Flashes of hope

< Previous | Home | Next >

Pesident Preval,

I hope that this is truly your email address because what I have to say will shed a lot of light about the reasons I think we are where we are now today.

I have been very concerned lately about Haiti's fate. There seems to be myriads of challenges facing a country that did not have any idea where to begin.

Just like so many in the diaspora, my heart goes out to a country that I love but was obliged to leave because of limited options.

For the first time in a very long time, it seems that there is genuine effort on the part of the international donors and the present American administration to truly address the obvious problems facing the country.

Let's make a genuine effort to be receptive and make the most of this opprtunity, because I have the feeling that this kind of opportunity will not present itself.

There are a number of factors to consider:

1) Strategic thinking that will provide sustain development in all the important sectors of the country.

2) Short term, midrange and long term planning for the development of the country's infracstruture.

These plans should be made public to the nation and not be dependent on any given administration.

3) General thinking about the country's welfare, not special interest groups.

4) Education development, specially Engineering, Information technology, Medecine and trade schools, shouls receive priority in the long term planning.

4)Integrate haitian technicians at all levels of administration, development and design of projects, so when the foreign companies finish the job the output can be maintained locally by Haitians and would be cheaper.

5) New paradigm and brainstorming for the development of road networks that will work for Haiti environment

6) Provide training at a grand scale to workers that are involved in the tourism industry.

Tourism is the main source of revenue for the country, we must learn to protect it, expand it, advertise, learn and train.

We can take lessons from the other countries that have booming tourist industries

7) Provide security in the country.

I am willing to doubling the UN forces as long as they can be efficient in providing peace.

There are many haitians living abroad that are afraid to come home because they are worried about the insecurity.

These people could provide a boost to the local economy by increasing spending on food, hotels, souvenirs, etc...

There is no end to what can benefit from an influx of haitian visitors

8) The Haitian government should learn to develop strong alliances with our neighbors and international donor nation (Canada, Japan, France, US, etc...) and open the doors for better cultural exchanges.

We don't want to reach out only when we need some help.

9) And most of all, take steps to consider investing in the future of the country.

I have the feeling that is a foreign concept for a lot of Haitian governments and administrations.

Wes Louissaint, April 17 2009, 10:52 PM

Start a NEW topic or,
Jump to previous | Next Topic >

< Previous | Home | Next >

< Previous | Home | Next >