Trying to understand what is happening to the billions of dollars donated by private individuals and governments for post earthquake relief in Haiti is far from easy. So much so that one year on, it is hard not to conclude, as hundreds of thousands of Haitians struggle to survive, that many of those involved in politics and relief work seem more interested in maintaining their own bureaucratic procedures, priorities and influence than helping those who are suffering.

What now seems to be developing is a process of mutual recrimination in response to questions in the media about how the huge sums raised for Haiti are being spent. This variously involves the Haitian authorities and customs being blamed for creating difficulties or allegedly for corruption; the US and UN being castigated for their slow, opaque and unaccountable procedures;…..