Above: the Caracol Industrial Park in Haiti (Photo: OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The USAID Office of Inspector General has begun operating a new anti-corruption hotline in Haiti in partnership with La Fondation Heritage pour Haiti and the Haitian chapter of Transparency International.

The government said the hotline would “help fight corruption and promote accountability” in aid programmes in Haiti.

The 24-hour hotline accepts allegations (via telephone, email or SMS) in English French and Creole. It was first established in December.

The hotline models an anti-fraud hotline currently being used in Pakistan, also run by the OIG and the Pakistan chapter of Transparency International.

“This new hotline gives the Haitian people a way to help fight corruption in the programs and services meant to benefit them,” said Michael G Carroll, USAID Deputy Inspector General, in a statement. “OIG remains firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption in assistance programs across the country and to help improve donor assistance in Haiti.”

USAID is funding the hotline to the tune of $168,000 over three years as part of a cooperative agreement with LFHH.