13734: Simidor re: 13723: Sanba: Re:13717: Casimir: Re: Neptune's citizenship (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: karioka9@arczip.com

On 19 Nov 2002 at 15:03, Francois M. Michel (sanba@juno.com) wrote:

> The principle that regulates litigation or even discussion is simple:
> THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS IN THE ACCUSER'S CHARGE. Therefore it is your
> duty, Jean-Claude, to at least encourage the accuser to prove his
> case. All he has to do is to investigate, and make a strong report. Or
> if you believe strongly enough about it, give a hand to the accuser,
> and do it yourself. Otherwise you are dragging yourself into worthless
> propaganda, etc.

In so-called democracies, public officials have an obligation to make
available to the public any information about themselves that pertains to their
function.  This rule is called “disclosure” in English -- “transparans” in
Creole.  According to the Haitian Constitution, the prime minister’s
citizenship is part of the public domain.  Mr. Neptune’s Haitian citizenship
should have been ascertained as an undisputable fact at the time of his
appointment.  The question keeps coming up because Lavalas was less than
transparent then.  To put the burden of proof on those who raise the question
seems to me an act of bad faith -- what Haitians call “dilatoire.”

Daniel Simidor