By Christine Jean-Pierre

 CSMS Magazine Staff WriterThe island nation of Haiti has been devasted this year by three major hurricanes: Fay, Ike, Gustav and tropical storm Hanna. The death toll from these major disasters rises up to nearly a thousand, and about eight hundred thousand injured from these powerful storms. The areas hit the most were the towns of Gonaives, Cabaret, and Port-De-Paix. Many Haitians question the Haitian government on its intension to create preventive measures in order to avoid future disasters.Many agree that the Preval government could have done more to prevent these catastrophes. Others believe if there were strong soil conditions and sustainable levees in the mountainous regions of Haiti, the storms would not have been so brutal. Haiti could have registered low death rates considering the fact that most of the destruction was caused not by heavy winds, but rather by mudslides.             To begin with, the Haitian government is said to concentrate its focus now on preemptive measures—a kind of speech that is all too familiar to the masses. Past governments have done practically nothing to stop the deforestation or have performed any measures to protect the citizens from the storms.  The Haitian government does not have any nationally enforced policy concerning the cutting of trees, no specialized taxed levees on the hurricane struck areas and no state of emergency evacuation methods for people living in poor rugged areas.            In addition, there are transparent reasons why the hurricanes were so catastrophic to Haiti.  Majority of the population tend to live in flatlands near the ocean, and how life is destroyed in the storm is depended on the angle of a shantytown or a village. The poor also tend live in on a little incline or a hill, which means residents have strong chance of being washed away by rain or mud.            Meanwhile, there are steps being taken to help the thousands of severely injured and hunger stricken people of Haiti during the hurricane season. The United Nations just appealed for over hundred million dollars for disaster relief to be carried out by UN agencies and non-governmental organizations with partnership with the international Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement. The UN is also urging donor countries to donate one hundred and eight million dollars to support recovery and relief efforts for about six months.Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean and American actor Matt Damon were in Haiti last week for the charities Yele Haiti and Not on My watch aimed at raising awareness about the flood victims in Cabaret and in Gonaives.  The Haitian Konpa band T-vice was also in Haiti where it signed a deal with a well-known merchant in Haiti to donate food to hurricane victims in Gonaives.            CSMS Magazine believes that while proactive measures are underway to help storm victims on the island, it is important to keep a close eye on the leprechauns who are waiting in the wings to fill their lots off the misery of a deprived population. Despite government corruption and lack of government involvement in social and educational developments, Haiti is still a beautiful country inside and out, and if one continues to ignore the many problems plaguing the country, the true essence of what the country is and what it could become in the future will definitely be lost.     Also see:  Haiti lies in ruin after being struck by hurricanes Robert Manuel’s rejection: A second blow to René Préval A vote 51-35 derailed Preval’s effort to install new Prime Minister Rene Prevsl takes officeHaiti: the lies will never endWill Haiti Ever Regain Its Sanity?Will Haiti ever achieve responsible governance?High Noon for René Préval in Haiti