Haitian Beatz

Lejacobinnoir · 03-07-2010 03:28:44:PM

.

By Paola Iuspa-Abbott

The challenges ahead for J.R. Bergeron and reconstructing Haiti

Bergeron, the energetic president of Bergeron Emergency Services, an affiliate of Bergeron Land Development in Pembroke Pines, had three hours to persuade someone — anyone — to let his chartered airplane land at the Port-au-Prince Airport so the aircraft could pick him up. Bergeron was on a day and a half trip to Haiti in late February looking to land multimillion dollar contracts to help rebuild the tiny Caribbean nation in the wake of January’s earthquake. He had a meeting scheduled with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist the following morning and there was no way he could miss it. For nearly two hours his pilot from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, his Haitian business partner and his staff frantically reached out to high-ranking Haitian officials and to the United Nations for help. Eventually, his pilot received permission to land on a runway operated by the U.N. “Thank, God,” the 40-year-old developer said when he heard the news. “Thank you, God. I would have swum home if I had to.”

Almost two months after the earthquake, U.S. executives like Bergeron are trickling into Haiti looking for reconstruction contracts. Plenty of challenges await them. Despite the crisis, many government officials operate on a casual, “there’s always tomorrow” schedule. The towns and their narrow, poorly maintained streets are clogged with vehicles whose drivers seem oblivious to rules of the road. And Haitians and foreign contractors may have to negotiate what kind of construction is best for the country.

“In Haiti, everything is a struggle,” said Guy “James” Vulcain, who imports heavy equipment to Haiti. The native of Haiti moved to Miramar almost a decade ago but travels home every two months. Vulcain helped Bergeron team up with his family in Haiti to help win reconstruction contracts. Bergeron spent much of his time in Haiti surveying the damage and hammering out a deal with Vulcain’s relatives, the Khawly family. The partners are lobbying government officials in Haiti and a U.S. foundation and relief officials for a contract to build 150,000 apartments that would house an average of seven people each. The temporary housing would eventually be converted into offices. “It is a long-term, long-range plan that starts with temporary housing ... and off that infrastructure, you go right into office and government buildings,” Bergeron said. “So they are getting two things out of one.”

THE VALUE OF PATIENCE

Patience is key to doing business in the traumatized country. With most government buildings destroyed, Haiti is mostly run from the central police station near downtown. “Making appointments to meet [Haitian officials] doesn’t mean you’re are actually going to have a meeting,” Bergeron vice president Brian Thomason said. A scheduled meeting with Minister of Culture and Communication Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lasseque — under a large white tent in the parking lot of the central station — lasted less than five minutes. Lasseque spent much of her time on a cellphone while Vulcain introduced Bergeron and briefed her on the American’s company.

Lasseque soon summoned Bergeron and his entourage of 10 into the police station to meet Edwin Paraison, the minister of Haitians Living Abroad. Paraison patiently listened to Vulcain’s pitch for building homes and glanced at Bergeron’s architectural plans. But halfway through the meeting, Haitian singer and philanthropist Lord Kinomorsa “King Kino” Divers barged into the room. Divers began to review Bergeron’s proposal, first criticizing, later embracing it. Quietly, Paraison got up and left the room. When Divers finished his critique, Paraison brought two Haitian builders into the room to look at Bergeron’s plans. “We have to be careful how much information we give them,” Vulcain said after the meeting. “They can steal our ideas.” Bergeron’s next appointment at the station was for 4 p.m., so he and his crew waited for nearly two hours in an adjacent, sun-baked dirt parking lot. At 4, Vulcain went looking for the minister of education and was told that all government officials had gone home for the day. The meeting never took place.

“The government is somewhat disconnected right now as in any disaster, especially in a country that is so centralized,” Thomason said.

Read more below>>>>>v

Last edited by Lejacobinnoir (03-07-2010 03:35:37:PM)

Lejacobinnoir · 03-07-2010 03:31:58:PM

CONGESTED STREETS

Bergeron, a veteran construction executive, says that one of the biggest challenges he and others involved in reconstruction are likely to face will be transporting heavy equipment like bulldozers, excavators and cranes over Port-au-Prince’s congested streets. Few streets have traffic lights and the aging roads are filled with aid group vehicles hauling people and humanitarian supplies. “It is logistically a nightmare … absolutely,” said Thomason, who accompanied his boss on the trip. A 12-mile drive from downtown Port-au-Prince to the suburb of Boutilier, high in the mountains, can take almost two hours during the day, compared with 20 minutes at night. Caught in the chaotic traffic, Vulcain swung onto a sidewalk by maneuvering the SUV between a tree and a man sitting on a pile of used tires. “Can you imagine doing this at home?” Bergeron asked with a laugh.

To save time and money, Bergeron said any construction work would have to be done at night. “The roads are too small and there is too much traffic to work during the day,” he said. Some American contractors in Haiti use motorcycles to move faster through the streets, which are mostly cleared from debris.

“I pay a driver $50 to take me from meeting to meeting,” said Richard Spurlock, whose company Beyel Bros. provides cranes, tug boats and barges to the U.S. military, which has been running some of Haiti’s ports. Beyel is part of a team of U.S. companies that Bergeron assembled to lobby for jobs outside his area of expertise.

A QUESTION OF SAFETY

Another challenge for Bergeron and other developers will be designing housing projects that Haitians will perceive as safe in case of another earthquake. Many are afraid of structures made only of concrete, Divers said. He suggested that Bergeron build 75 homes as a pilot project to see if Haitians will accept the residences. “We came from a terrible situation,” said Divers, a self-described “representative” of the Haitian people. “We want metal. We want to make sure that you use concrete and metal. If people see that there is no metal, they won’t like it. People are traumatized.”

Bergeron said he would build the pilot project so that the Haitian government can see what he has to offer. “I am willing to make that investment,” he said.

ADDITIONAL HURDLES

Bergeron and others face more hurdles: One, how to remove and dispose of the massive amount rubble, which could fill five stadiums of the size of the New Orleans Superdome, according to the U.S. Corps of Engineers. “It won’t be easy,” said Bergeron, who predicts nearly 70 percent of the rubble could be recycled and used in the new construction. Bergeron isn’t the only American seeking reconstruction work. He faces growing competition from U.S. companies. As he smoked a cigar and drank a rum and Coke at an upscale restaurant near Boutilier, Bergeron realized two men at a nearby table worked for DRC Group, a competing emergency services company based in Mobile, Ala.

DRC partnered in Haiti with the Vorbe family, which owns V&F Construction, one of island nation’s largest road construction companies. “I don’t worry about them,” he boasted. “I have a good reputation.”

Pakapala · 03-08-2010 10:44:38:PM

See what I said about kino few months ago? Kino with no knowledge of construction wants to make decisions on the rebuilding of Haiti? He called himself the voice of the people. Are you kidding me!!!!!!

Haitian Beatz

HaitianBeatz Message Board

#1 03-07-2010 03:28:44:PM

Haiti presents challenges galore for U.S. companies

#2 03-07-2010 03:31:58:PM

Re: Haiti presents challenges galore for U.S. companies

#3 03-08-2010 10:44:38:PM

Re: Haiti presents challenges galore for U.S. companies

Forum Tools

Most Active Users

Board information

Latest Articles

Latest Forum Post

Lejacobinnoir Moderator	Haiti presents challenges galore for U.S. companies . By Paola Iuspa-Abbott The challenges ahead for J.R. Bergeron and reconstructing Haiti Bergeron, the energetic president of Bergeron Emergency Services, an affiliate of Bergeron Land Development in Pembroke Pines, had three hours to persuade someone — anyone — to let his chartered airplane land at the Port-au-Prince Airport so the aircraft could pick him up. Bergeron was on a day and a half trip to Haiti in late February looking to land multimillion dollar contracts to help rebuild the tiny Caribbean nation in the wake of January’s earthquake. He had a meeting scheduled with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist the following morning and there was no way he could miss it. For nearly two hours his pilot from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, his Haitian business partner and his staff frantically reached out to high-ranking Haitian officials and to the United Nations for help. Eventually, his pilot received permission to land on a runway operated by the U.N. “Thank, God,” the 40-year-old developer said when he heard the news. “Thank you, God. I would have swum home if I had to.” Almost two months after the earthquake, U.S. executives like Bergeron are trickling into Haiti looking for reconstruction contracts. Plenty of challenges await them. Despite the crisis, many government officials operate on a casual, “there’s always tomorrow” schedule. The towns and their narrow, poorly maintained streets are clogged with vehicles whose drivers seem oblivious to rules of the road. And Haitians and foreign contractors may have to negotiate what kind of construction is best for the country. “In Haiti, everything is a struggle,” said Guy “James” Vulcain, who imports heavy equipment to Haiti. The native of Haiti moved to Miramar almost a decade ago but travels home every two months. Vulcain helped Bergeron team up with his family in Haiti to help win reconstruction contracts. Bergeron spent much of his time in Haiti surveying the damage and hammering out a deal with Vulcain’s relatives, the Khawly family. The partners are lobbying government officials in Haiti and a U.S. foundation and relief officials for a contract to build 150,000 apartments that would house an average of seven people each. The temporary housing would eventually be converted into offices. “It is a long-term, long-range plan that starts with temporary housing ... and off that infrastructure, you go right into office and government buildings,” Bergeron said. “So they are getting two things out of one.” THE VALUE OF PATIENCE Patience is key to doing business in the traumatized country. With most government buildings destroyed, Haiti is mostly run from the central police station near downtown. “Making appointments to meet [Haitian officials] doesn’t mean you’re are actually going to have a meeting,” Bergeron vice president Brian Thomason said. A scheduled meeting with Minister of Culture and Communication Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lasseque — under a large white tent in the parking lot of the central station — lasted less than five minutes. Lasseque spent much of her time on a cellphone while Vulcain introduced Bergeron and briefed her on the American’s company. Lasseque soon summoned Bergeron and his entourage of 10 into the police station to meet Edwin Paraison, the minister of Haitians Living Abroad. Paraison patiently listened to Vulcain’s pitch for building homes and glanced at Bergeron’s architectural plans. But halfway through the meeting, Haitian singer and philanthropist Lord Kinomorsa “King Kino” Divers barged into the room. Divers began to review Bergeron’s proposal, first criticizing, later embracing it. Quietly, Paraison got up and left the room. When Divers finished his critique, Paraison brought two Haitian builders into the room to look at Bergeron’s plans. “We have to be careful how much information we give them,” Vulcain said after the meeting. “They can steal our ideas.” Bergeron’s next appointment at the station was for 4 p.m., so he and his crew waited for nearly two hours in an adjacent, sun-baked dirt parking lot. At 4, Vulcain went looking for the minister of education and was told that all government officials had gone home for the day. The meeting never took place. “The government is somewhat disconnected right now as in any disaster, especially in a country that is so centralized,” Thomason said. Read more below>>>>>v Last edited by Lejacobinnoir (03-07-2010 03:35:37:PM)
	1. Impossible is not a fact, it is an opinion!

Pakapala HB MVP	Re: Haiti presents challenges galore for U.S. companies See what I said about kino few months ago? Kino with no knowledge of construction wants to make decisions on the rebuilding of Haiti? He called himself the voice of the people. Are you kidding me!!!!!!
	Take no prisoner and hold no grudge