Corruption is the main driving force in Haiti today. It starts at the top of course, but it has permeated all aspects of social and economic life in the country. It is quasi normal to pay a public employee, or a public official, to get all kinds of services. From the president to the clerk manning a post providing services all government workers can be bought or stimulated to give preferential treatment to those willing to pay. As a throng of people stand in line to perform a transaction at the bank, those connected persons with large accounts or government jobs skip ahead of the line merrily, oblivious to the plight of the less fortunate. In the courts, many judges are there for the highest bidder. It starts with the clerk of the court who tells the lawyer how much he needs to pay to win his case. Sometimes the clerk will bypass the lawyer altogether, dealing directly with the client and bringing the money to the judge, minus his share of course. Many Haitians living abroad have lost money and land to these crooked corrupt members of the courts in Haiti. Fake deeds and ownership papers for plots of land are used to dispossess people of their property, as corruption has peaked under the PHTK regimes.
At the top, President Jovenel Moise and his wife are like cash registers, sucking in the money unabashedly. What happened to all the funds that were given to fight Covid 19 by the U.S. government back in March of last year? After the president and his wife made a grand show of going to the airport to show a couple of plane loads of medical supplies, nothing else was heard, and the money was vacuumed in quietly. As for the supplies we saw on TV, they were never heard of again, probably resold somewhere, who knows? They surely did not show up at any public hospital because last we heard the whole public health system is collapsing, even though Haiti was spared of a high number of Covid 19 cases. The University Hospital, commonly known as the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince is still not rebuilt, as millions earmarked for its rejuvenation were sucked in and laundered under President Martelly.
President Jovenel Moise started his career as a money laundering wannabe expert in Port-de-Paix back during the presidency of Michel Martelly who chose him as his successor. Both Michel Martelly and Jovenel Moise were selected as President of Haiti in succession by the U.S. State Department with tacit approval by the UN and the other countries who make up the Core Group. Under the guise of elections controlled by the United Nations Operations Section – UNOPS – in terms of logistics, Martelly was chosen by the U.S. State Department even though he came fifth or maybe lower in the first round. Jovenel Moise was appointed directly by the UN through their logistical handling of ballots and a minuscule voter turnout. As elections in Haiti have always been tainted by corruption, it was easy for the foreigners, here in the country to help, to manipulate the voting and place who they wanted in power at all levels, not just the executive. Many of the members of parliament were also selected to allow easier control of the legislative branch, with money changing hands of course.
After a week where tensions were high in the country, demonstrations are planned Sunday in Port-au-Prince and most major towns in Haiti. After the massive crowds that held the pavement last Sunday, militants are hoping the same turnout will be there to show to the world and the would be dictator that Haiti rejects dictatorship and the path that will destroy our society. During the week students demonstrated in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday and Friday near the FASCH on Avenue Christophe. In Mariani, locals shut down the National Road to the South with barricades and burning tires to demonstrate for the return of a notable person kidnapped by bandits. Resistance to Jovenel Moise and his kidnapping of the presidency of the country is continuing. It has been peaceful resistance with little violence so far, as people all over the country showed their disapproval by “bat teneb” when people banged on poles, pots and anything metallic to make noise, while drivers honked their horns and motorcycles beeped all together at noon on Friday to tell Jovenel that he must leave. Pictured above, a close collaborator of President Moise and a gang leader involved in kidnapping, so we can say another acolyte of the president and his wife, both were deported to face judicial proceedings in the United States. The fellow called Matthieu had identification which allowed access to the presidential palace and the inner office. He was often seen dealing in plantains for Jovenel Moise in his company; according to the U.S. DEA he was using exports activities associated with plantains to send cocaine to the United States. Hummm…Interesting.
It is time for things to change in Haiti, starting with the president and the rest of parliament. Then, we need to really clean the police force, and instill a new mentality in society where honesty is at the forefront. With a new beginning we can hope to rid our country of the cancer eating away at the core of our values, while forcing our youth to prostitute themselves to survive. Only a fresh wind of change can air out this cesspool of crime, rape and murder, and make us a country to be proud of. Of course, the international media is staying mum and quiet about events going on in Haiti. It is up to us to tell people that all is not well with a wannabe dictator and forty thieves corrupting the country.
Dèyè Mon 