The Haitian government recently revealed that J/P Haitian Relief Organization, or HRO, a nonprofit aid group founded by actor Sean Penn, has offered to oversee the demolition of the National Palace. The building was damaged in the 2010 earthquake, and has been slowly collapsing ever since. Government officials have been working from a small police station as well as a few impromptu buildings on the Palace grounds.
Lucien Jura, a government spokesman, explained that the project would begin in ten days’ time. J/P HRO has not asked for any payment, despite the fact that the demolition will take at least two months.
“Amb. Penn mentioned that his organization could provide the engineers and equipment to do the demolition at no cost to the government,” Jura said.
Penn’s foundation believes that the project symbolizes a turning point for Haiti and its nation. The demolition team will work alongside the government as well as a department responsible for preserving historical monuments, aiming to combine construction machines and hands-on work to preserve and restore certain parts of the complex.
“It’s an important project, an important step for the government, for Haiti, for the people of Haiti to move on,” said Ron Baldwin, executive director of J/P HRO.