Haiti Ahead

Yesterday, I was in the car driving when the news came of yet another earthquake. This one, of 8.8 magnitudes has struck Chile, South America. Quickly my fear of the news crews, health and aids organizations leaving Haiti resurfaced to remind me of how little time we have to change the course in Haiti. I’d admit; although unfounded, some may find this sentiment selfish. The sluggishly started recovery effort in Haiti, the images of all these ragged tents lining the streets and the few parks of Port-au-Prince, occupied my thinking for hours and on. The painful realization of thousands dead and those still under the rubbles, the slow pace of progress which has hunted me and others for weeks, is re-activated with more vigor and a voodoo like attacks. Here are people dying in Chile and the potential for tsunami to strike coastal cities from Hawaii all the way to Japan and all I can think about is Haiti. What about you? What were your 1st thoughts? Although I feel for the Chilean people, I...

It has been over a month since the devastating EARTHQUAKE; in fact, his one month birthday was commemorated on February the 12th. Masses were held, dignitaries were on hand for the unfortunate event. It should have been baptized “a day for the survivors”. I personally did not watch any of it on TV. I’m still trying to grasp the invisibleness of some semblance of normalcy in the country. I’m still taken by the ineptitude of the Haitian Government to help his people in its darkest hour. Where are they now? What are they doing? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve seen the pictures taken with passing foreign representatives. I’d like to be a fly on the wall in one of those board meetings they claim to be having. Are they in there blaming each other, or setting up a plan of action? Oh wait, that was a month ago! What phase are they in now? Did I hear clean up and demolishment? For how long? Is there anything else? Tents Cities? Or are they just seating there crying broke, waiting for the International ...

Let me state 1st and foremost, I have nothing against Wyclef Jean. Personally, I think he cares very much about Haiti and its people, and he means well. Unlike most of us living abroad, he made his duty to help the less fortunate in the country in their darkest hour. I’m, in no way, questioning his sincerity. I must also state categorically that he is not running for president; as far as I know. But, his story is all too familiar with those the Haitian people usually fall in love with, elect into office, and get burnt by. Among the more recent, one can cite Papa Doc; the doctor who at first spent his career in the countryside combatting malaria and other diseases which were ravaging the farmers in Haiti. Even closer we remember Jean Bertrand Aristide; the radical priest turned politician who was the Great Haitian Hope. To say it kindly, none of them lived up to our expectations. They did not only betray the trust of their people, they also turn on them like the plague. Haiti,...

Once upon a time there was an Island the Indians called Haiti, Quiskeya, or Boyo. Christopher Columbus came, killed them all and took over their little paradise. He named it Hispaniola. The European powers would fought over it for years; dividing it in two, some times tree parts. The Indians out of the way, they set out to exploit the fertile land and all the natural resources that it possesses. In the 17 hundreds, they invaded Africa. There they kidnapped its inhabitants, put them on ships, in the most horrible conditions known to man. They brought them to Hispaniola to work the land as slaves. The Island prospered even more and became the envy of all Europe; La perle des Antilles. The Aristocracy in France and Spain lived opulently, lavishly, wastefully, on the backs of those African slaves. The slaves would revolt several times, with one revolt more successful than the other; but none resulted in the reversal of the system that has enslaved them. The Masters successfully divided t...

Wyclef and The Haiti's Earthquake January 2010 will no doubt go down as the worst month in the Haitian People History. On the 12th of that month, Mother Nature dealt the Republic one of severest blow that the developed world has ever witnessed. Everyone, regardless of races or origins, was glued to there TV set day after day to watch the terrible devastation that we have been subjected to. The world responded with outpouring sympathy, aids, prayer, moneys, and supports. While some of us can’t but watch them descended in the country to help our brother and sisters, others are doing what they can. Among them, a little known organization named “Yele Haiti” or “Wyclef Jean Foundation”. Quickly they challenged everyone to start donating monies for the relief effort that was going to be needed. They have been on the ground years earlier helping the least fortunate in all kind of ways; or so they claimed. Like a little fish in a big pond of giant Aid Organizations, they joined in the re...

By now you may have heard the reporting on so-called “Tent Cities” to be created as soon as they have enough tents on hands. In my opinion that is the wrong way to go right now. Very cheap tents should be distributed in those temporary places where people are sleeping now. Better yet, load of people should have been moved out of the rubles to temporary shelters (churches, schools, warehouses, etc.) outside the affected areas. Evacuate! Once they are out of the devastated sites, they could be fed much easier as they would be broken into smaller groups. They would also be less difficult to deal with once they are re-assured that they’ll only be there until more appropriate tents are erected in common areas in Port-au-Prince. This way, we would buy our selves some times to put together a better coordinated plan for the “New City”. Instead of this hasty plan to rebuild one that was never accommodating and fitting in the first place. This old city is way too small. Northwest of the cit...

The idea came to me a minute ago. Without much thought, here we go. We need this bad. There, don't sweat it and join in. Don't shy away, speak your mind, share your thoughts and desire right here from now one. This forum has been long overdue. I resisted joining Facebook , My Space , and others for lack of times and things to say. Well, it seems to me that we now have plenty to talk about. Haiti is ours whether we want it or not. For most of us it's a stigma; being Haitian, the connotations are many and not all flattering . I understand that words are merely words and mean nothing without actions to back it up. But, word is what I have today; and the word of the day is "do-it". Join Da King and thus the world as we express our most sincere and intimate thoughts. To quote our ex- compatriot Richard Brisseaux : " Entrez , sans frapper . Chez -nous il n-y-a pas d'honeur , ni de respect."