Linda, I am one of those Haitians who lived in Haiti in the...

Pierre says...

Linda,
I am one of those Haitians who lived in Haiti in the 1970's. But what I remember most about that time (granted I was a child) is that all everyone ever dreamed of was the day they could leave Haiti to go live abroad.

Over the years, that dream has been realized for many of us. The sad result is that in our rush to escape an intolerable political and/or economic space, we created a brain drain in Haiti.

Those who are the wealthy in Haiti today are either people who lived abroad, working under terrible conditions, saving all their money to return home. Or, they are people who earned their money by dubious (criminal) means.

The old money has long disappeared from the scene.

However, we should not overly romanticize our past either.

The old political elite sat by and allowed us to learn Haitian history in a textbook in which history ceased to exist roughly around 1957. The economic and political elite encouraged a system which divided the country by language.

They made Haiti a country where poor people could not access their own government because they could not understand its written laws. And, when things began to get tough, those wonderful elites took the first opportunity to bail out on Haiti.

What could we expect the end result to be other than what it is?

We should also be honest and admit our own culpability.

Those of us who can remember when things were better should admit that we are also failing Haiti.

We are talking about the boorish nouveau riche from a safe distance.

Why aren't we taking the responsibility to go back and reclaim it?

The topic is: ELECTRICITE EN HAITI
This is a reply to Msg 10080
Posted by Pierre on August 1 2008 at 9:13 PM

Messages in this topic

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I would somewhat agree with the "Civic Duty" part, but hygiene! what does lack of hygiene have to do with a country moving forward? Compare to Americans, I think Haitians win all gold metals in the personal hygiene competition. Is personal hygi > >
Tiba, 1-Aug-08 6:25 pm
Linda, I am one of those Haitians who lived in Haiti in the 1970's. But what I remember most about that time (granted I was a child) is that all everyone ever dreamed of was the day they could leave Haiti to go live abroad. Over the years, that dre > >
Pierre, 1-Aug-08 9:13 pm
Pierre I agree with you 250%, and could not have said it any better especially with my sloppy english, I could not have. Shapo ba! Nontheless, I have a small tiny weeny question for you, how do you see us going back to do what you have suggeste > >
Tiba, 2-Aug-08 8:50 am
I respect your opinion. It is true there’s a brain drain in Haiti. Our young people cannot wait to get out. There is no hope for some! But some people including many, many parents from the mass see great opportunity accessible only though hard... > >
Zarien Krab Spider, 2-Aug-08 5:20 pm
zarien You are now getting caught in the political correctness propaganda too. You made some valid points about personal responsibility, and I am all for that as well. I am however confused for I don't really know what people or country are you re > >
Tiba, 2-Aug-08 6:28 pm
Tiba, I greatly appreciate your comment. I if I had to dissect your post you will give me reason. Brother, I am not detached or unaware of the situation at home. I still have brothers, sisters, nephews, cousins, and friends there. I am very happy > >
Zarien Krab, 3-Aug-08 2:25 am
Zarien Like you, I have children in Haiti with college education, I have sisters, lots of nephews and niecess, and friends there in Haiti too. I try my best to make at least one trip to Haiti every year. I have created, in 1995, a big humanitarian > >
Tiba, 3-Aug-08 8:55 am
My garcon de cours ou gerant lacou was fortunate to come to the United States thanks to my mother who had plenty of connections. After my garcon de cours ou gerant lacou spent 10 years in New York, he became rich and he actually bought my mother a br > >
Ti Rouge, 3-Aug-08 10:42 am
Tiba, everything you said here is true id only we superficially look at them! a deeper look into our problems wil help us refrain from making generalization. Not everyone in Haiti, can make it despite their education, not everyone can learn a trade a > >
Zarien Krab Spider, 3-Aug-08 3:00 pm
Hi Pierre, I think most of what you said is correct. Your comments are actually an extension of my position. I simply had not gone on to discuss the points you added to the discussion. However, let me remind you the truth about our history. We should > >
Linda, 4-Aug-08 8:55 pm
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