Friday, July 30, 2010

Democracy for Sale


"If I was president, I'd get elected on Friday, assassinated on Saturday, buried on Sunday, Then go back to work on Monday." These are mirthful lyrics from Wyclef Jean’s song “If I was President.” Although seemingly farfetched, some troubling realities of Haitian presidential history are embedded within those lines.  Ironical, should he really become president of Haiti next year.


The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Wyclef Jean, Haitian-born entertainer -- Grammy Award winner—is entertaining the idea of entering the up-coming presidential race in his homeland.
“An opportunity that he’s exploring and exploring seriously,” declared his brother Sam Jean, who runs Wyclef’s charitable organization, Yele Haiti Foundation. Sam added, “Most of the population in Haiti is under the age of 26, I believe, so the youth have really clamored to him.”
This latest news sent shock waves through the Haitian community. The successful hip-hop singer is well known for his stardom as well as his philanthropist and humanitarian work geared towards the poorest of Haiti; however, his political ambitions --to this point-- remained inconspicuous. As for his eligibility to run for presidential office, Article 135 of the Haitian constitution spells it out as follow:

a.                           Be a native-born Haitian and never have renounced Haitian nationality.
b.                           Have attained 35 years of age by the Election Day.
c.                           Enjoy civil and political rights and never have been sentenced to death, personal restraint or penal servitude or the loss of civil rights for a crime of ordinary law.
d.                           Be the owner in Haiti of at least one real property and have his habitual residence in the country.
e.                           Have resided in the country for five consecutive years before the date of the elections.
f.                          Have been relieved of his responsibilities if he has been handling public funds.

Although the 37-year-old has yet to officially declared his candidacy, some reports have indicated that he has already filed the necessary papers to become an official candidate. Meanwhile, his camp maintained that, “at this time, Wyclef Jean has not announced his intent to run for Haitian president. If and when a decision is made, media will be alerted immediately,” leaving the idea floating in the realm of possibilities.
Perhaps most interestingly or even ironical, Raymond Joseph -- Jean’s uncle – Haiti’s ambassador to the U.S., told the Christian Monitor that he will also run for President on November 28th this year. He would not dispel reports on the likelihood of his nephew running for the highest office during the phone interview; nonetheless, he stated, “ No, I wouldn’t say running against, I would say running parallel.” This would seem to indicate that Jean may be orchestrating a major PR campaign to not only test public opinion but to also mobilize his fan base and possibly throw all of his weight behind his uncle close to election day, an Everest of an endorsement.
Not surprisingly, Eduardo Gamarra, a political science professor at Florida International University and a close follower of Haitian affairs said, "I think he [Joseph] would be a strong contender, I’m not endorsing him, but I am saying that he does fit the profile of what many expect to see in the next round: someone able to engage the international community." Gamarra did however concede that Jean probably had more resources to run a campaign than the other candidates emphasizing the importance of money.

Rapadoo,

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Flickering Hope



Immersed in the rumbling ocean of “runaway NGOs,” the agony of the distraught victims, and 20 million cubic meters of rubble, some little candles --sparks of hope-- barely noticeable, are flickering. They are optimistic signs indicating that the lives of many Haitians are improving. However, if like most people, you were bombarded with traumatic images of the reprehensible conditions plaguing the refugee camps on June 12th, you too, might have missed the successful efforts that were slowly bubbling their way onto the surface.
Alas, the perceived stagnancy of the relief efforts exposed by the media is a sad reality. Nonetheless, taking a few seconds to filter out the noise and taking a closer look, you too, would have detected a flimsy but steady pulse; indications that this maltreated republic had every reasons to be optimistic.
The situation in Haiti is by no mean unambiguous. Observers would need two sets of lenses to fully comprehend the enormity of the problem.  First, retrospective lenses would bring into focus pre-catastrophic conditions: they could be anachronistic, yet imperative to grasp that reality. Second, actuality lenses would unveil post-quake situations, serve as a measuring device, and perhaps help broaden perceptions.
Absent a set of binoculars, former President Bill Clinton’s remarks would be just as encompassing. "To those who say we have not done enough, I think all of us who are working in this area agree this is a harder job (than the tsunami)," Clinton stated referring to the massive 2004 Indonesian Tsunami. "Viewed comparatively,” he continued, “I think the Haitian government and the people who are working here have done well in the last six months."

A glimpse into the grim Haitian reality prior to the earthquake according to Oxfam Solidarite, a humanitarian organization working in Haiti for 32 years.

55% of the population lived with less than $1.25 per day
86% of the urban population lived in slums
47% of the population did not have access to basic health services
83% of the population did not have an adequate access to medical care

With a literacy rate of 45 percent, a stunning 55 percent of school-aged children were out of school prior to the demolition. Six months later however, UNICEF estimated that the earthquake affected 90 percent of 4,992 schools. Further, its six months progress report, Milestones at Six Months, revealed that about 80 percent of schools in Port-au-Prince and all schools in three other major cities that were severely hit have reopened. This was a significant development considering the fact that CIA World Factbook estimates that 37.5 percent of the population is under the age of 15 and about 60 percent under the age of 18. Besides the obvious psychological respite these schools have provided switching the focus of the children from their demises to learning, this initiative planted a seed of intellect in the future of Haiti. “Education is key,” said Ms. Gruloos-Ackermans, UNICEF Representative in Haiti. “We have to have all children at school and we have to have quality of education. It will be really complicated. It’s a long process and we have to be all together – partnering, not competing,” she added. Equally noticeable, these children are not roaming the streets freely where ill-advised practices could attract them.
In addition to education, enormous progress has been made in the medical front as well, yet no one could tell. Coordinated efforts of the 4 major medical organizations (the Red Cross, MSF, Doctors of the World and FRIEND) made medical care available to more than a half-million people. Since the catastrophe, nearly all of the health centers, still standing, have reopened administering care free of charge. These organizations have also undertaken massive vaccination campaigns, a deterrent to possible outbreaks of preventable diseases. The National Center for Cooperation and Development (CNCD) reported that 90 percent of the population had access to health care, whereas before a shocking 60 percent of Haitians could not afford to consult a doctor. Noticeably, there has been no epidemic outbreak; hence the worst did not come. Additionally, several other NGOs have provided safe water, latrines, and other basic health services to the refugees’ camps.
Furthermore, more than 30,000 people participated in the rebuilding framework of the project “Work for Food Program” or WFP in just the first week of its implementation and the number of participants has increased daily since. Also, more than 150,000 people have received food and other incentives through this project. Moreover, the participants are paid $5 dollars every day for helping clean the streets, the construction of the irrigation canals, and other activities to face the cyclonic season. By year-end, it’s projected that more than 140,000 Haitians will have a regular income thanks to the program. WFT will also make it possible to nourish 700,000 people through December. Although temporary, these kinds of program will help Haitians regain some sanity and keep them from desperate criminal behaviors.
In addition to being Haiti’s national sport, soccer has always been a main source of entertainment for Haitians. In the absence of a strong national team, they have indentified with some of the greatest team in the history of the sport. Among the many fanatics, an overwhelming majority support teams such as Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Netherlands, and even the U.S. Therefore, it was a special treat to them when Lionel “Leo” Messi, FIFA World Player of the Year, showed up in Haiti eager to have firsthand experience with what he had only learned through media coverage. The world-renowned FC Barcelona and Argentina national football team player said, “It was overwhelming to see the overcrowded displacement camps, the poverty in which people here live,” after visiting Carrefour Aviation, a camp where 50,000 displaced Haitians live in tents. The enthusiastic fans, hundreds of them, wearing Argentina t-shirts, waving Argentinean flags, screamed and shouted as their hero squeezed his way through the area. After meeting with a group of children and answering their questions, Messi added, “I believe that sports are really important for children. I learned my most important lessons in life through sport. It is where I had my opportunity, and I wish the same for them.” That was a much-needed escape for children who admired the footballer and aspired to be like him some day.

Inarguably, people are suffering in Haiti right now, millions of them. Words escape me when trying to properly frame their ordeals; however, these sparks, while they may not be enough to shine the reigning darkness of reprehensibility, are enough to stake their own claim on priorities. Most significantly though, these little flickering flames have fostered hope in the heart of a people yearning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.