#2257: Should the Diaspora be allowed to vote? Bourget comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Bourget, Frantz  <Frantz.Bourget@BellSouth.COM>



Let's look at the impact the Diaspora has on Haiti's economy or better yet
its survival.  The Diaspora as a whole contributes more to Haiti's survival
than all the so called donor countries that are dictating what goes and what
should go on in Haiti.  Let's be for real for a minute.  The Haitian
government should feel bless to have such a group of people that are willing
to give so much without getting anything back.  Haiti is our land and the
only land that we have; Haitian citizen or not.  We can stop our foreign
citizenship at any time but once we stop being Haitien ti zorey we are
nothing.  So why are we so willing to be nomads?  Why are falling for all
kinds of tricks in the book?  It's time we start to open our eyes and be who
we are "Aysyen" no more and no less.

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Corbett [mailto:bcorbett@netcom.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 11:42 AM
To: Haiti mailing list
Subject: #2248: Re.#2228: Should the Diaspora be allowed to vote?
Wharram comments



From: Bruce Wharram <bruce.wharram@sylvania.sev.org>

Jude states two things that he says the diaspora should do:
1. Not have given up their citizenship.
2. Fly down to Haiti to vote.

The question of the diaspora being allowed to vote does not relate to
those who have given up their citizenship.  If they give given up their
citizenship, they have given up any rights that would go along with
citizenship, including the right to vote.
To the best of my knowledge, U.S. citizens who are out of the country at
election time are allowed to vote by absentee ballot, without having to
fly home to vote.  At this point in time Haitian citizens who are out of
the country are not allowed this privilege of citizenship.  This is the
question at hand.

Bruce Wharram