I just finished the in-country launch of Worldwatch’s Sustainable Energy Roadmap for Haiti. Many thanks to the IDB-sponsored investment forum for allowing us a time to present, and for the space to conduct our in-depth workshop. Due to the pressures of traveling off the island and heading home for Thanksgiving on the busiest travel day of the year, please forgive me for keeping this entry shorter than it should be.
More than ever Haiti is need of structural reform to its electricity sector. Simple changes regarding the entities generating and supplying electricity, not to mention bill collection practices, can go a long way toward increasing the level of electricity access in a country sorely in need of it. Less than 30% of the country currently has any form of access to electricity and of those that do have it, an even slimmer number have any kind of reliable service.
One of the most difficult lessons learned during this process is just how difficult it can be making progress in a place that, on the surface, appears ready to sabotage your efforts at every turn. It’s then you have to re-double your efforts, find the successes, and build on them no matter how incremental or petty they seem. If you move the needle one iota, celebrate it.
And celebrate the fact that, despite the difficulty, Haiti does in fact have a bright future ahead for those with the guts to make it happen. Hopefully our small contribution will help them do it.
You can check out the official press release here. You can download the report here.
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