The tremendous outpouring of support from around the world and from right here on Bainbridge Island for the victims of the Haitian earthquake has been nothing short of extraordinary. The only thing that has been overlooked is how that poor country has gotten to be where it is that left hundreds of thousands so easily exposed to the impact of this earthquake.

To be sure, a quake of this dimension would have wrought horrendous damage and injury under all circumstances. But Haiti and its people have been victimized for generations by internal corruption, corporate exploitation and other factors that made those poor people even more exposed to the ravages of the recent earthquake.

We ourselves have not helped much in the past, given our own backing of some questionable political fiefdoms in Haiti over the years.

The point is that despite the extraordinary response of good people around the world, little has been discussed about how to minimize the impact of further disturbances. And also, how to help that impoverished nation not only to recover from the horrendous human and financial damage but how to start building an economy and other systems to make the people more protected, productive and on the road to redevelopment that will be good for all Haitians.

Joseph Honick

Olympus Beach