Sean Penn's charity group to oversee the demolition of Haiti's National Palace two years after devastating earthquake

By Leon Watson

PUBLISHED: 06:21 EST, 22 August 2012 | UPDATED: 09:45 EST, 22 August 2012

The aid group Sean Penn founded in the aftermath of Haiti's deadly 2010 earthquake will oversee the demolition of the island's wrecked National Palace, it was revealed today.

The Haitian government said the Hollywood star's non-profit group will begin knocking it down in the next 10 days.

Spokesman Lucien Jura revealed that Penn's J/P HRO group is not charging for the work, which is expected to take about two months.

This photo taken from Fort National, a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, shows the damage to the National Palace inflicted during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti

This photo taken from Fort National, a neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, shows the damage to the National Palace inflicted during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti

Referring to Penn's position as ambassador-at-large for Haiti, Jura wrote in an email: 'Amb. Penn mentioned that his organisation (J/P HRO) could provide the engineers and equipment to do the demolition at no cost to the government.'

The earthquake toppled hundreds of buildings in the capital of Port-au-Prince and in other cities to the south.

The National Palace was among them, its white dome and the rest of the structure slowly falling into itself.

 

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The collapse forced government officials to work from a tiny police station near the international airport after the earthquake, coordinating the arrival of aid.

Authorities now conduct day-to-day operations from a cluster of pre-fabricated buildings on the grounds of the National Palace.

The crumbled National Palace has come to symbolise the level of devastation caused by the quake as well as government inertia.

Actor Sean Penn pictured helping the relief effort in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. He is now ambassador-at-large for the country

Actor Sean Penn pictured helping the relief effort in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. He is now ambassador-at-large for the country

A view from the roof of Haiti's collapsed National Palace in Port-au-Prince

Crumbling: A view from the roof of Haiti's collapsed National Palace in Port-au-Prince

The palace, which was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people, has had its demolition delayed but will now be carried out by Sean Penn's aid group

The palace, which was destroyed in the 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people, has had its demolition delayed but will now be carried out by Sean Penn's aid group

But Penn's group hopes the demolition will mark a turning point for Haiti as it works with the government and a department in charge of preserving historical monuments.

The effort will include both construction machines along with workers using their hands, said Ron Baldwin, the group's executive director.

'It's an important project, an important step for the government, for Haiti, for the people of Haiti to move on,' Baldwin said by telephone.

The crumbled National Palace has come to symbolise the level of devastation caused by the quake as well as government inertia

The crumbled National Palace has come to symbolise the level of devastation caused by the quake as well as government inertia

The collapse forced government officials to work from a tiny police station near the international airport after the earthquake

The collapse forced government officials to work from a tiny police station near the international airport after the earthquake

Earthquake damage in downtown Port Au Prince, Haiti

Earthquake damage in downtown Port Au Prince, Haiti

Baldwin declined to give a value on the cost of the demolition, saying the budget was still being worked on.

It's still not clear what will follow the demolition. Government spokesman Jura said officials had not decided on how to replace the government building, which has had to be rebuilt before.

While still under construction, the Beaux Arts structure was burned by a mob that assassinated Haiti's president, Vilbrun Guillaume Sam.

It was completed during the 1915 to 1934 occupation by U.S. Marines that followed his death.

Penn received the honour of being named an ambassador in recognition of his humanitarian work from Haitiian President Michel Martelly at a special ceremony in January at the National Palace.

Martelly thanked Penn for keeping the spotlight on the Caribbean nation.

 

Comments (15)

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To all you nay-sayers; put your hands where your mouth is, roll up your sleeves and get dirty! If not in Haiti, then your own backyard. DO NOT fault someone for wanting to help, however misguided they may be. Quit judging, shut your yap and get busy. Nuff said!

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Doesn't he look like a Goblin from Gringotts Bank in Harry Potter...??

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Havent forgotten what this idiot said about the Falklands. So dont come to the UK, Penn, we all hate you here.

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Billions of Dollars was raised after the shock and yet the place still looks like it did a few days after. Where has all the money gone ? - Duncan W, Samui, Thailand, 23/8/2012 03:55 ------------------------------ About $12 Billion (Roughly £8 Billion) in aid has been given to Haiti since the earthquake. An estimated 280,000 died and 3 million were effected. ------------------------ $12 Billion divided by 3 million is about $4,000 (£2,600) per person. ------------------------ That money would be spread out over 31 months, so figure they've had roughly £83.9 per month. --------------------------- Tell me something. If London were bombed and raised to the ground, and the people of London were only given £83.9 per month to support themselves and rebuild, how much do you think would be rebuilt two and a half years later? ------------------- Keep in mind it took over 20 years to rebuild London after WWII, and you had a hell of a lot more than £83.9 per person per month to spend.

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I am not interested in anything Sean Penn is involved with. I didn't even read the article, just jumped to the comments. I wrote on his facebook page what I thought of him, but his PR team had it removed. Sean, from everyone in the UK you are a word that rhymes with Sri Lanka (not banker).

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Surely the money would be better spent rebuilding things like hospitals, schools etc

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it's the Silicon Valley of the XXXIth century.

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i worked there for 6 months - huge wast loads of consultants and professional ngo types best way of giving them money - just fly around in a helicopter and sprinkle dollar notes only a small part of money raised goes to the actual project and they waste lots of it by over paying for everything because the people themselves have no real experience running real projects these charities need to employ people with real industry experience - a degree and ngo experience should never be enough and of course people hire each other in their own image

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Billions of Dollars was raised after the shock and yet the place still looks like it did a few days after. Where has all the money gone ?

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Just put little pictures of photographers all over the building and let his rage do the rest.

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