21. USAID/OTI's Politicized, Problematic Cash-for-Work Programs
(Matching tags: contractors, usaid, aristide, chemonics, dai, fanmi lavalas)

Last week the Associated Press reported, "Out of every $100 of U.S. contracts now paid out to rebuild Haiti, Haitian firms have successfully won $1.60". The AP focused on two of the largest contractors ...

22. Haitian Companies Bypassed in Favor of DC Area Contractors with Poor Track Records
(Matching tags: contractors, usaid, chemonics, dai)

An excellent Associated Press article by Martha Mendoza yesterday looks at how Haitian contractors have fared since the earthquake. The verdict: not so well at all. Beltway contractors on the other hand ...

23. Impatient to Profit from Disaster
(Matching tags: contractors)

Months ago we reported on disaster capitalists that were setting themselves up to profit from the relief and reconstruction in Haiti, among them were many of the same contractors who found themselves surrounded ...

24. Katrina Redux: New Disaster, Same Contractors
(Matching tags: contractors, shelter, fluor, shaw group, ch2m hill, fema, ashbritt)

Ben Fox of the AP reported earlier this week on foreign firms going to Haiti to try and capitalize on the long and expensive reconstruction process. One contractor, which we have written about previously ...

25. Earthquake Refugees Being Held in Facility Run by GEO Group
(Matching tags: contractors)

The New York Times reports today on the case of 30 Haitians who are being held in an immigration detention facility in Florida. The detainees, none of whom have a criminal background, were waved onto US ...

26. Agricultural Support Needed, But Who From?
(Matching tags: contractors, usaid, fao, chemonics, agriculture, afghanistan, gao)

*This post was edited slightly for accuracy. The FAO and other experts have warned that support for Haiti's agricultural sector is key to increasing food security and ensuring recovering from the earthquake.  ...

27. UNDP Haiti Country Director Previously Retaliated Against Whistleblower Who Exposed Fraud
(Matching tags: contractors, undp, ismail ahmed, eric overvest, whistleblower)

Reuters reports today on the case of Ismail Ahmed, a whistleblower who worked for UNDP Somalia. Mr. Ahmed made protected disclosures of wrongdoing on the part of the UNDP, including "fraudulent payments ...

28. Private Prison Company Gets Haiti Contract
(Matching tags: contractors, geo group)

The Federal Procurement Data System shows that GEO Group Inc. received a no-bid contract worth $260,589 in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti. The contract length is just over one month; it was awarded ...

29. "These Guys Are Like Vultures Coming to Grab the Loot"
(Matching tags: contractors)

Patrick Elie, former Defense Minister under Aristide and current aid to President Preval had the following to say to Inter-Press Service regarding private contractors in Haiti: "These guys are like vultures ...

30. Contractors in Haiti, Readying to Profit from Disaster?
(Matching tags: contractors, chemonics, dai, fluor)

*This post has been edited slightly for accuracy. With the Inter-American Development Bank saying that the reconstruction of Haiti could cost upwards of $14 billion, and with billions in aid already ...