The Bureau of Monetization of Development Aid Programs (BMPAD) has officially launched this week, the Project of housing reconstruction (PRODEPUR-Habitat) of Carrefour Feuilles, together with its partners, including the World Bank, the mayor of Port-au-Prince and the Center for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) in the presence of Haitian Prime Minister, Dr. Garry Conille.

"The year 2012 in Haiti, is the year of many opportunities, of the light at the end of the tunnel," said with confidence the Prime Minister, Dr. Conille, who stressed ts government's involvement in many projects of social housing, for a total investment of USD$100 million.

The reconstruction project is intended to give a framework of sustainable and decent life for the people of Carrefour Feuille, area south of downtown. The objective will be to transform the area by removing the rubble, to make it safe and improve the flow of traffic as a pedestrian, renovate and rebuild private homes as well as public infrastructure and make return here people displaced in temporary camps. Fiduciary responsibility of the project of 7 million dollars is assumed by the BMPAD, thanks to a donation from the World Bank.

The project will be implemented on the ground by CECI, as a contracting authority representative, by relying on a community approach to mobilize the stakeholders in the area throughout the process. A council of participatory development project (COPRODEP) has been created as part of the Urban Participatory Development Project (PRODEPUR), so that grassroots groups can propose, select, implement and maintain the new facilities.

"The project also includes a Community mechanism which will work to resolve conflicts in land rights," current problems in Haiti that can slow down the efforts and generate resentment informed Michael Lecorps of BMPAD in Haiti.

"The commitment of a community, it does take time, but hire a contractor abroad, it is not sustainable," stresses Alexandre Abrantes, he World Bank representative in Haiti, which indicates that this project also promises to address issues prior to January 10, 2010, like the lack of housing and floodplain management.

Jean Yves Muscadin Jason, the Mayor of Port-au-Prince, while officially opening the launching ceremony, has focused on the inclusion in the project of the Centre of support for reconstruction (CAR), that will serve as a meeting and discussion place for the stakeholders, will provide technical assistance to the reconstruction and will ensure the implementation of new standards for construction. "So, we will be able to reconstruct this other Port-au-Prince possible," he concluded.

HL/ HaitiLibre