Back

LatinNews Daily Report - 31 July 2014

US imposes travel restrictions on Venezuelan officials

Haiti: On 25 July the US Congress approved the Assessing Progress in Haiti Act, requiring the US Secretary of State to file an annual report on the status of US-funded earthquake reconstruction projects in Haiti. The Act, sponsored by Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida), is a response to concerns over poor transparency in the projects and slow distribution of funds. After the devastating January 2010 earthquake, the US pledged US$3.6bn to fund the relief and reconstruction efforts. Since then, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has levelled criticism against the reconstruction projects funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), citing cost overruns, lax oversight in housing development and the slow construction of Haiti’s largest public hospital in Port-au-Prince as causes of concern. GAO reported also a general lack of information that prevented Congress from overseeing projects and caused significant delays; as of 30 June 2013, USAID had disbursed only US$229.5m of the US$651m set aside by the 2010 Supplemental Appropriation Act. US Representative Ed Royce (R-California), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, commended the unanimous passage of the act and declared that “at a time when much funding has yet to be spent, better and more frequent reporting from State and USAID is critical to provide better oversight of taxpayer funds”.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 1014 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

LatinNews
Intelligence Research Ltd.
167-169 Great Portland Street,
5th floor,
London, W1W 5PF - UK
Phone : +44 (0) 203 695 2790
Contact
You may contact us via our online contact form
Copyright © 2022 Intelligence Research Ltd. All rights reserved.