Haitian Premier Says Loss of Support Led Him to Quit –New York Times
There was another blow to an already weak government in Haiti on Friday, February 24, 2012 when Garry Conille, prime minister of Haiti, resigned. This news is very bad for all of Haiti because it affects Haiti on two different fronts. The first front is the government, because the government is very fragile and the resignation of the prime minister does not help the issue. The other issue is the Haitian people that are desperately waiting for assistance. They are relying on their government to step up to the challenge of rebuilding Haiti as soon as possible. Unfortunately the government is struggling to come together and make important decisions that will help promote much needed change.
Many Haitians are still living in tents that are plagued with disease and crime. Although there has been some progress such as clearing out camps, building a new industrial park and hospital, and beginning to promote private investment, there is still much change that needs to be done. It all starts with the government, because the government is in charge of building and maintaining a solid infrastructure. Although Haiti’s government has a lot of work to do, it is possible for them to rebuild Haiti if they work together. Perhaps the most critical issue with this resignation is that international donors and investors will become reluctant to work with Haiti’s government when there is so much chaos.
Although this is another bump in the road, I am confident that one day Haiti will overcome all of these issues. It could take a long time, but there is no doubt in my mind that they will. In my opinion Haiti’s history is the greatest of all time compared to any other country. It became the first black republic in 1804 when slaves defeated the powerful European Army. I get chills every time I think about it and it makes me so proud to be Haitian. So although this story is not good news for Haiti, it is important to keep a positive attitude because change will come.
L’Union Fait La Force!
Haiti's future is questionable because of the circular logic that surrounds its issues. Countries do not want to supplement aid because of Haiti's instability. However, Haiti seems that it cannot progress without such foreign intervention and aid. This constant "double-end sword" is causing more chaos to an already preexisting complex situation.
ReplyDeleteNot only is this defeating circle exhausting the political and economic resources, but it destroying the Haitians' sense of nationalism and morale. Every time they witness a positive step, they take a blow that sets them back five steps. This is most definitely psychologically traumatizing.
However, some people say "everything happens for a reason." Perhaps the replaced leader will be more fit for the job--hopefully attracting foreign investments.
Having a political leader resign, especially in times of crisis, or in Haiti's case, continued crisis, is never good. And the fact that Conille has resigned is just indicative of how ineffectual is seems that Haiti's government is working. The legislative and executive conflict that has precipitated all of this is something easily recognizable for us in the United Sates, and bipartisanship rarely solves most problems to help the actual people.
ReplyDeleteHaiti needs good governance, it needs people to work together to bring about positive change and not just promote political agendas.
It is very unfortunate that Mr. Conille decided to step down. With so much effort and little results, who can blame him? Just from reading the things he was trying to accomplish in this article, I can tell that he was genuinely dedicated to strengthening and rebuilding the country. The main problem is that no foreign investors are willing to donate his or her money to the country if the government is corrupt. By auditing the previous funds, Mr. Concille was ensuring the legitimacy of the allocation of the money. Rumors on the internet that previous donations had went to President Martelly’s campaign can and are deterring other foreign investors from giving funds straight to the government. By clearing up the confusion with the audit, more people will be likely to give them money and ultimately help rebuild the country. The aid is much needed and without support the rest of the administration it is impossible for Mr. Conille to make significant changes. It is sad that they can’t agree for the sake of Haiti but as Kevin mentioned, It is just another obstacle in the pathway to reconstruction.
ReplyDelete