13102: KenbeFo Post RE: 12014 GARR and PAPDA (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Stay Strong <kenbefo2004@yahoo.com>

Today's post 13101 stated that

>people with money, education,
>drive, and vision are crucial assets for any
>struggling country,
>and need to be harnessed to the common good.

This pertains directly to the point I made in my
response to the GARR and PAPDA post about the
Maribaroux Plain and the Hispaniola Fund project (see
below).  First, who defines "the common good"?
Second, how do the voices of those without money or
education, but with drive, vision, and commitment
become incorporated into the conversation?  Finally,
how are the voices of those who are systemically
marginzalized recognized as having the legitimate
authority to genuinely influence decision-making?  In
the Hispaniola Fund project, these questions are
crucial, particularly because there are competing
interests in the desire to "plant trees, save river
basins" AND "build an industrial free zone,
hydroelectric dams, ports, highways, and develop
small- and medium-sized business programs."  These
questions are also extremely urgent, as the
environment is clearly setting its own time schedule
in terms of continuing deterioration while we humans
drag our feet in finding solutions.