Haiti: after the quake

FRONTLINE reports on Haiti with correspondent Adam Davidson: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/haiti-aid/

These reports by Adam Davidson give you a really interesting picture of Haiti, post quake. Three different economic caveats are explored separately: rice market, tent cities, and tap-tap buses.
They are short pieces and I really recommend them.

In need of their own agriculture
The first video brings up a timeless question that is relevant to many nations in the Caribbean: why is American produce and agriculture dominating these markets that are very capable of feeding their own (or, used to be, at least)? Granted, Haiti's usable farmland has largely been destroyed over the ages for a number of different reasons (see Google Earth image comparing Haiti vs. DR). Nonetheless, Haiti is in desperate need of an agricultural rebirth.
The rice video on the "Aid Dilemma" also-- again-- makes me think back to what I would say is (arguably) the best and most important read in the politics of aid, and the politics of development in the 21st century: William Easterly's "The White Man's Burden". (I don't know how many more times and in how many more ways I could recommend this book, even if you passionately tend to disagree with the author's general thesis).

Let us stay cool, and happy
The last two videos make me think back to my recent travels abroad, especially to Cambodia (SEA's poorest country), where there are equally gross cultures of commodification as we are seeing in Haiti. I use "gross" in a nonsensical sort of way, refering to the fact that despite near dollar-a-day salaries, these people manage to get pedicures, electronic gadgets, newest fashions, etc (What got me the most in SEA was seeing the IPHONE (or a rip there-of) nearly EVERYWHERE in every country-- it was THE status symbol). As Davidson notes comparably: all across these make-do tent cities in Haiti, one can find "entertainment, beauty, and happiness" despite the people's very apparent limited financial resources (video 2).
Seeing this paradox at play makes me feel that my (minor) degree in Cultural Studies wasn't complete bullocks... .

Interestingly, too, (although not surprisingly) is that these people living in makeshift tent-homes and makeshift lives find happiness. Increasingly I am starting to get it: it's not (entirely, sorry) about wealth. Indeed, Laotians (SEA's second poorest people) are said to be the nicest, smiliest, and happiest of the region.
An author I recently read (of course, can't remember who) wrote that happiness is found in the act of doing. People are happy not necessarily due to the size of their wallets, but primarily because they can use their hands, their brain, their feet to make something of their lives. This is why many psychologists often refer their depressed patients to do volunteer work: it keeps the self busy and productive, and therefore, happy(ier).
So, a new informal economy, or even a functioning economy generally, will/should create jobs and work for Haitians to feel productive and, hence, internally happy despite their less than ironically shitty situation.