On the banks of the river Artibonite lies remnants of a mango tree, conquered by the rising tide as the river expands its bed with each overflow. The trunk lies in the passing current, drawn inexorably downstream by the rushing water, held only by the valiant roots fighting a losing battle. Most of the leaves have fallen or been sucked in the maelstrom of the river rushing toward the sea as if late for some unknown meeting, ready to carry everything in its path to the sea regardless of resistance which is mostly futile. Nature has a way of conquering its own elements as if everything on this earth must disappear, be obliterated or pass away in silent indifference save for those concerned. As George Clinton of the Funkedalics probably said, “Life can be a bitch sometimes”
Surprisingly and finally the General Secretary and the powers that be in the United Nations have taken notice of people being killed in Haiti. After all the only thing they had to do was read the report put out by their own local outfit, the MINUJUSTH I believe it’s called, to know that the Haitian government was completely ignoring the massacre and its own involvement in the affair. The UN Chief says that he is concerned by the lack of judicial accountability showed by the Haitian government in general and the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise in particular. But the government is more interested in getting a Prime Minister approved and in command so money can be made and things can go back to the way they were before. But there is fat chance of that happening because the Petro challengers and the opposition are not going to give up and stop their respective campaigns. Jovenel can publish opinion pieces pleading for support from his constituents in the United States but in Haiti he is losing it. He cannot get the parliament to meet and approve his chosen minion Lapin as Prime Minister even though he enjoys majority support in both chambers. If that is not incompetence what is. With a majority of support in parliament Jovenel can’t get things done. Even politicians in his own camp are openly speaking of his inept and catastrophic management as the economy slides into the red in all facets.
Today if you are in business in Haiti, before going to bed you pray and be thankful for the good fortune to have survived another day, and ask for a change in the situation. If you are a criminal, drug dealer, smuggler, rapist, thief, embezzler, land grabber, …. this is the place to be. You can find and buy the judge you need to defeat any case, be it civil or criminal. All you need is the money and the right officers of the court and your case will go through with no headache. As a result, our poor country is fast becoming a no mans land where the more you have the more protection you must procure for yourself. A place where crime is flourishing with nothing in its way. To defend themselves everybody is armed and ready to shoot if they can afford it. Those that can’t defend themselves pray non stop for no one is safe and nobody expects much from the police or the courts. This has been going on for awhile, but it deteriorated when the “legal bandits” came into power with their drug dealer friends sponsoring their ascent to power.
And finally the UN is realizing that something is amiss after years of “helping” Haiti achieve democracy. We all remember the role the UN played in both elections which yielded the PHTK, Michel Martelly and the forty thieves. As they were joyfully stealing the life blood of the country dancing around Ali Baba who was simultaneously snorting his way to Nirvana the UN was strangely blind. After all it was they who had put both regimes in power by being the transport unit for ballots who were counted, not counted, manipulated, lost and found along the way. Well you can pretty much get the picture; the UN really helped to put Martelly and Jovenel in power. Since both of these guys have paid scant attention to getting the UN to pay for the cholera epidemic outbreak that killed a few thousand people in Haiti, we can understand why they received the support they got. Both Jovenel and Martelly have never demanded accountability and retribution from the UN for infecting the country with the cholera virus. Under President Jovenel Moise it’s as if the epidemic outbreak and the role of the UN never happened. No effort is being made to make the UN at least pay for the sanitary efforts needed all through the country to avoid future outbreaks. Jovenel is too busy making money in the Dry Cleaning business. So for the top Chief of The UN to whine now about massacres in Haiti is sad and hypocritical. Perhaps he read my last post in WordPress where I called out his indifference. That’s good, it means people are paying attention.
Petro Challenge needs a third wind so they can hit the streets and galvanize the population. As thing are moving it only takes a flashing point for the situation to deteriorate and large amount of people to hit the streets. Jovenel is not doing anything to change things and make life easier for people. On the contrary things are getting worse everyday as scandals and killings continue. La Saline and Croix des Bossales are deserted as the informal economy is taking a beating. Street vendors are unable to make a living as gangs terrorize everyone in their battles for turf. Since they are heavily armed and shoot indiscriminately even police officers stay away when they hear heavy caliber gunshots. It is not unusual to see police officers running away from the action along with the people they are supposed to protect. No sense getting killed for a miserly salary and no insurance, while running away buys you another day. Police officers defend the Tet Kale regime even though they suffer from the situation just like the rest of the population. As the cost of living rises crazily where people cannot afford to buy necessities, police officers are the first to realize their meager salary will not allow them to survive and pay for all their needs. The president is not helping them when he allows the economy to go down the tubes and police officers have to live in the country, so if it goes down in flames they will the first ones to be out of a job and eating corn meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Another lost season for the HMI – Haitian Music Industry – as the annual period of patron feasts in the provinces will not be fruitful because of insecurity. Some artists have been attacked and robbed by bandits as they were traveling in Haiti. So now all the artists are afraid of traveling in the provinces as the season for shows in the provinces is just starting. For those traveling, my advice be very careful and never drive at night.
Dèyè Mon 