9394: Re: 9345: Dorce to Pierre Jean on Transparency (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LAKAT47@aol.com

In a message dated 10/25/2001 11:45:32 PM Pacific Standard Time, Pierre Jean 
<pierrejean01@yahoo.comwrites:

<< However, it still begs the question of why the Haitian
 government is NOT releasing such information. My issue
 is not so much with Kurzban getting paid $600,000+ a
 year for his services. Rather, what I want to know is:
 what are we as a country getting for the money we are
 paying lobbyists. >>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I am not against reporting government spending.  I think there should be 
transparency in all governments.  However, I wonder if all those who are so 
bent on criticizing the Haitian government would be happy with ANYTHING that 
government does.  When concessions are made (and so many have been made, to 
Haiti's detriment) there is always something else wrong.  Well, YES they 
fixed THAT but what about THIS??  If Aristide leaves out ex-Duvalierists, he 
is not including ALL Haitians in his government; if he includes them, he is 
selling out.  If Aristide represents the needs of the poor majority, he is 
not taking care of ALL Haitians, if he negotiates with elites......he is 
selling out and indeed is one of THEM now.  For many people, there is nothing 
he can do that is right.  
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
<<Also, since the Corbett list is about Haiti first as
we are reminded all the time, it is secondary to me
what IRI and USAID spent, and how they spent it, on
democracy building in Haiti ...>>
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
It may be secondary but it is relevant just the same.  These bodies are 
manipulating events in Haiti now, and have been for some time.  Every Haitian 
should want to know in what ways does the US want to effect Haitian affairs.  
How much money is spent to do what should be done and decided by the Haitian 
people through their democratically elected government?  If you don't like 
how the Haitian government spends Haiti's money, vote them out next election. 
 But it is not in the best interests of the entire country to keep hanging up 
progress because it doesn't look like you want it to.  It isn't going to be 
perfect but 225 years later, the US hardly is doing a perfect job of govening 
in a democracy either.  Stop waiting for perfection........let the Haitian 
government move forward.  Micromanagement is killing Haiti.  

Kathy Dorce~