Much like the ‘dog that didn’t bark’ in the famed Sherlock Holmes’ story, the conspicuous media silence surrounding Haiti’s political past points straight to the heart of the mystery of Haiti’s shocking poverty.

For there is little doubt that the purely man-made catastrophe that lends Haiti the dubious distinction of holding title as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has contributed mightily to the tragic loss of life in its recent natural catastrophe.

Unlocking, then, the rich, if tragic, chest of Haiti’s past is a necessary prerequisite if we have any pretensions to helping Haiti in the future.