Harry, this was a very inspirational piece.
I believe that many Haitians in the diaspora would probably return home and invest more in their country if they could.
But their country rejects them by telling them they are no longer citizens, hence, no longer Haitians.
Most countries in the world have double citizenship, but ours does not. A few months back I posted a long analysis of how the government could trade literacy for diaspora citizenship.
My analysis showed how, with the program that I outlined, within 2-5 years, the country would be at least 80% literate and all of the diaspora who wanted to go home would have had the opportunity to do so. I liked the plan because it serves everybody well and cost very little to the government.
I would have been one of the first to participate, because at this juncture in my life, I have a decision to make.
I have properties and businesses in Haiti that have been just sitting there for many years since my father passed away.
I basically get no revenue from them because I allow the people who run them and work there to keep all the proceeds.
However, now I can no longer do that.
I have to make a choice; sell everything and take the proceeds and reinvest them in the US, were they actually see me as a citizen, even if I have another citizenship, or keep everything in Haiti where I have no legal rights because, although I was born there, I'm now told that I am not Haitian.
I am sure that there are other members of the diaspora who have to make similar types of decisions.
How can we invest ourselves fully, give up our security, disrupt our whole families for a country that does not even acknowledge us.
Reply to: Msg 4959
Posted by Linda on 12/2/07 2:26 PM
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