Haiti and will be a boost to the economy.  People were saying if the concert cost $2 million US, then imagine how many people that could have been feed, or housing, etc. Here is my take. In the large scale of things, $2 million is a drop in the bucket for what Haiti needs.  Sure $2 million is nothing to sneeze at, but if the thought of buying food aid or giving food to people is right, then I would like to challenge that. 

So what does a Memorandum of Understanding mean for La Gonave and how does it impact the community? Well a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU is an agreement of two or more groups, entities, people, etc where they make serious requests and propositions with each other.  It isn't a legally binding contract, but an agreement. So this means that La Gonave and Hurko, would enter into an agreement where land on La Gonave would either be purchased, loaned, or leased, in exchange for improvements and/or development.  The agreement wouldn't cost Anse-a-Galets money, nor would taxpayers be involved.  It would use land that could be for profit making by Hurko.  The agreement wouldn't allow Hurko to sell the property to another party, but it would allow another party to own any property that Hurko has on the land, and to take over any lease. If the land is leased to Hurko, it would probably be at no expense to the company, in exchange for investment into the community.  This a

The city of Anse-a-Galets, Let's Build Gonave, Haiti, and Hurko will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU.  I will be working with/for Hurko to make the honeybee project a reality. The purpose of the MOU is to develop a viable honeybee operation on the island of La Gonave.  Given that city land will be needed for some parts of the project, a MOU is needed to show that all parties are serious about moving forward. I had mentioned in a few earlier posts about the city park/plaza revitalization and how it would require the city's approval.  While this is still the case, a MOU will be sent to the city in the middle of February with work on the plaza to be done later. The plaza will form part of the proposed honeybee highway which will serve as the spine of the honeybee operation.  This highway is needed since the lack of fodder for the honeybees are somewhat limited on the island. This MOU paints a clearer picture for the future of La Gonave and it's farmin

With the Focus City concept I had talked about how that would work, the players involved, and how it will impact La Gonave. I mentioned that manufacturing is important and even a small manufacturer would be needed in the Focus City to help echo a strong movement of investment on La Gonave.  This is why it is important for the mayor of Anse-a-Galets to help create and establish an industrial park. Now not just your typical industrial park, but one that is innovative.  My proposal is a small technology park of around 10 acres.  One acre would be set aside for a business incubator building, which would help create new technology ideas which could then build the next new company.  A couple of speculative buildings would be built to help ease the process for new firms to locate into the park.  Our idea would be a 10,000 sq. ft and a 15,000 sq. ft speculative buildings.  Also just outside of the park would be a biomass/fuel power plant.  While the power plant would run some of the bu