Comments on: Cabaret, Haiti hit hard by Ike; bodies on every street corner

By: Jocelyn McCalla

Jocelyn McCalla — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:47:43 +0000

Allow me to point out that the monicker, "Haiti, pearl of the Antilles," was given during colonial times when slavery reigned supreme and the colony of Saint-Domingue was like the gift that kept giving to the French monarchy, and the planters. Thanks to the plunder of the land, slave labor and a rigid cast system, the colony provided riches to France that underwrote other conquests elsewhere. For the slaves, either creole of transplanted from African shores, the colony was not the pearl of the antilles. In fact it was the worst nightmare on earth if historians are correct in their description of colonial slavery.
The first thing that today's Haitians need to shed is this idea that Haiti was the pearl of the Antilles. Secondly, we may all deplore the waste and the corruption that characterizes governance in Haiti since time immemorial. But we would surely be heading in the wrong direction were we to look at it as an aberration, which the reference to pedophiles in Guiton's comments seem to indicate. To be sure, pedophiles should not be in a position to prey on the most vulnerable amongst Haitian citizens.

By: Guiton

Guiton — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:24:35 +0000

Unfortunately, we dwell in the belief that developing or developed countries are responsible to aid or support this country that once was the pearl of the caribbean. Recall mediocre Haitian leaders waste and abuse their own resources-how could it be exactly 78 days after the Haitian President Rene Preval declared that his taxation program works so well that his government is seeing a surplus in national revenue-but as soon as this deluge occured his first statement was, "we are waiting for the international community to come to aid". Does it ring the bell? one year before the flood, a group of young Haitians who were born in the city went to work and prevent this flood, but the local gov was not interested because it was a direct support; therefore, there would be no room for corruption. when leaders are incapable, marginal or sometimes null-in addition to relying on other countries, the result is similar tragedy where only the mass will suffer. Leaders in this country run to be elected as a way to survive hoping to get a U.S Visa- or corruption in public resources. Haitian leaders need to be ethical and serve the purpose by their position- these out of touch pedophiles who utilize their positions and money to prostitute the youth-and drive luxury cars in the mud-and rely on the thoughts that the world is round like and orange are the sole responsible for the ordeal. The international community should refrain its aid to Haiti til trusted and transparant government is proven. As long as Haitians continue to have dull leaders like currently- so will their misery increase. This country once could sustain itself- Haiti beautiful before the flux of actual illogical leaders accidentally came to govern this country to its wrost. " Your state independently flourishes through nationalism acts with available resources contrary to what politics wish for; its is about those who can or cannot receive"

By: carly

carly — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 06:35:36 +0000

it is such a shame that this poor country which has suffered so many setback and now this. I feel like Haiti has been ignored by so many countries and they need a voice. If it was any other countries, it would be all over the news and donations would be asked all over the TV stations but again it's haiti so they are on their own.
it's a shame they are great people who with poor government, poor economy. We need to appeal to all people including the haitians

By: zfree

zfree — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:20:12 +0000

i was recently in Haiti, no country deserves such tragedy or maybe it's mercy allowing the most oppressed to be washed away allowing the human family to come together to aide our extended community -- hopefully this tragedy will bring forth a long term strategy to bring haiti out of degradation