Haiti still in crisis
A United Nations expert says quake-ravaged Haiti remains in a “profound humanitarian crisis” and that reconstruction must begin urgently.
The statement issued Tuesday by Walter Kaelin cites “no substantial progress toward durable solutions.”
Kaelin is the UN’s representative on refugee rights.
He issued the statement from Geneva about a month after visiting Haiti.
He urges international donors to provide flexible, targeted funding and says Haiti’s government should endorse a plan for an estimated 1.3 million people still living in temporary camps.
Caribbean economic prospects improve
The International Monetary Fund says the Caribbean region is gradually recovering from last year’s severe recession.
In a new report the IMF says tourism appears to have turned the corner.
But it notes that tough employment markets in the US and Europe constrain the industry’s growth prospects.
Real output in the Caribbean is likely to grow a marginal 1% this year after declining more than 3% last year.
The IMF says prospects are somewhat more favourable in countries with lower debt burdens and lower dependence on tourism.
It says the key challenge for the Caribbean lies in cutting budget deficits and national debt while strengthening competitiveness.
