7946: Aristide meets local representatives, says opposition blocks , Haiti's progress (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

Aristide meets local representatives, says opposition blocks Haiti's
progress
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 18, 2001

Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio on 17 May;
passages within double oblique strokes in Creole

The head of State has assessed his first 100 days in office in a meeting
with the Lavalas members of the territorial collectivities. Aristide
mentioned the blocking of the country, especially at the economic level. He
held the opposition responsible for this. Aristide, who did not conceal his
frustration, attempted yesterday to find ways for a solution with the local
representatives. Journalist Romney Cajuste reports the following:

[Cajuste - recording] The meeting place at the National Palace was
overcrowded. Owing to the lack of space, several dozen guests had to go home
under the guidance of presidential security. The 21 May local
representatives came from the 565 communal sections of the country to meet
the head of state. In a warm atmosphere, Aristide held a training session
for the territorial collectivities. They debated the constitution, political
strategies, councils and they made recommendations. The representatives, who
were from the same political families, were at ease with one another. They
shared their regrets and sorrows. Aristide expressed his feelings and spoke
of the representatives' frustration.

[Aristide] //One of the main frustrations that a representative can have is
when, during his electoral campaign, he promises to build roads, to build
hospitals, to build schools, to do wonderful things and then after the
elections he does not have the means to do them. Then he starts to feel
embarrassed with the people to whom he made promises.//

[Cajuste] And if the country is blocked, if the expectations of the
population are not satisfied, and if I do not have the political means, it
is the opposition's fault, Aristide said. And that barrier-setting policy is
not from yesterday. Aristide reviewed the whole situation for local
representatives.

[Aristide] //We should go back to the blocking that was caused by the 46th
legislature and which is continuing now. Even though it is not within
parliament, it is the same people who are outside parliament who are doing
it.//

[Cajuste] To make sure that his message was understood, Aristide chose the
question and response method to address the assembly.

[Aristide] //There was a blocking which took place within the parliament
under the 46th legislature. With the 47th legislature, we do not have the
same thing in the parliament. Question: Does the same obstacle exist outside
the parliament? The same people who set up the barrier in the 46th
legislature, are they not still setting up a barrier? I am waiting for your
answer.//

[Unidentified man] //Yes, Mr President. It is clear that the barrier is not
from within the parliament, because the people who were then inside the
parliament are now physically outside it.//

[Cajuste] After identifying the opposition as the obstacle to the country's
progress, Aristide declared that enough was enough and that something must
be done to put an end to it all.

[Aristide] //The Haitian people elected me for five years so that I can meet
their needs. If I do not have the necessary financial means, because there
is another group of people that chooses to stop the financial apparatus in
order to prevent the money from coming on time, then should I just forget
about that? No. I must sit together with other elected representatives as we
are doing now to talk about that and to sit with the people who elected us
and for us to continue to dialogue to see what better solution we can
find.//

[Cajuste] While the Lavalas elected representatives and the head of state
were searching for a response to give the opposition, journalists were asked
to leave. The government did not want any witnesses.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 17 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.