Haitians search destroyed building. photo courtesy of CNN

As the rescue effort in earthquake-stricken Haiti transitions to rebuilding and recovering, questions are beginning to arise on who will contribute to the rebuilding effort.

The situation in Haiti is tragic, but in this age of Disaster Capitalism, there are interests standing by to reap profit from the devastation.

According to author Naomi Klein, policies favorable to corporate interests (such as those voiced by the Heritage Foundation) are already being developed for the island nation’s calamity. Here is a quotation she claims came from a quickly reworded post on the Foundation site:

“In addition to providing immediate humanitarian assistance, the U.S. response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti earthquake offers opportunities to re-shape Haiti’s long-dysfunctional government and economy as well as to improve the public image of the United States in the region.”

Hustletown readers: What should the role of minority businesses in the United States be during the Haitian rebuilding effort? Consider this article from the Los Angeles Wave, which chronicles responses of Haitian Americans and minority business owners to the situation.

Black Twitterati posted this entry on their blog about Social Media @ Work: Crisis in Haiti. Donations via text messages, twitter updates and pictures and websites are reaching out and providing assistance where the damaged infrastructure is simply unavailable. Facebook and YouTube are becoming media outlets that family and friends both within and outside the country are fully utilizing to make and maintain contact. If you ever had any doubts about the power of personal media as a legitimate informational source, doubt no more.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Haiti quake relief: How technology helps (cnn.com)