12971: Re: 12957: Back to the question: Culture and corruption in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Hyppolite Pierre <hpierre@irsp.org>

Loise writes:

"> What's bothered me in recent posts, as well as in "Haiti's bad press" in
> general, are the statements that corruption exists "in virtually every
> active facet of society," as if it were a bad gene.  (This reminds me of
> the association of Haitians with AIDS.)  This kind of thinking provides a
> rationale for the most debilitating kind of meddling.  The Haitian
> people, given the chance--this deserves repeating, "given the
> chance"--could, over time, weed out much of the corruption that exists
> today."


Lois,

I believed and still do, right from the beginning, that you and I are on the
same side. I could tell right from the start, from your very first email
about that "culture issue", that you were furious, fuming over my statement
about Haiti with a culture of corruption.

I tried again, and again, again to clarify for the likes of yourself who
wanted to attribute my statement into the wrong context. I am talking
politics, not about people playing drums, or washing by the river, or
lending a hand to the other, or sharing food with the hungry neighbor, etc,
etc, etc. That is the overall culture of Haiti. That is the heart of the
nation.

I was referring to the political culture of Haiti in its strictest sense. I
am really, truly sorry that I was misunderstood of all people, by you. My
sincere apologies.

If that doesn't ease your pain, your pain Lois as someone who has been for
so long, in the forefront of fighting for the validity of Haiti's culture,
then I don't know what else to say, or write. Except that my apology is
sincere and truthful.

Kindest regards to you,
Hyppolite Pierre
IRSP
http://www.irsp.org