a1242: The Neptune Perjury charges: A plea for evidence or civic restraint (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: GUY S ANTOINE <GuyAntoine@windowsonhaiti.com>

In a note (a1217) dated March 13, 2002 Paul Louissaint wrote to the List:

"Will journalists investigate the matter ? Probably not. They are busy
trying to get into the BONNES GRACES of the next PREMIER. I know
that a Haitian Times official is on that list. Maybe he could investigate the
question for us and give us an impartial report. The question to answer:
WAS MR NEPTUNE AT SOME POINT A US CITIZEN ?"

Yet, from a preceding note (a1138) dated March 9, 2002, four days
earlier, I excerpt this paragraph from a profile by Radio Soleil d'Haiti,
Brooklyn, New York:

<<Contrary to press reports, Yvon Neptune has never renounced his Haitian
citizenship.  In fact, according to a U.S. State Department  Passport Duty
Officer contacted by the station, the passport number published in some
Haitian newspapers 035349148 belongs to a US born citizen who has long
passed on.">>

What comes to mind is this: Did Mr. Louissaint "miss" this or "dismiss" it?
If the latter, he could perhaps tell us why.  Granted, this info did not come
from the "Haitian Times official" as you requested.  Would any other source
be acceptable?

Also on March 12, 2002 in a message (a1190), Mr. Louissaint writes:
<<As a matter of fact NEPTUNE HAS LIED WHEN HE APPLIED TO
RUN FOR SENATOR BY ANSWERING "NO" TO THE QUESTION
"HAVE YOU EVER GIVEN UP YOUR HAITIAN NATIONALITY" -
In a decent democracy, he should just have resigned on his own. >>

Note that the emphasis (capitalization) is Mr. Louissaint's, not mine. That
sounded like a flat out accusation to me, stated no longer as a suspicion but
as a fact.  I thought to myself: "Goodbye, Mr. Neptune, because someone
surely has found the smoking gun!"

But a day later, in his message (a1217), Mr. Louissaint writes just a tad
more moderately, due to his inclusion of the adverbial "most likely":

<<When asked by journalists on the matter, he refers them to his official
file instead of answering clearly and at the same time DISSIPATE any doubt
on him. When he signs his application to run for Senator, did you know that
there is a clear question. HAVE YOU EVER GIVEN UP YOUR HAITIAN
CITIZENSHIP ? He most likely has answered NO. In any democracy, when
you make an OFFICIAL LIE, this is PERJURY and anything that will be built
on this FALSE DECLARATION should be revoked.>>

Mr. Louissaint, it would seem to me that in a decent democracy, as you say,
that when someone insistently levels such charges regarding someone else's
integrity on a public forum, he should share with others just what he knows
that entitles him to say: "AS A MATTER OF FACT..." (emphasis mine).
Just what, tell us, made you feel so certain that Mr. Neptune committed perjury?

For my part, concerning Mr. Neptune's appointment, I made the following
statements:

<<This is a technical matter that has to be resolved by the proper administrative
or judicial authorities in Haiti... Encourage, if you will, the proper authorities to
do their job.>>

Apparently, the "Cour Supérieur des Comptes", the Chamber of Deputies,
and the Senate have all given the green light to the nomination of Mr. Neptune.
Did they all fail to properly consider whatever incriminating evidence with
respect to the nominee?  Perhaps.  IN THAT CASE, I would invite you,
Mr. Louissaint, to join me in calling for the immediate resignation, not only
of Mr. Neptune, but also the entire bodies of the "Cour Supérieur des
Comptes", the Chamber of Deputies, and the Senate.  This is mandated by
logic, by civism, by professionalism... except that someone still needs to
produce the smoking gun.  That's just a detail, but one we cannot forget.

Peace to you, Mr. Louissaint.  I am not your adversary in the least.  But
I think that as Haitian nationals, we absolutely need to exercise more care
when we level charges AT EACH OTHER, even in the name of a Constitution
which I respect every bit as much as you.

Guy S. Antoine
Editor-Webmaster
www.haiti2004.com
www.windowsonhaiti.com