Washington Post: A $914,000 Clinton Bush Haiti Fund Program “Has Helped Hundreds Of Haitians Turn Their Informal Street Businesses Into Formal Entities That Keep Records, Pay Taxes And Have Potential For Growth.” “‘I read that Bill Clinton is the most popular politician in America, but he couldn’t get elected mayor in Haiti today,’ said Jacky Lumarque, rector of Quisqueya University, a private school that was damaged in the earthquake and received $914,000 from the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to create an entrepreneurship center. Lumarque said the program has helped hundreds of Haitians turn their informal street businesses into formal entities that keep records, pay taxes and have potential for growth. He said it has been a huge success — but stands apart from the usual strategy of foreign groups, including the Clintons, who tend to favor projects imposed by well-meaning foreigners that are more ‘about Haiti’ than ‘for Haiti.’” [Washington Post, 3/20/15] THE FOUNDATION-BACKED CLINTON GIUSTRA ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN PEANUT FARMING PROJECTS IN HAITI Washington Post: “The Acceso Peanut Enterprise Corp…Started With A $1.25 Million Grant From” A Partnernship Between Bill Clinton, Frank Giustra, And Carlos Slim, “Is Revolutionizing The Peanut-Farming Industry” In Haiti. “When Bill Clinton came here late last month to help inaugurate the new Marriott, he made a side trip by helicopter to Haiti’s central plateau to have a look at a Clinton-backed program that is revolutionizing the peanut-farming industry. The Acceso Peanut Enterprise Corp. was started with a $1.25 million grant from the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership, which is headed by Bill Clinton and Canadian mining executive and philanthropist Frank Giustra, as well as the charitable foundation of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. Acceso buys feed, fertilizer and fungicide at bulk rates, then sells them to farmers for far less than normal prices. Acceso also hires tractors for farmers who otherwise would be using an ox and plow.” [Washington Post, 3/20/15] Washington Post: Through Acceso, Peanut Farming “Improvements Are Vastly Increasing Yields, Quality And Farmers’ Profits… [And Half Of Sales] Have Gone To Two Large Haitian Factories That Produce A Peanut-Based Paste That Is Given To Malnourished Children. “Robert Johnson, an American who runs the program, said the improvements are vastly increasing yields, quality and farmers’ profits. He said Acceso worked with about 1,000 farmers last year and bought about 120 metric tons of peanuts. This year, it expects to triple the number of farmers and buy almost five times as much peanut tonnage. At least half of Acceso’s sales have gone to two large Haitian factories that produce a peanut-based paste that is given to malnourished children. Most of the rest goes to local peanut-butter producers, he said. The program’s success, Johnson said, comes from its market-driven approach: It’s not a charity, it’s a business with a charitable purpose.” [Washington Post, 3/20/15] WALL STREET JOURNAL COLUMNIST MARY O’GRADY CITED A CONTRACT BETWEEN TWO CLINTON DONORS FOR HAITI AID AS EVIDENCE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE CLINTONS Wall Street Journal’s Mary O’Grady: Both The InterAmerican Development Bank And “The Brazilian Construction Firm OAS” Have Given the Clinton Foundation Between $1 Million And $5 Million. “The Clinton Foundation lists the Brazilian construction firm OAS and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) as donors that have given it between $1 million and $5 million. Those relationships are worth learning more about.” [Mary O’Grady, Wall Street Journal, 3/8/15] Wall Street Journal’s Mary O’Grady: “The 2013 OAS Donation To The Clinton Foundation Deserves Attention Because Of The Power That Bill Clinton Has In Haiti, Where OAS Has Been Awarded IDB Contracts.” “OAS has been in the news because it is caught up in a corruption scandal centered on Brazil’s state-owned oil company, Petrobras. In November Brazilian police arrested three top OAS executives for their alleged roles in a bribery scheme involving inflated contracts and kickbacks. OAS denies the allegations. Closer to home the 2013 OAS donation to the Clinton Foundation deserves attention because of the power that Bill Clinton has in Haiti, where OAS has been awarded IDB contracts.” [Mary O’Grady, Wall Street Journal, 3/8/15]