Recently I heard an interview with Former President Clinton, Special Envoy to the UN to Haiti. I would like help in obtaining information from this.

Preident Clinton stated that Paul farmer had withdrawn his name from consideration . Do you knowto what this is in reference . What role and agency was this? What were the dynamics involved and from where were they generated?

Thank You,
Judith Hodges

I agree with some other comments. Having been in Haiti now for three years and experiencing fist hand the lack of coordination an general chaos here, I am glad to see you ask some tough questions to the “power brokers” involved. No disrespect to Dr. Farmer, as I believe he is sincere, but he is now a part of the “machine” that essentially drives Haiti. The great lack of accountability, zero corrdination, and major money being spent here without recognizable results is truly amazing.

Look forward to following your reporting, thank you.

Bill Vastine
Cibolo Texas/Petion-ville Haiti

I’d encourage folks to read Tracy Kidder’s excellent biographical account of Paul Farmer’s work in Haiti to learn more about him.

I do think the comment about Paul’s transportation is a cheap shot, because it implies that Paul was somehow responsible for riding in an expensive car. I’ve met very few people in my life who care less about having material goods like nice cars than Paul- I doubt Paul even owns a car. My guess is that the UN or other organization arranged the transport, and Paul just got in the car he was told to get into (disclosure- Paul is a friend and a member of my NGO’s board of directors).

The facts that the UN uses vehicles that cost the equivalent of 547 years’ living expenses for many Haitians (if true), or holds its events at expensive hotels so far removed from the experience of average Haitians are fair game for discussion. I think Paul’s participation with the UN mission in Haiti- which he and other human rights advocates have criticized- is fair game as well. But merely stating the cost of the car Paul jumped into, without more context, seems like an unfair implication that Paul is the type of person who wastes urgently needed money in Haiti on frivolous luxury goods.