Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

Additional honeybee equipment has been purchased.  We are getting hive tools, and several queen cages shipped in all the way from Hong Kong.  The purchase of the actual hive boxes will be this month in Seattle.  Shipping is usually more than the hives themselves so these larger items will be picked up in person. We e many different types of plants and fruit plants that will make it's way to Haiti.  We have done some research to see how to best grow these crops and how to best make soil amendments.  Not only will diverse food be available for local Haitians, but also honeybees will make it possible for these crops to exist. Our orders are now 3 months behind due to the volume of items we are purchasing, and the distance they are coming from.  Our Seattle office is the perfect place to get these shipments in due to our location to Asia.  This drives down the cost of doing business in Haiti, which will set our cooperative apart from most of the ones ...

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 me...

Speaking with a few economist, the idea of having a minimum wage on Gonave is very important.  While the wage will be almost doubled or more than doubled the rate that workers get in Haiti.  The economist I talked to mentioned that a $1.31 US wage will still allow Gonave to be competitive to China, where they get paid double that rate.  The rate also allows the island the ability to meet the residents needs, while staying competitive, and allowing a living wage. The idea is to create a Special Administrative Region of Gonave.  A semi-autonomous region of Haiti, where the citizens on the island decide tax, wage, immigration, laws, etc.  One of the key things would be to create it's own currency.  As with to the Hong Kong Dollar, the Gonave Dollar would pegged to the US Dollar.  The US Dollar is the most stable, currency in the world that is heavily traded.  It would instantly give the Gonave Dollar strength.  Residents would be able to trad...

I was working with an attorney a few months back about developing a Basic Law document for Gonave.  In short a Basic Law would be very similar to a nation's constitution, except Gonave wouldn't be it's own nation.  As a result of being just an autonomous region, Gonave would have Basic Law, which is very similar to Hong Kong, and Macau which have a similar structure. I had even considered putting part of the Gonave Basic Law proposal online, but decided against it.  The document wasn't complete, and also for many other reasons.  I will talk some about the Basic Law idea, and how it will be important moving forward.  The persons who could run for office for example would have to meet the requirements of getting a Gonave ID with full right of/to abode. The Basic Law for Gonave would a legal document that establishes Gonave as a Special Administrative Region (or Zone).  The region would be within the Republic of Haiti, and while it is an autonomous, Haiti...

Imagine La Gonave is leased to a newly created not-for-profit that would serve as the island's government.  Imagine the Treaty of Gonave, where a lease is established with the not-for-profit and Haiti.  The island would not only self govern, but Haiti wouldn't have any financial responsibility.  The only responsibilities Haiti would have would be military protection, and international representation. While it sounds far from reality, it is a strong possibility.  Haiti can't really afford to take care of the island of La Gonave effectively.  A treaty that establishes Haiti owning the island, but allows a large amount of autonomy could be a way to solve La Gonave's problems. Financial policy, immigration, job creation, housing, politics, etc would all be at the hand of that not-for-profit.  That not-for-profit by the way, would be staffed and ran by residents on the island of Gonave.  Parts of the government structure could contain some people from ...

As you know, if you read my blogs, that I have had two surveys out.  One asking if Gonave should be it's own country.  The other asking if Gonave should be a Special Administrative Region similar to Hong Kong, but still a part of Haiti. Well so far, my unofficial results are, 57% feel that Gonave should not be it's own country.  Given what is going on S. Sudan, it makes sense.  A whopping 80% feel that it should be a Special Administrative Region similar to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. In the end, it should be up to the people who reside on the island of Gonave, and that cooperation with the Haitian government is important.  We at Let's Build Haiti will make sure that we focus on the needs of the people of Gonave. Go Gonave!

A few people have written to me asking what is a SAR, or Special Administrative Region, and how will it work on Gonave. Well this is a very interesting concept, as only two places in the world that I'm aware of, practice this form of government.  One being Macau, and the other being Hong Kong.  I use Hong Kong in this and other examples because I'm more familiar with Hong Kong and have even visited there. With Hong Kong, they have their own form of government which controls everything from monetary policy, to judicial laws, immigration, education, housing, etc.  The only thing Hong Kong or Macau doesn't control are foreign policy or have a military.  Since both areas had their "hand over" China is responsible for foreign policy and military.  Hong Kong has it's own currency, passports, immigration laws, flag, but shares the same anthem, and has Basic Law, which is its version of a Constitution. Now how will all of this work on Gonave?  Well due to ma...

On the blog, there are two polls.  These are just rhetorical questions about what should happen to Gonave.  This could one day be a deciding factor that impacts not only Haiti and Gonavians, but also the entire Western Hemisphere. First poll asks: Should Gonave be its own country? Second poll asks:  Should Gonave be a Special Administrative Region still a part of Haiti, or should Gonave be it's own Country?   Weigh in on what you think would be the best for Gonave.  Eventually I will create a forums topic where you can discuss several different things all dealing with Gonave.  But first things first, be part of the solution and get involved by voting on the page.  

Why not one country two systems? On my site I talk Gonave having its own independence, and being a separate country.   While this could be a great thing, it could also be a major league problem.   Many things have to be done to actually have your own country, and you need a large amount of money as well.   While some countries have been newly established, such as South Sudan, the road to success has been very bumpy. Not only do you have to have your own military, but you have to have your own constitution, judicial system for laws, political parties, etc.   The costs and complexity are enormous, and you have to make sure that you don’t have other countries who are much more powerful, take you out. With that said, why not adopt a policy that China setup many years ago, that is still practiced today.   The have a One Country, Two Systems.   Here is how it breaks down, the one country being China, and the Two Systems being Capitalism, and Soc...