Contractors Respond to Rising Security Concerns in Haiti

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) - Aftershocks are still hitting in Haiti almost two months after the earthquake struck there.  A West Michigan woman just returned from Haiti because of the growing dangers in the country.

Mallery Thurlow (right) is a Cornerstone University graduate who started a foundation in Haiti. She had to return to the United States at the end of February 2010 after violence increased.

More than a month and a half after the earthquake hit Haiti, you would expect things to be improving. But Thurlow says, "The situation has really gone from bad to worse. The earth is still shaking. We've had 3 earthquakes just in the past week. ... The Haitian President has actually stated that this is no longer an emergency situation. ... As panic started to spread, the gangs started to come out at night. And it's made a very dangerous situation." (read more...)

Ms. Thurlow describes gangs armed with semi-automatic weapons going from house to house on her street, breaking in, shooting the residents, and stealing their belongings.  Ms. Thurlow hopes to return to Haiti soon along with better security to protect her orphanage and herself.

Kidnapping is apparently another growing concern. Kidnappings for ransom were an ongoing concern before the January 12 earthquake.  But now that large numbers of foreign workers have entered the country backed by huge sums of money, officials are expressing concern that the number of kidnappings might increase.

Are the donations we have made to nonprofit agencies actually funding ransom payments to criminals such as those described in the article below?

Port-Au-Prince (AFP, March 12, 2010, Marc Burleigh) - The kidnapping of two female aid workers, a Belgian and a Czech, cast a shadow over the relief operations carried out by more than 300 foreign organizations in Haiti. It was the first abduction to occur in Haiti since the earthquake, Haitian police said. The two were freed Thursday, after spending six days in captivity, according to their employer, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF; Doctors Without Borders). The head of the Haitian police anti-kidnapping unit dealing with the investigation, Francois Dossous, told AFP he was "a little worried" about the case, suggesting it might herald a crime wave against the thousands of foreigners in Haiti. (read more...)

Security Contractors Available to Assist in Haiti

Seattle resident Tony Myhre runs a security and personnel company which offers professional security consulting services, Jet City Consulting.  JCC is able to immediately provide licensed and permitted staff for physical security and convoy protection in Haiti.  Tony has been using social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter to advertise to relief agencies and to raise awareness among their donors.  You can read Tony's postings at the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief group on Linkedin.