10 years to rebuild Haiti?

UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie said yesterday it will take years to rebuild Haiti from the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake. Some involved in the relief effort are saying it will be a 10-year-long effort. That seems like an awfully long time, but certainly realistic. Remember, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, and it has taken years to rebuild that city. Plastics products have been part of the immediate relief effort -- UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, Kim Bolduc, said earlier this week that some 250,000 of the 1 million people in need of shelter there have received tents or plastic sheets. But that's still just a temporary fix. Bolduc said the main concern now remains to bring in sufficient hazard-resistant, hurricane-proof shelter. Plastics building products will play a role -- not just temporary disaster housing, but with modern, more permanent shelter. One blog reader asked recently what sort of plastics industry existed in Haiti prior to the earthquake, and he wondered if there's anything that U.S. companies can do to help those firms. If any readers are aware of plastics companies in Haiti, please post any details in the comments section.