Marie St. Fleur and Linda Dorcena Forry:

1.  What do the Haitian people in your communities need at this time?  Do they need action, do they need information, do they just need time to grieve?

2.  Many people have been talking about harnessing remittances that are sent to Haiti by family and friends here in the states.  Can you talk about these proposed policies of harnessing remittances.  Why would such policies make sense?

3.  How does the City of Boston and the state of Massachusetts factor itself in to the relief and rebuilding efforts in Haiti?  Does the City of Boston want to take on a leadership role?  If so, what role would it like to take.  Similarly, does Massachusetts see itself a taking a leadership role to advocate for Haiti reconstruction?

4.  Some say that Haiti needs an event for which to rebuild.  Some say that the world cup should go to Haiti to both focus and hone the rebuilding effort.  Do you think that Haiti and Haitians need an event such as the World Cup or, as in the 50's the World Fair to focus both Haitian and international efforts on the task of rebuilding? 

5. In her "letter to the community" dated yesterday (February 16, 2010) MIT
President Hockfield wrote:

"... the scope and scale of the physical destruction will increasingly
call on the skills, talents and creativity of the MIT community as
attention shifts to the long process of rebuilding and development..."

President Hockfield sampled three "looking ahead" projects by relatively
small and isolated  groups of students and faculty re media technology,
rain water harvesting and the construction of small self-sufficient
settlements.

Perhaps most importantly she mentioned the need for MIT-based project
that are "as focused, coordinated and effective as possible."

In light of your own history as Haitian-Americans and of your recent
trips to Haiti, what concrete plans would you advise to the MIT's senior
administration in terms of broadly-based, long-term and sustainable
cooperation projects between MIT and Haiti, projects that can indeed be
"as focused, coordinated and effective as possible," keeping in mind
both MIT's strengths and Haiti's current needs?

6. What benefits do you see such projects having, not for only for Haiti,
but also for research and teaching at MIT?

7. How do you plan to use your influence as elected officials to sustain the good will evoked for the Haitian people in the U.S.? 

Paul Altidor:

1.  What plan do you intend to offer the Haitian government? What should be privatized?  What should remain within public control? What types of checks on the private sector would you recommend to the Haitian Government in this rebuilding process.

2.  Some say that Haiti should be placed under protectorate status -- a marshall plan should be initiated, etc.  What is your position?  Who should be in charge of Haiti and what do you say to those in the US and the World who believe that it's time for someone else to be in charge of Haiti.

3.  You know how rumors run crazy around Haiti sometimes.  Well, some say that Wyclf Jean wants to be president.  Is this true?  If so, is Wyclef Jean the person that Haiti needs right now?

4. In what ways do you see privatization efforts, like the one you're currently involved in with Haiti's telecommunication company, helping Haiti's economy in ways that are beneficial for all, including the 
Haitian masses that have been marginalized for far too long?

5. In 2008, the high cost of food imported into Haiti from the US and Europe, proved to be prohibitive for the majority of Haitians.  As a result Haitians in Port-au-Prince, and other ciities found themselves unable to meet their meager food requirements.  This led to riots and instability within the government and in society generally.  As the World Bank and others consider the reconstruction of the Haitian economy, what if any investments in the agricultural sector is the Bank advising.

Marc Zissman:

1.  As I understand it, part of  your job is to collect data and make sense of that data.  Can  you elaborate on what type of data is in need of collection and what types of assessments are necessary?

2.  What role do you think that MIT can play in the rethinking and rebuilding Haiti?  What can MIT bring to the table that other institutions cannot bring?

3.  What types of partnerships could MIT forge with Haitian Institutions?  What types of joint fact finding could be created?

4. What measures are planned to address security, health and sanitation in the makeshift camps-are any special measures being developed to protect vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, women and children? (I am not sure this is within his jurisdiction...but just wondering).

5. How are the Haitian people being engaged in the current humanitarian efforts as partners in the data collecting, analyzing, and decision process?

Steven Lerman:  

1.  Many people in this world think of MIT as a leader in technology, innovation and experimentation.  How could MIT use its strength as a leader in this world to help foster technology development, growth and innovation in disaster stricken countries like Haiti?

2.  What is appropriate role for MIT in Haiti's rebuilding and recovery? Is there a place for MIT to test its ability to respond quickly in the midst of a disaster? Can MIT's research and technological innovations play a role in disaster recovery and if so, how?

Anyone:

1. During the disaster, communication technologies -- social networking, email, texting and cell phones -- played a pivotal role not only in connecting people to love ones, but also connecting rescue teams to people trapped, connecting supplies to people in need. and connecting the voices of Haitians across the world to each other.  Still, only certain members of the population had access to the power off these technologies.  Can communication technologies be a disaster relief and recovery tool for everyone, not just the well endowed or is the digital divide too hard to bridge?  

2. Can we imagine creative ways to pair MIT students, faculty and community members with students, faculty and staff at institutions of higher education in Haiti so that we are learning side-by-side?

3. How do we deliver urgently needed aid and supplies that save lives while avoiding our setting the stage for an even lower state of affairs vis-à-vis the key areas of need? E.g., would providing tents in any way undermine the pressure to build more housing? How do we address this “satisficing” problem of eroding living standards even further?