Was the island sold?

There is rumor that the island has been sold to a foreign development group.  The claim is that the now former President Martially sold the island on the final days of his presidency.  Is this true?

From the sounds of it, it seems as if the President signed a contract with a foreign development company.  Now the president doesn't own Haiti so selling the land isn't something that he would be able to do.  Also keep in mind that the Haitian Parliament has to vote on the issue.  Given that there is currently no president in the country, the chances of movement on this issue this year is slim.  Also a new president can possible back out of the deal.

Here is my stance.  As I have been advocating for many years now, the island should develop as a Special Administrative Region that is RULED by the HAITIANS on the island!  Period!  If folks would ban together, push for a special region, then the locals can avoid potential issues such as this.  Currently people on the island are sitting ducks.  With the lack of businesses and jobs, there isn't an incentive for the Haitian Government to be vested in the folks on the island.  When a proposal (pie in the sky idea) is presented where it shows the pretty and fancy, then it does sound very attractive to the Haitian Government.  Another entity is going to develop the island without the Haitian government having to do it, then yes, why wouldn't the government agree.  The problem is that each life on the island will change in a drastic way.  Look at Dubai for example.  You have the HAVES and the HAVE NOTS.  The Have Nots build all of the pretty and fancy that the Haves live in.  The Have Nots then after working all day for little pay, live in a run down building that is far from the Haves.  If you think that locals on the island would gain more from some entity vs on their own, you are wrong.  You will see many people displaced, land taken, and them forced to live wherever a foreigner decides for them to live.  Basically someone bought the rights to play "build-a-country" with actual living people.

While Haiti would still own the island, the foreign group will import thousands of other foreigners from every place in the world to live there.  So the island that you love will not at all look the same.  If anything, it will look like you are in some city in Florida vs Haiti.  Expect discrimination, violence, lack of rights, etc.

Simply put, the locals and not-for-profits need to join together and push that local leaders on the island form a Special Administrative Region before it is too late!

Go Gonave!