On Plugged In…
Decades of political
and economic setbacks…
in an island once known as
the Pearl of the Antilles.
A poor country…
rocked by seismic forces…
political dysfunction…
and an authoritarian past…
(Protesters chanting)
What’s behind the angry protests…
the demands for the resignation
of an unpopular president?
(Jovenel Moïse, President of Haiti)
“This is a polarized country. This country is more than divided.”
Is there still hope…
For what the World Bank calls…
the poorest country in the Western hemisphere?
Trouble in paradise…
On Haiti - and the Politics of Survival.
(MIL ARCEGA)
Hello and welcome to Plugged in.
I'm Mil Arcega, filling in for Greta Van Susteren.
With a new year --- and a new decade --- nearly upon us, Plugged In looks a a country that is ready to bid good riddance to the 20-10's.
A decade that began with a natural disaster is ending with more bloodshed as violent protests demanding the resignation of Haiti's president rock the Caribbean island.
(TV Report)
Almost 10 years ago --- January 12, 2010… a magnitude 7 earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti.
The damage was catastrophic. Hundreds of thousands of people killed or injured. More than a million people displaced. Crucial infrastructure --- schools, hospitals and the country’s largest port --- was destroyed.
To make matters worse… a cholera outbreak that same year would kill thousands more.
The world responded with billions of dollars in aid --- from a star-studded telethon to a UN donor conference. But only a fraction of that aid ever made it to help Haitians.
Haiti’s President at the time, Rene Preval, barely escaped the destruction at the National Palace. He was succeeded a year later by Michel Martelly, who left office in 2016, without a successor – underscoring the country’s political dysfunction since the end of the Duvalier regime in 1986.
Current president, Jovenel Moïse was elected by popular vote in 2016. But his term has been besieged by massive protests – and charges of public corruption.
Poverty still grips more than half of the population. Tens of thousands still live in makeshift camps and very little of the money earmarked for roads and schools has been spent.
Poverty, corruption, natural disasters and access to education remain the most serious challenges for a country that is the poorest in the western hemisphere.
(CARLOS TRUJILLO. US AMBASSADOR to the OAS)
“I think history as you pointed out, has not been on the side of Haiti being successful, especially over the last 20,30,40,50 years. So I think it's a very very difficult solution and the hardest part is, people have to govern. And leadership and governance matters. And unfortunately, in Haiti, the poor people of Haiti have been plagued not only by natural disasters, but very poor administrations and governance for generations now.
(MIL ARCEGA)
A bit later, more from the US Ambassador to the Organization of American States on US policy towards Haiti.
First, Plugged In traveled to Port au Prince to interview Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse. Speaking with VOA journalist Jacquelin Belizaire, Moïse acknowledged that his country is deeply divided as he defended his record as president. Moïse says he is determined to overhaul the electoral process but he tells VOA, that other politicians are not doing enough to heal the country. Here's part one of our interview with Haitian president... Jovenel Moïse.
(HAITI PRESIDENT JOVENEL MOÏSE)
JM: We’re in crisis. Actually this is the most serious crisis the country has faced since 1986, but today the resolution of the crisis is dependent on the ability of the (political) actors. I’m one of them – I’m talking about have the ability to step up to the plate and convert the crisis into an opportunity because we’ve missed out on multiple opportunities already. . Let’s take for example of a natural disaster – the 2010 earthquake –after the earthquake we had the opportunity to convert this catastrophe, this crisis into an opportunity that would have opened up new possibilities for the country.
You see this country… it’s polarized. This country is more than divided. Haiti has been torn and this tear has made the actors blind. You know why the actors are blind? In a political fight everything is fair game.
I am not a president who is attached to his term, I’m attached to reforms. I came here to change things. I am the son of peasants. The country is part of me.
So I want to be clear – I’ve said, I’ll repeat it – President Jovenel Moïse is not attached to power he is attached to reforms. What do I mean by reforms? As I said before this country which has lived by a constitution for 32 years is ungovernable. And I’m saying that my role in the reform process is working toward a new constitution that will benefit the next president so he can truly govern.
Let me answer you once and for all. The electoral ballot. I went on an election where we agree only 22% of the eligible voters participated. That means we agree to say lots of our citizens who themselves did not want to participate in the political process and should have voted but didn’t. So I want to take this opportunity to say to them, the next time there is an election in this country, let’s try to have 80% of the voting public participate. So they can say who they want to run the country.
However, what real power does the president have? I’m going to give you an example. Elections. I worked with Prime Minister Ceant and his Cabinet, we worked out a budget $40 million – the electoral law was written 14 months ago and handed over to the parliament for a vote – I asked the parliament to meet to vote on it in November 2018, I organized an extraordinary session to vote on it in May of 2019 to vote on the electoral law – it wasn’t done.
If you take the case of Haiti today what’s happening, we see that we’ve departed from the original popular protests – where people are expressing their concerns and fallen into institutionalized thuggery. People with guns who are out to overpower the police.
Poverty is another problem – the depths of poverty faced by a vast number of citizens – extreme poverty needs urgent attention. But the insecurity problem as I said, is not something we can solve quickly.
I want to express my sympathies to the people who have lost loved ones, business owners, street merchants who lost their stands –people who set fire to cars, merchant stands I have a special message for them – I want to say if we don’t learn from these mistakes going forward, then we are wrong. I think within the crisis there are two important factors: one is danger the other is opportunity. I personally have chosen the second one, which is opportunity.
(MIL ARCEGA)
Can opportunity flourish under these conditions? Opposition leaders say decades of poverty and political corruption have left Haiti on the brink. Among them, Reginald Boulos - a wealthy businessman and leader of Haitian opposition party, the Third Way. Mr. Boulos tells VOA that a national dialogue is needed but he says the Haitian people are tired of talking. They want change now. And he told Plugged In - the best way forward is for president Moïse to resign.
(REGINALD BOULOS:)
RB: You know what barricades we are talking about the five speed education, the lack of L. The lack of work, the lack of justice, the level of corruption. These are the barricades, we are fighting to put out. It's not just a few barricades that put on the street for it doesn't people walk on the street, asking for the President to go. They're not asking for the President to go on the asking for the system to change a system for 215 years since the assassination of Jacques de Celine as never provided for them. We have the, we have the law, one point we have the largest injustice in this country with 5% of the people, owning 80% of the, of the wealth of this country. No, I was a friend of the President, I supported the president. I was the first one to tell him exactly a year ago, that we're going you're going on the wrong directions, you need to start dialogue, you need to start embracing and having a global dialogue in the country, we need to start the proceeding of the new constitution, because that constitution is a source of corruption of instability, the president I've seen it. And I said with the President on seal the publication of the push up or the country report, which implicated him in two instances of corruption. This is a high level port which implicated the president into high level, embezzlement of funds and fi that is name 63 times in that report. That's the time that's when I say publicly to the President, I wrote a letter. I said, Mr President, it's time for you to resign. And I even offered I say, let's take 90 days to to organize an orderly departure of the President, people did not understand why I did it at the time but I am for not a departure tonight of the President, but I think this country is not going to go forward with a president was managed his most successful thing is that 90% of the population today wants the president to resign. The President has never, never said to the people of ad. I'm sorry for what has happened. He has never taken responsibility to what has happened, this is, this is, this is very important. And when you talk about justice system. Why does the President block every attempt to go into the Petrocaribe a investigation. Usually when there is a scandal around yourself, you're the president of the country, you're supposed to set the example, and you are accused of all these things of today of drug crime of money crime of fiscal fraud. Come on, this is a constitution that exclude people. So we need to change that. Secondly, this is a constitution that allows the parliament to play, half a war of the executive, we need complete separation of powers. When it comes to an executive strong executive, We need also a strong parliament, who controls. Listen, your position is multi parties. Okay, let's be clear about that. My movement The Tideway movement has never requested to put a global president while the president is in is in place, and I go even further.
I can envision for a while, a competition with the President and the sharing of power sharing with within the government. I don't have a problem with that. My issue is that this is a president that has committed crime. I think there is a common goal of asking the president to resign. Besides that, it might not be the same. I'm not interested in sharing the power for the next two years, my party will not participate in the sharing of power for the next two years, my party wants a new constitution, my party wants national dialogue, my party wants free and fair election. I want to go to election. That's what I'm interested. And I want power to election. I don't want power any other way. And if that President, I've not committed this crime, I would never ask for his resignation. I'm already sharing my world, because I pay, I heard Bill Gates say, I don't see why I should pay another tax on my wealth, because I already paid taxes on it. I paid a few million dollars. I don't know what to do with that steal it. They use it to, to have their gang assassinate people. That's what they do with my money. I paid $18 million, just last year, and that's what I'm paid every year. So I pay my dues. And that's why I have the right to speak, we're asking for the president to resign. We're not overthrowing any president. That's very clear. Secondly, I have not met any political people in the US or here since I've become a politician, my views of what needs to be done in the country should not be based on what the us feel, or what do you think.
(MIL ARCEGA)
A bit of history first. U-S Marines invaded Haiti in 1915 to protect American lives and property interests there. The Marines stayed 19 years, and ever since, the United States has been involved with Haiti in some fashion, from propping up the Duvalier regime as a counterbalance to communist Cuba - to using military force to restore Jean Bertrand Aristide to power.
In Congress, the House Foreign Affairs Committee recently held its first hearing on Haiti.. in 20 years.
Members of the Trump administration and the US State Department did not attend the hearing. But that did not prevent some committee members from sounding off on $2 billion in savings from Venezuela's Petrocaribe oil program that they say was stolen, instead of invested into the rebuilding of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
(Maxine Waters, California Congresswoman)
“I don't know why this president, cannot be responsible, along with Martelly, for the accountability of the Petrocaribe money. The demonstrations are not going to stop. And for those who go down there and who send messages, everybody ought to get together and they need to come together and they need to talk about this, there's not gonna be any talk. The demonstrations are going to go on until this president, either comes forward and gives some accountability for what has happened to this money and he can bring Martelly along with him.”
(MIL ARCEGA)
That was California Democratic congresswoman, Maxine Waters.
Haitian President Jovenel Moïse is on the record saying he wants help from the United States.
Carlos Trujillo, the US Ambassador to the Organization for American States spoke with Plugged In's Greta Van Susteren about the difficulties facing the Haitian people and what it will take for their country to recover.
(Greta Van Susteren speaks with Carlos Trujillo)
GVS: They have been going through difficulties for quite some time, Haiti’s consistently going through difficulties. Do you see any sort of light at the end of the tunnel for Haiti?
CT: I think a light at the end of the tunnel is they have to form a government. all of the opposition, all the party members have to come together.
GVS: how do you get them to do that? I mean this has been going on for so long in Haiti?
CT: It's a very very difficult task. And I think the international community has an important role to play. the United States obviously has a very important role to play. but at the end of the day, it comes from the Haitian people, and from Haitian political groups that they want to see their country succeed and unfortunately not all of them feel that way.
(MIL ARCEGA)
More than a million Haitian Americans call the United States home. They're part of the growing Haitian diaspora who play a crucial role in Haiti's economy. Last year - Haitians living abroad sent more than $3 billion dollars in remittances to their relatives in Haiti. That's more than a quarter of Haiti's annual GDP.
Experts say money that has flowed in from overseas is what's kept Haiti's economy from collapsing.
Which is why my next guest says Haitians who live abroad may be the key to the country's future.
Albert DeCady is executive director of the Haitian United Front of the Diaspora...
He came to the United States when he was 14 years old. He's an attorney now. He is former chair of the Greater Washington Haiti Relief Committee and co-chair of the Haitian Diaspora Disaster Response Unit.
MA: Albert Decady, thank you so much for joining us. We're happy to have you here. First of all, let me thank you for allowing me to anglicize your name. I know its pronounced Decady, right? Probably or something similar to that. Now, you just heard that this week, Congress has held its very first hearing on Haiti, in 20 years. It has to be about time for that, what are your thoughts?
AD: Definitely about time to have that, it hasn't been, Congress hasn't have such a hearing in a long, long time. I want to say almost 20 years. I did attend the hearing yesterday as well.
MA: What is the role that you think the United States should be playing when it comes to Haiti?
AD: I think the United States has always a role to play. It is one of our biggest business partners. There's a perceived concept of the US is always behind what's going on in Haiti. So, as the biggest democracy in the region, and Haiti is trying to struggle with creating this democracy, America needs to be more supportive in helping the country build this democracy that the people asking for in the streets.
MA: Now, Mr. Decady, you suggested when we were speaking to you earlier that there are three things that need to happen in Haiti before real substantial change can take place and one of them was free and fair elections, the other one you suggested was investments and economic initiatives, and then fighting corruption. What's the most important?
AD: All three, but I would start with sending a strong signal regarding corruption. Corruption is the symptom that's really the cancer that's killing what's going on. All three governments, part of government, are not working and they all are mired into corruption. And with the people losing confidence in their leaders, you will have the unrest that you have. The Petrocaribe challenge, and the Petrocaribe prosecutions and bringing people to court and asking whether the $2 billion of Petrocaribe money went is a start. Is a start that the country is sending that signal that they are tackling corruption.
MA: Well, to tackle corruption I mean it's almost ingrained into the political psyche, right? I mean ever since the Duvalier regime, three decades of that. I don't know how much corruption took place at that time but it seems to have followed in step with every following president. I mean, is there anything that can be done to stop this whole atmosphere of corruption?
AD: I do want to be optimistic that Haiti is not doomed, where it is. That we can start working on things. I agree with you that corruption has become so systemic in the system. You have senators that, who are accused of taking money for a vote. And that senator went on television to say, who else would not take that money? So it's so normalized that people don't even know that they're doing things wrong anymore. We have to go, we have to get back to basics and fairness and real values.
MA: You're a very influential expat from Haiti, part of the million diaspora that now lives here in the United States, what can folks like you be doing more of in order to help your home country?
AD: Well the Diaspora have been playing a big role, like I like you mentioned in your introduction, helping sustain the economy by sending 3-point something billion. Some people say it's $4.2 billion. However, that money needs to be more organized in such a way that it can really get to do things that are, that we, we can look and see what the diaspora is doing. But the diaspora, currently, there are reports that says 80% of the brain of the country is leaving, it’s a big brain drain so, they living across, outside the country. So, there must be a policy and effort made to actually bring those people back or somehow to cultivate from that group of people into teaching and bringing business in Haiti, and stuff like that.
MA: I just have 30 seconds, but I know one of the things you're trying to do is, allow expats to vote in elections in Haiti. How's that coming along?
AD: That is actually part of the electoral law that was sent to Congress that Congress failed to pass. And that would allow the expat to be able to cast their vote in the consulate or an embassy.
MA: Thank you very much for all that you do and we hope to have you back again to talk about this in the near future. Thank you so much, Albert Decady, Executive Director of the Haitian United Front.Mr. Decady, thanks for joining us.
MA: Albert Decady, thank you so much for joining us. We're happy to have you here. First of all, let me thank you for allowing me to anglicize your name. I know its pronounced Decady, right? Probably or something similar to that. Now, you just heard that this week, Congress has held its very first hearing on Haiti, in 20 years. It has to be about time for that, what are your thoughts?
AD: Definitely about time to have that, it hasn't been,Congress hasn't have such a hearing in a long, long time. I want to say almost 20 years. I did attend the hearing yesterday as well.
MA: What is the role that you think the United States should be playing when it comes to Haiti?
AD: I think the United States has always a role to play. It is one of our biggest business partners. There's a perceived concept of the US is always behind what's going on in Haiti. So, as the biggest democracy in the region, and Haiti is trying to struggle with creating this democracy, America needs to be more supportive in helping the country build this democracy that the people asking for in the streets.
MA: Now, Mr. Decady, you suggested when we were speaking to you earlier that there are three things that need to happen in Haiti before real substantial change can take place and one of them was free and fair elections, the other one you suggested was investments and economic initiatives, and then fighting corruption. What's the most important?
AD: All three, but I would start with sending a strong signal regarding corruption. Corruption is the symptom that's really the cancer that's killing what's going on. All three governments, part of government, are not working and they all are mired into corruption. And with the people losing confidence in their leaders, you will have the unrest that you have. The Petrocaribe challenge, and the Petrocaribe prosecutions and bringing people to court and asking whether the $2 billion of Petrocaribe money went is a start. Is a start that the country is sending that signal that they are tackling corruption.
MA: Well, to tackle corruption I mean it's almost ingrained into the political psyche, right? I mean ever since the Duvalier regime, three decades of that. I don't know how much corruption took place at that time but it seems to have followed in step with every following president. I mean, is there anything that can be done to stop this whole atmosphere of corruption?
AD: I do want to be optimistic that Haiti is not doomed, where it is. That we can start working on things. I agree with you that corruption has become so systemic in the system. You have senators that, who are accused of taking money for a vote. And that senator went on television to say, who else would not take that money? So it's so normalized that people don't even know that they're doing things wrong anymore. We have to go, we have to get back to basics and fairness and real values.
MA: You're a very influential expat from Haiti, part of the million diaspora that now lives here in the United States, what can folks like you be doing more of in order to help your home country?
AD: Well the Diaspora have been playing a big role, like I like you mentioned in your introduction, helping sustain the economy by sending 3-point something billion. Some people say it's $4.2 billion. However, that money needs to be more organized in such a way that it can really get to do things that are, that we, we can look and see what the diaspora is doing. But the diaspora, currently, there are reports that says 80% of the brain of the country is leaving, it’s a big brain drain so, they living across, outside the country. So, there must be a policy and effort made to actually bring those people back or somehow to cultivate from that group of people into teaching and bringing business in Haiti, and stuff like that.
MA: I just have 30 seconds, but I know one of the things you're trying to do is, allow expats to vote in elections in Haiti. How's that coming along?
AD: That is actually part of the electoral law that was sent to Congress that Congress failed to pass. And that would allow the expat to be able to cast their vote in the consulate or an embassy.
MA: Thank you very much for all that you do and we hope to have you back again to talk about this in the near future. Thank you so much, Albert Decady, Executive Director of the Haitian United Front.
(MIL ARCEGA)
President Jovenel Moïse has made it clear that his country needs assistance from the United States.
He went as far as to send a delegation to Washington recently for guidance on how to fight corruption.
Here's part two of Plugged In's interview with Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
(HAITI PRESIDENT JOVENEL MOÏSE)
It is a priority for us. I told you we talked about it when I met with President Trump and you see there’s been an extension (of the status) for Haitians and our ministry of foreign affairs will be following up on that. We have people working on the TPS issue and we’re trying to see how we can help these Haitians and let them know they have a country they have a government that is working for them and that can defend their interests. The diaspora is extremely important entity for us. We know their value to our country in terms of financial resources and human resources.
I was struck by the outrage when I said we asked the OAS for help – we didn’t ask the OAS to come resolve our corruption issue. We asked the OAS to give us a hand in reinforcing the institutions that fight against corruption. And that’s why – I know our minister of foreign affairs met with high ranking OAS officials yesterday (Nov. 18) in Washington where they discussed ways we can reinforce the entire anti-corruption system and the judiciary system too so that we can liberate this captured state we are living in.
– let’s take one example – the Haitian financial system – how can you have a financial system where some are lent money at a 60% interest rate while for others it’s 3%? There’s a problem. That’s what I’m talking about - – we must take a hard look at that. How can you look inside this system? The government has two institutions, the DG and Customs which generate revenue and as president you determine reforms must be made in Customs. You do all the work and when it’s time for the implementation – you encounter a resistance OK? Invisible hands – groups you can’t even identify. Why am I talking about reforms today? If I had known, and I want to tell the people who are watching this – previous presidents maybe didn’t have the will to do anything.
I’m an entrepreneur. That means I owned a company that had both private and public contracts. When we landed private and public contracts we didn’t know where the money was coming from. We got the contract, we did 80 % of the work, they paid us for 35% of the job. The work was done – you’re a journalist, you’re in Haiti – you can go see for yourself.
For Haiti what is important is that the people are not buried to keep them from seeing the truth and that’s why I’ve said I want the process to be transparent – not just for the PetroCaribe issue but also with regards to the fight against corruption. We have reinforced these institutions so that everyone can know the truth and know that the Justice department is doing its job so that those who have misused government funds are held accountable.
But change is never easy. Change is always in process of pain, and it’s in that pain we are today and the change is at a historical juncture in this country. I hope we don’t miss this opportunity so this change can happen and is inclusive so it does not continue to be a zerosum game. Today if you want to change we can to it together, and definitely put the country on a path to true development.
(MIL ARCEGA)
What would true development look like? Well it starts with a vision, followed by leadership, and then action. And it has to start with the young. Here's why. 65% of Haiti's population is under 35 and the median age is about 25. That's why my next guest says the country's youth is where the change begins.
Cleve Mesidor was born in Haiti and moved to the US when she was 8-years old. Ms. Mesidor is former director of public affairs at the US department of Commerce, appointed by president Barack Obama.
She is a founding member of the US Haiti Technology Association and founder of LOGOS, a social network for blockchain technology..
MA: Ms. Mesidor, thank you so much for joining us.
CM: Thank you for covering this important issue.
MA: I think it's a very important issue. Now, like my previous guest, you're part of the Haitian diaspora. You came here when you were eight years old, you made quite a career for yourself, you're a success -- but what about those eight year olds who didn't have the same opportunities as you, and still live in Porte au Prince?
CM: My parents made the sacrifice when I was just 4-years old. They left, and left us with my grandmother, myself and my sister and my brother, and they sent for us four years later. That's a very challenging environment to be in when you're 4. Your parents leave and then you'll be connected to them again four years later in another country. Yes, at that time in 1981, I was lucky because of the political environment. I think we're in the 21st century, today we want people to be able to stay at home, stay with their family, stay in their homeland, but we need to create an environment where it's safe for children to be there, where they shouldn't need to leave their homeland. But I was very lucky in 1981 that my parents had the resources, not just to bring my siblings and I to the US, but to do it legally. But I will tell you in this conversation globally we're having about immigration, it doesn't matter if you do it legally or illegally -- separating families has consequences.
MA: That has to be wrong. Now, I know your heart is still in Haiti -- you go back quite often, don’t you? What is it that you're trying to accomplish going back and forth? You're sort of like a bridge between the world's richest country and the poorest country in this hemisphere. What do you want to accomplish?
CM: I left when I was 8, and I did not go back really until the earthquake. 2010 was a wakeup call for me, and I was in the Obama administration at the time, and I had a calling that I needed to go back so after President Obama won reelection in 2013, in July I left the administration and I went back home to Haiti to reconnect with my homeland. I actually spent seven months on the ground in Haiti. The Obama experience was very helpful. I was able to make great connections. But it was very startling to learn how in the US I have an accent, they asked me where am I from. In Haiti, I looked different, they asked me where I was from. So it was, it's been hard for members of the Diaspora to go back home but what I learned is that since the earthquake, many young people have gone back to Haiti using their resources, and really investing back in the homeland.
MA: This is a very young country right? But when I looked at the images on TV, I see a lot of young people getting hurt, getting killed. I mean 200 have been killed since these protests began 18 months ago. What can they do to turn the situation around?
CM: Well, let's be clear, this is not happening in isolation right? France had the yellow vest protest, we're seeing what's happening in Hong Kong, globally youth all over are looking for change. In Haiti, the challenge is there's not the infrastructure to affect the type of change that they want and desperately need. So, you're right, the country is very young, and the people, they are very passionate. The revolutionary spirit of our ancestors lives in them. And, unfortunately, the issues are so deep rooted --
MA: They are, and as always I'm running out of time, but I just want to ask one quick question. How is technology going to help?
CM: Oh my goodness, Haiti's tech sector is so critical. It's supported by the Haiti Center for Financial Investment. There's the Haiti Tech Summit every year. There's an innovative incubator called Alpha Haiti and Bonds Haiti. Lots going on.
MA: I have to wrap it, but thank you so much for being here, Cleve Mesidor. That is all the time we have today. We hope you've learned a few things today about Haiti, stay plugged in by liking us on Facebook at Voice of America.
Thanks for watching and thanks for being Plugged In.
