From: Emmanuelle Gilles <manugi28@yahoo.fr>
Can you let us know how Bernard Gousse and Andy Apaid, business owners
have
exploited underpaid Haitian workers. It seems to me that is how all
businesses
flourish including the sweat shops that were once in Haiti. Is it OK
for the
sweat shops to exploit but not OK for Haitian businessmen.
When you referred to the first democratically elected government, you
would
agree that this constitutional president was also a demon, a sorcerer, a
criminal, a drug dealer - thus whoever got rid of him did us a great
favor,
although we do believe in respecting the legitimacy of an elected
president.
To those who wrote on the security situation, it is a fact that
kidnappings
were part of a legacy left and entertained by the monster called
Aristide in
retaliation for his alleged kidnapping. The young people in Cite Soleil
who
never had the means to earn a decent living who were always a peaceful
people -
suddenly became heavily armed with all types of sophisticated weapons -
Aristide did not provide them with schools or homes but did give them
guns and
money. Folks, what did you expect them to do with those? just think.
I have
had very good years in Haiti when gun possession was not possible unless
one
was a policeman, or a tonton macoute at the time - thus most crimes
were politically linked. Perhaps we should be politically correct in
our
analysis by saying the truth.
Regarding the Government of Latortue which is labaled "De facto" - you
realize
that constitutionally the government was very much legitimate since the
President of the Constitutional Court was the next in line to assume
power in
the event of a presidential vacuum according to the Haitian
constitution.
Latortue was only a Prime Minister with much power. You would also
realize
that the constitution does have its flaws and it would not have been
possible
for Latortue to organize elections in 90 days as stipulated by the
constitution. Thus the defacto situation was a "force majeure". To say
that
Gerard Latortue ushered in Haiti's present depth of suffering is so
dishonest
and so untrue. Allow me to inform you that when the Latortue and his
Ministers
joined the Government, the state treasury was already bankrupt.
Economic
growth was negative (.5) - public reserve could not even guarantee 6
months of
imports, the Haitian money devaluated tremendously and Aristide did not
even have a budget. It was the Latortue Government who rehabilitated
public
finances and economic growth rose to 2.5% - You may be able to find
facts
regarding the Latortue Government in "le Livre blanc de la transition".
For Spinelli, I will make some suggestions on whom you can meet and to
discuss
your projects - I will send you names and numbers to your email
address.
Haiti is now in dire needs for good projects. Funds were pledged from
several
financial institutions (IBRD (largest contributor), World Bank, EDF
(European
Develoment Fund), OPEC as well as bilateral funding. Funds are
available for
good projects in Haiti - presently there is a huge problem with the
Government's absorption capacity. Most of the Haitian technical experts
have
left the country. This brain drain impacts negatively on Government
human
resources. The money is waiting for good projects. Furthermore,
Haitian
companies do not have the guarantees necessary which tend to amount from
1
million to 5 million dollars after bidding for project implementation.
So far, the government has made good progress and this is a continuation
from
Latortue's efforts in customs revenues - with these revenues, they are
able to
construct the road (milot-Cap-Haitien-Ouanaminthe) there is a project
to
construct Dajabon (DR) - Ouanaminthe.
Again the security dilemma inherited by the Government of Latortue and
Preval
has not made it easy for the Government to focus on development issues
more
profoundly. Great efforts have been made so far and things are much
better.
Again, in reading some of the postings, I can ask whether our Corbett
friends
here are contacting the right people or are getting the right
information.
Regards.