The morning after (courtesy of Al Jazeera here: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/2F14DC83-B602-4FC4-9452-3A49886B0AC1.htm)
It's deceptively calm this morning - actually too calm: no sounds of cars, revving of motorbikes, shouting, loud dance music and other assorted ambient street noise. I can actually even hear the birds chirping, and can see the "houseboy" [how colonial] downstairs trimming the flowers.
However, I heard that they're still burning tyres and holding rallies downtown. What's more worrying for us cosseted expats is that there's a huge amount of anger against the UN and, by extension, other international workers. Digicel, the largest mobile phone company here who is raking it in, is Irish and were apparently blockaded yesterday by angry protestors telling them to "go home". I can certainly understand the anger - I'm an NGO expat myself and even I get pissed off by the UN ridiculous pay, their arrogance and their utter ineffectiveness and bureaucracy. However, I'm hoping this doens't turn into another Ivory Coast.
Anyway, we're all on tenterhooks waiting for the President Rene Preval to speak as everything hinges on what he says and how it's received. Unfortunately, the government doesn't have a great deal of credibility and Preval himself is not a charismatic figure so it's unclear which way it will go. As a colleague mentioned though, there are only three options: it will stay the same, worsen or get better. Well, putting it that way...
Meanwhile, might spend today writing new finance procedures. Hmmnn.
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