70 percent of 8 million unemployed in Haiti

In a country of eight million people, over two million living in and around the capital, it is shocking that 90 percent live in poverty and 70 percent are unemployed. This is evident in Cite Soleil — the slums where the streets are blocked with mounds of burning garbage, the drains are filled with debris and children walk the streets naked and bare footed. There is a strong smell of burning garbage and people here are afraid to talk as shootings are still taking place. This area is one where much fighting continues. I left for the general hospital as this was the closest hospital to the fighting. On arrival there I learnt that there was no water and electricity for three weeks, and there was no gas to power the generators.

The nurses volunteered to work 14 hours at a time to attend to the injured. Haitian doctors did not come out to work since the fighting started. The only doctors there were Cuban doctors who did everything. One nurse said they feared for their lives as people would come in with weapons to kill any rivals, so patients were treated and either sent home or transferred to a private hospital. At Canape Vert Hospital,  guarded by French troops since there were government officials present, I found some victims of the fighting. Madsen Alexis, 40, was on a motor cycle with his friend going home when they were run over by a car. His hip and pelvic area were crushed, while his friend was killed instantly. His brother Henry said  he saw about 50 people killed in about five minutes. Henry said he was his brother’s keeper and that was how it should be, when it comes to Haiti.

Wilio Augoste, 19, was shot in the mouth four days ago while studying on his balcony. His mother Exane Exilus said  if the country was good that would not happen to her son. Patrick Brasil, 25, an art student was standing outside of his house when he was shot over the left eye by a stray bullet, but says  he plans to finish art school. Mimelle Valentin, 44, a mother of six who lives with her mother and sister and is the only one working, was going to the wholesale market to buy oranges when she was shot in the back. After they shot her they took everything she had.

Deerival Eskanier, 28, was on his way to the industrial estate on Wednesday to see if he had work that day when he was shot through the stomach, the bullet exiting his back. Then there is Pierre Catone, 40, a self employed mason and sole breadwinner in a family of three, who was shot when he was standing  on a chair in his house fixing the ceiling. On leaving I learnt that this was an expensive hospital and there were many other people who were at home, because they could not afford any kind of health care.