our little life in Kenscoff

the house (yes the sky IS this BLUE)
a local artist
the washer-woman




what we do when we're not watching TV and surfing the net...God bless this beautiful country!
photos by Trish VanderKooy (thanks Trish, also for the visit!)

Kenscoff, Haiti (where impatients bloom all year round) photo by Hillary Prag

Our friends hosted a BLESSINGWAY for us last Sunday! It was WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT! We were/are ABSOLUTELY blessed. THANK YOU to those who were with us in body and/or in spirit both near and far. And thank you to Haiti for calling us home for the incredible event coming up.

There were head garlands
and oils and blessings for belly, big sister, Mama, and Papa

and the most beautiful quilt (a creation by Hillary and Pamela Prag)
but most of all the company of friends
photos by BEN DEPP

Here is bambino Meralus-Van Geest-deGroot's position last week! as demonstrated by Gabriela's Dora doll who Gabriela insists is named Gabriela Dora (just like her).

POSTERIOR
That's why i've been doing belly-dancing-on-all-fours for an HOUR a day!
By doing the belly dancing belly-down, the heaviest part of the babe (the SPINE) will be encouraged to drop to the front of my belly! And it feels fabulous actually. The midwives said i can give birth this way if I like : ) And they (the midwives) also said, no more of these:
photos by: Hillary Prag and Matthieu Van Geest

MINUSTAH IS YUCKY

Last night Gabriela and I were looking at some of her baby pictures - so she could try to see and remember what it was like to be a baby. She loves doing it. We came across this picture that we took at the airport, when she was three or four months old. She is being held by three Brazilian MINUSTAH soldiers - MINUSTAH is the UN Mission here in Haiti.

She started asking questions:

Gabriela: Is that MINUSTAH?
Matt: Yes.
G: Is their truck stuck?
M: No, they just parked there. They aren't in the truck because they are holding Gabriela in the picture!
G: I don't want to go in MINUSTAH's truck!
M: That's ok, you don't have to go in their truck.
G: PAPA!!!! I DON'T WANT TO GO IN MINUSTAH's truck!!!
M: Ok, you don't have to. But why don't you want to go in their truck?
G: Because MINUSTAH is yucky!

Now, I'm not particularly against the UN Mission here in Haiti though there clearly are some downsides - but Gabriela seems to have some very particular political views about the legitimacy of their presence here! Our little activist!

The MIDWIVES came to visit Friday. In Senegal (and probably France & Quebec etc.) a midwife is called a "Sage Femme". Here in Haiti one of the ways they are called is also "Sage Femme" if they are trained and "Femme Sage" if they aren't really "trained". Friday we met Stephanie, one of 3 Sages Femmes who is hosted by Haitian Ministries for at least the next 6 months to train Haitian Staff at Haitian Ministries. (Stephanie was delivered to our house by two Femme Sage, Beth & Tara, of Haitian Minsitries, and Paige, a 14 year old DOULA).
I can't think of a more empowering idea for Haitian women!!!! Stephanie, who had been in Haiti 2.5 days casually measured my bump, pulse, found the head, feet, arms, and heartbeat and then showed us the babe's position using Gabriela's Dora doll. And then she sat really close to me, looking me in the eye and told me candidly since you're an athlete, you'll love the high of giving birth but "birth is not a pain you can just push through". "This pain, you'll have to accept and embrace if you want the baby to come out of you." And, she said, double up on the avocados and find some liver to eat!
So our bambino's head is down although not quite at the exit but overall slightly posterior. Babies can be delivered posterior but labour can be longer and more painful (what can be called back labour). SO Stephanie showed me an exercise to encourage the babe's spine to line up about with my linea nigra (that light line that runs down a pregnant belly). I call it the belly-dancing-on-all-fours! I've been doing it every day...after doing it 30 minutes last night there was some rolling inside me and i felt some kicks on the other side. We'll see (feel) on the next visit, Friday!!!!
SO i have a bunch of homework (eating protein, belly-dancing, reflecting on pain) along with my usual de-cluttering (which apparently we now call nesting), teaching yoga, and regular work of living in Haiti and God willing (and Stephanie's prediction) I'll have another couple weeks to do it!
While in Canada thi summer talking to friends about pregnancy and post-partum, one said "make sure you have your freezer stocked with good things you like to eat". That was funny to me since barely can keep water cold in our beer-fridge sized fridge, not to mention spontaneous trees falling down on to electrical lines. But of things slightly more predictable, October marks the end of the rainy season and the curbing of the mosquito population.

when a tree falls...

In case you haven't heard from us...no we're not in labour but this happened in front of our house, a major road w/ no way around! No one was hurt! Lots of men came with machetes and hacked away for about 12 hours. Incredible!!!!! machetes! Public transportation trucks are passing now but the wires aren't transmitting any power from their pile on the road. We're buying ice and praying that our fan works (on batteries) night by night : ) to chase the mosquitoes.

we're climbing mountains as usual

Hi everyone, just a note to say all is fine with us. With two electric rackets (plus the one our neighbours swing from their chairs on their porch), we are getting along better with the mosquitoes who buy the way won't be here when some of you visit b/c they take vacation with the rainy season! It's a bit violent but also rewarding to electrocute 11 in one swing. Gabou's back in school. I'm teaching one reg. yoga class and starting a prenatal class as well. We're filling some hours everyday with emptying our house. I have met some of the midwives and WE will meet more this week when they get off the plane. We are planning for a home visit this Friday! We started making a birth wall where we've taped up ideas, inspirations, fears, and positions for different stages of the BIRTH. We also are looking at a cottage to rent on the weekends up in the mountains for after the birth. That's where we went today and to do our favourite day hike to the Janey Wynne Forest Reserve where we took these pics to share with you.

Haiti Makes Bid For 2216 Olympics

Haiti Makes Bid For 2216 Olympics

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—Emphasizing the country's warm tropical climate, vibrant culture, and long-term plans to cultivate farmland capable of sustaining actual crops, the Haitian Olympic Committee formally announced its bid Monday to host the 2216 Summer Games.

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Officials say the Games will be broadcast via satellite should the country happen to develop a space program by then.

Organizers of the LXXXI Olympiad, which would be held in the capital city of Port- au-Prince, said the event will showcase the many attractions that are sure to be conceptualized, financed, and constructed over the next 207 years.

"These Olympics will be the greatest the world has ever seen, provided inflation doesn't render the Gourd worthless and we manage to stumble into some kind of lasting stability in the next 20 decades or so," declared committee president Jean-Edouard Baker, standing beside a stack of burning tire shavings where he believes the Olympic flame may one day be housed. "2216 is our time."

Haitian leaders believe Port-au-Prince to be the ideal location for the games due to a number of civic improvements that could, in theory, be made there.

According to Baker, the city will try to compensate for its lack of passable roads and safe bridges by building a high-speed rail system which, "with a little luck," might someday connect to an Olympic village.

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"This is the place where we may be able to possibly erect an aquatics center," said Baker, gesturing to a partially submerged field piled high with rusted-out Jeeps. "We're hoping that within a century or two we'll be able to raise enough food to feed enough workers to move enough dirt to make a hole deep enough to contain an Olympic-size pool."

Added Baker, "We don't have much in the way of potable water, but that hole ought to fill on its own when the next hurricane strikes."

Representatives from the International Olympic Committee flew to Port-au-Prince Monday to survey the proposed site, landing on the country's longest of four paved runways. A brief and heavily armored tour of the city's marathon route gave planners the chance to show visiting delegates the many wonders that may eventually make up Haiti.

A banquet was held that afternoon in a dilapidated structure that local officials plan to tear down and rebuild as a multipurpose stadium. They said they hope to name the facility after a great leader who will rise to power at some point in the future—perhaps in the 22nd century—and bring peace and prosperity to the Haitian people.

Between bursts of automatic gunfire and the frantic screams of U.N. peacekeepers deployed in the area, Haiti made its case to the IOC.

"We want at some point to begin neutering the stray-animal population, so that elite runners from around the world will not have to leap over so many frail and lethargic dogs in order to cross the finish line," urban designer Antoinne Darbouze told IOC representatives. "And yes, once we can get our hands on enough asphalt, we'll have roads in places where they're absolutely necessary."

A local artisan also gave a presentation at the banquet, showing attendees how replicas of Olympic medals could be carved from indigenous fruits and then dyed colors that are similar to gold, silver, and bronze.

"By 2216, we hope that Haiti will be an inspirational place for the world's greatest athletes to compete," said René Préval, president of Haiti, a nation whose government has been repeatedly ranked as the most corrupt in the world. "And who knows, at that point our great-great-great-grandchildren may have eliminated the near-constant threat of protozoal diarrhea."

Despite the many challenges faced by the small island nation, the IOC remained confident that Haiti is, in the sense that it has not yet been officially eliminated from consideration, a real contender for the games.

"Haiti has a long way to go to meet our standards," said IOC president Jacques Rogge, pushing away a goat that had entered through a hole in the wall and was craning its neck to reach his plate. "They need to do a lot to build up their sporting facilities and hotel infrastructure, in addition to improving environmental conditions, developing a financial sector, and quelling civil unrest."

"We're not going to make any decisions for the next 200 years," Rogge continued. "Though after seeing Haiti firsthand, I can honestly say the country faces some stiff competition from Atlantis."

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/haiti_makes_bid_for_2216_olympics

TS Ana

As long as this clears out before I head to the airport on Thursday.

Happy Anniversary Matty!  Thank YOU for the beauTIFUL flowers !

We ALL ate some cheesecake for you! 

Gabriela and Zavi on the prairies 

GABRIELA Dora Meralus Van Geest-deGroot officially became a Canadian citizen in late June. . . just in time for some Canadian weather on the prairies! 

no joke...it was like 10 degrees! Thanks Jennifer, Will, & Zavi for sharing your Canadian gear : ) 

and thank you Zavi for your entertaining us while Gabriela combed your hair and feed you and hugged you till you couldn't breathe.  

How WONDERFUL to see you Lauri, Sam, TiJo!  Thanks for sharing your tent etc. and LOVE with us! 

Haiti and "The Dangerous Dozen"

The dangerous dozen: The 12 most dangerous countries for Americans to visit

Woohoo!! Haiti made another list!! This article talks about the 12 most dangerous countries for Americans to visit. Thank goodness I'm not American! I guess it could be worse though - Haiti could be in among the elite group in the Axis of Evil.

Here are some other possibilities of lists I've dreamed up:

"The Ferocious Five": The five countries where you are most likely to get dengue fever (Haiti, Nicaragua, Congo, Cambodia and Mali).

"The Tropical Ten": The ten tropical countries most likely to get devastated by a hurricane (Haiti, Honduras, Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, St.Kitts and Barbados).

There's also the "Coup d'Etat Four" which includes such infamous members as our dear Haiti, surprising new edition Honduras, long-time member Libya, and added with the hopeful lobbying of their Miami-based diaspora community - Cuba.

Of course, who can forget the "Styrofoam Seven." Haiti, along with China, Vietnam, Mexico, South Africa, Egypt and yes, surprising, the USA, have the highest rates of styrofoam waste in the world.

There you have it folks. Haiti, yet again on another oh-so-encouraging list. There's one more list Haiti is on. In fact, Haiti is the only member. It's called "The Punching Bag One."

Summer: Part 1

Part One of the G.E.M Summer Adventures 2009 has now come to an end. Matt and Gabriela had a fabulous time in St.Catharines with family and friends. The weather wasn’t the best, but it was great to catch up, relax a little and, most importantly, eat strawberries.

The transition to Part Two was great fun as well. The three of us spent the weekend in Toronto – riding the streetcar, visiting Kensington Market, walking around downtown, eating Vietnamese soup and, Gabriela’s highlight, visiting as many parks as we could. If Canada only consisted of parks and splash-pads, Gabriela would be more than thrilled to make this her full time home.

Part Two involves being apart for part of the next few months. E and G are staying in Canada with visits to Toronto, Winnipeg, Fargo (ND), Kitchener, Sarnia and probably a few other locations. This will include visits to family and friends, teaching pre-natal yoga, eating strawberries and all other local bounty, dance camp for G, and, of course, the parks. Matt is back at work in Haiti.

Summer Photos

G LOVES this. There is both sheer terror and pure joy on her face!! AGAIN PAPA, AGAIN.

Summer Photos

Gabriela and Grandpa getting all wet, and loving it!

Summer Photos

In the hammock with cousins Grayson and Isabel.

Summer Photos

Gabriela turned three last week! We had a little party in St.Catharines with some friends (left to right: Grayson, Sam, Audrey, Zion, Jacoba Charlotte, Isabel, Gabriela and Zekijah). We had a G.E.M. party in Toronto on the weekend as well!

Summer Photos

Gabriela LOVES parks, swings, running, slides . . .

Summer Photos

With Zion, Jacoba and Zekijah on the Beach in Port Dalhousie.

I know I know...but Matt did it with Gigi on his shoulders : ) 

Gabou's absolutely FAVOURITE food (rice & bean sauce) from Kay Edith's (restaurant) in Dezam.  She just looks mad b/c i am photographing this sacred moment.  sorry G.  

Me and Peupisi and our growing babies ! Our due dates are a week apart !

Gabriela's inheritance (land) in Dezam ! Look at these trees we planted in June & July 2007 !!!!

Bathing with visiting students in SEGUIN !!!

This is the water that sources Port au Prince and

Perèdo (the biggest agricultural zone in Haiti...

bananas, mangoes, etc. etc. (yum!)

This was my last trip to Seguin for a while : (

The baby and loved the cold mountain water so did

my hiking feet !!! Although I also had a mule,

the mule i rented for Gabriela.

bathing with Solène and Soline in the reservoir in Dezam

bellies in the sun

Hockey in Haiti?

Normally, the stories on Haiti that I get in my news alerts have something to do with the latest political scandal, a new UN report on the plight of the poor here, and, of course, massive deforestation. I usually don’t read that stuff anymore. This one, however, caught my eye because of the sports connection. At first glance I took it as a fluff piece with little relevance to the Haiti of today. But after a while, I started to realize that this story reflects in so many ways what IS happening in Haiti each and every day.

It’s all about failed dreams really. The train wreck that is Haiti today is just like the failed championship dream of your favourite hockey/baseball/basketball/football team. So devastating. So achingly frustrating.

Oh, what could have been!

You know, if you visit this blog from time to time, that we try not to dwell on that frustration. But sometimes, sometimes, it’s hard to ignore.

Maybe the recent botched elections with virtually non-existent turnout, the pending hurricane season, the seeming lack of leadership from the top, signs of increased instability in places like Cite Soleil have all got me a little frustrated.

(http://bleacherreport.com/articles/185296-sports-bizarro-world)

As the 2009 NBA playoffs come to a close, we will soon see Kobe, Lebron, Melo, or Dwight wearing a fresh "2009 NBA Champions" t-shirt and hat as they celebrate on the court with their teammates.

Kobe may be holding up four fingers in an eerie jordan-esque way. Mo Williams may be taking imaginary photos with an imaginary camera of a posing Lebron James. No matter who wins, there will also be a Final's loser and somewhere in that arena is the exact same set of "2009 NBA Champions" t-shirts and hats for the losing team which will never see the light of day in the U.S.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all of the Championship gear for the team that loses the big game? Somewhere out there, is a Sports Bizarro world where Michael Jordan is the biggest choke artist in NBA history, reaching the finals six times, but never winning that elusive title.

The Buffalo Bills were the dynasty of the 90’s and the Cowboys got dominated. A world where Kobe and Shaq’s divorce could be rationalized as the pair has gone zero for three on the big stage.

A world where Jeter and Mariano come up short four out of five years and are traded away in 2000 for some over the hill, 37 year old former all-stars by an impatient George Steinbrenner. These t-shirts and hats are shipped to Third World Countries like Ethiopia, Haiti, Sudan, etc.

Somewhere in Haiti, a little boy is wearing a "Patriots 19-0 Perfect Season" t-shirt right now. Although you will probably never see it, this Bizarro Sports World is out there and it is the only evidence of a sports world which could've been.

Responding To Crisis In Haiti, Dyslexic Peacekeeping Unit Arrives In Tahiti

Responding To Crisis In Haiti, Dyslexic Peacekeeping Unit Arrives In Tahiti

In response to an outbreak of looting and violence spreading throughout Haiti as rebel forces battle for control of Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince, a unit of dyslexic U.S. peacekeeping troops arrived in Papeete, Tahiti, on Saturday, determined to restore order to the Tahitian capital.

While Port-au-Prince has been in a state of near-anarchy following President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's forced departure last week, the group of dyslexics encountered little or no resistance as they swept through the streets of Papeete, nearly 6000 miles from the Haitian capital.

"To be honest, we're a little confused," said Col. William Barton, who heads up the 20-man unit of dyslexia sufferers. "We read in the paper every day about the problems in Tahiti, but we never see any of it ourselves. I mean, looting, shootings, political upheaval...that stuff is pretty hard to miss."

Barton added, "It's almost like they're talking about a different place altogether."

Reportedly adding to the confusion is the ineptitude of the higher-ranking officers, from whom the unit takes their orders.

"In all of the orders we've received, they refer to 'the Tahitian President,' but there is no Tahitian President," said a member of the unit who asked to remain unidentified. "And even if they meant the President of French Polynesia, that's Gaston Flosse, not this Aristitude guy."

The soldier then added, "You would just think that the higher-ups would have a little better idea of what was going on around here."

Despite finding no evidence of any kind of rebellion, the unit still had orders to patrol the streets Sunday, which they did, wearing black ski masks and carrying M-16 rifles. Though the unit did not encounter any heavy resistance, their efforts were not in vain, as they stumbled upon a looting in progress at a small convenience store just four hours into their patrol.

"It was a smash-and-grab style looting involving three young rebel recruits," lifelong dyslexic Barton reported. "Well, they didn't necessarily smash anything, but they sure did grab."

Though Barton estimated the rebels' ages to be between 10 and 12, he asserted, "Sometimes those are the most dangerous ones.”

Some of the items reportedly looted from the store were a package of Planter's honey-roasted peanuts, a vanilla-scented hanging air freshener, and a pencil bearing the flag of Tahiti.

According to Cpl. Jesse Harris, who was diagnosed with dyslexia just last year, he and his fellow patrolmen happened upon the scene of the looting as the rebels were already fleeing.

"When we're on patrol, we always have our M-16s cocked and ready, so we just opened fire on them,” said Harris. "It was kind of exciting because we thought we were finally getting in on some of the action we had been reading about in the papers. I guess we didn't hit any of them, but one of the rebels fell to the ground. I think he just got scared because he realized that the rebellion would be put down quickly and he decided to join the winning side."

Though they were able to take only one of the rebels into custody, the rebel's mom told the soldiers where they could find the others who got away. She also reported that their mothers would be "very disappointed" in them.

Pundits are calling this the biggest dyslexia-related misunderstanding since 2002, when Brian Haverty of Pensacola, FL reluctantly cancelled a trip to Italy after misreading an article about spaghetti in Newsweek.

(http://www.enduringvision.com/news/world_010204.php)

belly flops into Argyle Falls, Tobago

here's the one we didn't use

MESI to Ben and Alexis Depp for taking all the beautiful belly shots

Teaching Haitians / Learning from Haitians

Just read this article in my Google News Alerts, and couldn't help but wonder . . . when these guys come back from their mission trip to "teach Haitians how to grow fruits and vegetables", will they still have the same perspective? Will they still think that Haitians, an agarian society, need to be taught how to farm, or that they don't know the value of fruit or vegetables (though the vast majority eat them on a daily basis and have never seen a shaved down carrot in their lives), that they don't know the economic value of a basket of mango fransik? I wonder if they'll be impressed by the unique skills of kids who can build kites out of plastic bags and bamboo and strips of sacks to tie the ends, or throw rocks at ripe mangoes making them fall without bruises, opening a coconut with 3 strikes of a machete, or guiding a old tire rim up and down rocky hills that most foreigners can't even walk on, and how they will compare that to the kids in Woodstock, Virginia who "Facebook" and text message and can throw a strike in Wii bowling. I also wonder how well their excess seeds from Shenandoah County in Virginia, where it is currently snowing, will do in the hot, dry, Haitian climate.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Rev. George and Chuck are coming. They should come. They should come to learn, help THEMSELVES, and share and maybe, just maybe, they will come, and then go back and tell the people in Shenandoah that Haitians are wise people, thrifty and resourceful people that have come out of physical slavery only to decline into economic slavery with failed "aid" and unjust economic and trade policies. Maybe they'll tell the people in the Antioch Church that the reduction of the subsidies on imported rice totally destroyed local production, which has had a major impact on farm incomes (not to mention nutrition, national pride, and respect for farmers) and which has forced many farmers to rely on cutting trees for basic survival, almost as much as after the US government exterminated the Creole pig. Maybe they'll learn that it's not excess seeds or clothes or medicine that are going to save Haitians from eating these f%^ing mud cookies that everyone can't stop talking about.

Look, I don't have all the answers. But what I DO know is that unless WE, including ME, unless we stop trying to figure it all out, to come up with the magic bullet, unless we stop trying to save Haiti, STOP sending our "excess" to Haiti (didn't Jesus say something about "first fruits"?), I really believe that Haiti is destined for continued failure. And it IS a failed state. Despite the continued efforts of the average Haitian to survive and live, the actions of the state are more often than not abominable. I admit to that. I'm not trying to say that Haiti is doing great, where everyone is eating and everyone is happy. There is misery here. And the biggest miseries are lack of trust and confidence in ourselves, each other, the state, international organizations, trade, and "aid". But here also, there is a boatload . . . wait, let me not use "boatload" in relation to Haiti. There is a plethora of potential in Haiti, in Haitians. How do we unlock the potential? Love your neighbour as yourself. Treat others how you want to be treated...with honesty, integrity, equality.

I believe that Rev. George and Chuck can do something good for Haiti. I really do. And I hope they have a good trip here. And I hope that some of their seeds grow but I also hope that some don't and that they take the time to understand why. And I hope they take the time to listen to people they encounter. Listen to their stories. Listen to their truths. Listen to their ideas. Listen to their dreams. And slowly we, me, Chuck, George, and maybe you too, will learn from and teach each other how go forward from here.

Local men depart for Haiti to teach farming techniques

By Preston Knight -- Daily Staff Writer

WOODSTOCK -- To fill their stomachs with something, Haitians often rely on mud cookies. Two local men are scheduled to leave today to work toward changing that.

The Rev. George Bowers, of Antioch Church of the Brethren, and Chuck Seal, manager of the Volunteer Farm of Zepp, are slated to depart for Haiti on a mission trip meant to assist with the fight against starvation. They will introduce farming techniques learned on the Volunteer Farm of Shenandoah outside of Woodstock.

"In this country, it's malnutrition," said Bob Blair, chairman and CEO of the World Foundation for Children, which sponsors the farms. "In Haiti, it's starvation."

Bowers and Seal will work with the Rev. Geordany Joseph of La Jeune-Pignon in Haiti, who visited the Woodstock farm last summer. According to a press release, he leads 12 churches in Haiti with a combined membership of 4,498, plus children, and runs an orphanage and seven schools. The churches will be a focal point for agriculture lessons.

"If we can teach the younger half of the population how to grow fruits and vegetables," Seal says in the release, "we may be able to reverse the trend of children having red hair and thin bodies -- signs of serious malnutrition."

Eighty percent of Haiti's 8.7 million people live in poverty, the release states, and 42 percent of them are 14 or younger.

Blair said the foundation has discussed the idea of establishing a volunteer farm in Haiti. For now, the goal is to take excess seed from the Woodstock farm to teach Haitians how to grow food in their backyards, he said. One plus is that Haiti has a long growing season, Blair added.

"We wish we could do more in both places," he said.

Last year, the Woodstock farm, which has existed for several years as compared to the Zepp location, produced 35 tons of vegetables thanks to 3,100 volunteers, the release states. Results even far less than that in Haiti would be a victory, officials said.

"They must be taught how to grow enough to feed themselves," Seal said in the release.

Bowers could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. He and Seal are scheduled to return from their trip Feb. 10. Representatives from Brethren churches throughout the Shenandoah Valley also are traveling to Haiti to focus on health and housing issues, the release states.

Anyone interested in donating to Joseph's churches, schools or orphanage can visit www.worldfoundationforchildren.com or mail donations to WFC, 277 Crider Lane, Woodstock, Va., 22664.

Even Worse Than Haiti . . .

For people who read our blog from time to time, you know that among other things we attempt to tell more of the Haitian story, than what you get from CNN or most other popular media. This morning I saw this headline: "Guyana Lower Than Haiti on Latest Economic Freedom Ranks" The story is not about Haiti, it's about how Guyana's economic freedom is not all that good. But to make their point, they say that it is EVEN WORSE than Haiti. So not only is the situation of economic freedom bad in Guyana, it's SO bad that its WORSE than Haiti. Meaning that Haiti has become the bar by which all bad things are measured.

Sad, so sad.

Guyana Lower Than Haiti on Latest Economic Freedom Ranks

CaribWorldNews, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Jan. 14, 2009: When it comes to economic freedom globally, Guyana is even lower than Haiti, the country deemed the poorest in the world.

According to the latest Index of Economic Freedom World Rankings, a compilation of economic freedom globally by the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation, Guyana is at 155 on the overall list, lower than Haiti at 147. Overall, it scored 48.4 on the economic freedom scale, meaning its freedom is repressed.

This makes it the worst CARICOM country for economic freedom in several areas, including business, trade, government size, investment, property rights, corruption and labor.

bon ane ! ( happy new year ! )