Haiti shouldn’t be allowed to go over the brink

THE EDITOR, Madam:

It seems everyone who could do anything to bring about a resolution to the security situation in Haiti is waiting to see if the multinational security support mission (MSS) led by Kenya will succeed. However, if that mission is under-resourced, under-equipped, demoralised by under-funding then it seems likely the MSS will surely fail to meet its objectives. This would then only strengthen the argument that the Haitian National Police, even with all this MSS help, could not, and most likely cannot, contain the lawless, insecurity situation and so “time to impose another ‘blue helmet’ UN peacekeeping mission”. This would probably achieve preservation of the status quo, reinforce the narrative of Haiti being the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and the thinking that they are not worthy to be allowed to govern themselves and develop in the manner they would want for themselves.

From the time of Haiti’s independence until now, there have been some misguided people who have sought to use violence to obtain power and then instead of serving and building a just society, have repressed and exploited the Haitian populace. In the current societal crisis, the old imperial powers have taken some action to impose sanctions on some of the present players who are helping to foment violence. Why have they apparently not employed the considerable intelligence and resources at their disposal to stem the flow of illegal guns and ammunition into Haiti?

Why have they not agitated for and participated in discussions with the ‘suffering poor’ especially in the Port-au-Prince environs concerning immediate plans to address the many pressing social needs of the masses?

Why are they not agitating that hope be given to especially the young people of Haiti, that major investments be made in modernising the education sector, to especially prepare them for involvement in the modern technological industries which could be developed?

Why not emphasise possibilities to modernise aspects of the agricultural sector in areas of known capacity, like rice production, corn/sorghum production, small ruminant production, poultry production, orchard crop production etc., which will help address the food/nutrition security issues at hand and possibly could provide for export earnings from potential trade opportunities?

Haiti’s development cannot be predicated on foreign aid, and the educational and health outcomes of the people cannot be primarily dependent on the generosity of international NGOs. Haiti’s greatest resource is it resilient, resourceful and proud people. Haitian state must be helped to be interventionist especially coming out of this period of ‘brutal civil war’. CARICOM must champion this cause for our sister nation. The African Union countries and especially the francophone ones should also see it as part of their fraternal and even reparatory duty to invest in Haiti’s restoration. Haiti must not be allowed to go over the brink.

LAWRENCE ALEXANDER

lalexanderbernard@gmail.

com