13606: Apollon: Re: 13530: Sainno: Send it to every Haitian person you know! (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Marlène Apollon <mrapollon@hotmail.com>


       	We need to stop lamenting on the situation and act with those who
are trying to move ahead. How about deciding on something concrete that we
can do in collaboration with the people of Haiti?
Examples:
       A Haitian from Vieux Bourg d'Aquin, now a succesful businessman in
France, got the help of the "Président du Conseil Général du Département des
Hauts de Seine"  and the support of "le directeur général de l'EDH, le
directeur général de la Douane, les responsables des ministères de
l'Intérieur, des Finances et du MHAVE (Ministere des Haitiens Vivant A
l'Etranger) to give electricity to his hometown and is thinking not only of
doing the same for Fond des Negres and St Louis du Sud but also of building
a hospital for the area.  (Nouvelliste, 5 juillet 2001).   It wasn't easy
because they had to overcome the bureaucracy but he persevered. The same can
be done elsewhere.
       A friend told me that the mayor of Jacmel has offered to lend
tractors and other tools if the people of the localities between Jacmel and
La Vallee would provide the cement and labor.  Would any of us be willing to
help with something like that?
       Let's think of ways to provide jobs in Acul du Nord (where most of
the last Boat People originated), for the obviously skilled boat makers and
the others and in all the other cities big and small everywhere.
       Let's pay for a few wells in places where they have no water. Let's
buy a few generators to give electricity where they have none.
       Let's create flower gardens that could generate jobs and revenues.
       Let's teach people that they can do for themselves, in the area of
garbage reduction, for example (Maryland students regularly get together to
clean parks and waterways)Yes, the government should provide dumping
containers and people should be trained to use them.
       Let's buy Haitian as much as we possible.
Let's think of creative ways to countebalance all the bad.
       Let's stop saying "It is the government's job."