14962: Hermantin: Miami -Herald-Amid turmoil, Haitians unsure about 'carnival' (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Miami Herald

Posted on Sat, Mar. 01, 2003

Amid turmoil, Haitians unsure about 'carnival'
BY JACQUELINE CHARLES
jcharles@herald.com

With Haiti's currency collapsing, the price of gas skyrocketing and many
residents unable to afford even the basics, Haitians both on the island and
in South Florida are debating whether their country's annual kanaval
celebrations should take place this weekend.

The discussion rages on Creole radio in Miami and in Haiti. A carnival song
about the country's economic crisis has become a popular request.

Even Michel Martelly, aka Sweet Micky, one of the country's most popular and
colorful compas performers, remains torn over whether he will perform at
Haiti Kanaval. The three-day carnival, marked by dancing in the streets,
kicks off Sunday evening and ends Ash Wednesday morning in the cities of
Port-au-Prince and Jacmel.

''The fact that people are not able to find water so they can take a bath,
or food to eat and the money is losing value, I feel we should take this
money and do something for Haiti itself,'' said Martelly, whose float
usually costs between $150,000 and $200,000. ``When you spend $5 million to
dance for three days and you go back to misery, it doesn't make sense.''

Originally, Martelly had hoped other bands would join his efforts to protest
this year's carnival. But with the effort failing, and fans demanding his
participation despite their bleak circumstances, Martelly said he's torn.

''As I am speaking to you right now, I am out of carnival but there are
people trying to talk me into it,'' he conceded.

`HOW CAN YOU DANCE?'

Emeline Alexis, who is active in Miami-Dade's Haitian community, understands
the performer's reservations.

''Gasoline prices are up, people do not have electricity, no health
services,'' said Alexis, who is also concerned about the message this
weekend's carnival celebrations will send to the international community.
``How can you dance when you go home and have nothing to eat?''

Added Sidney Charles, a Haitian American who serves as Florida Republican
Party co-chairman for the 17th congressional district in North Miami-Dade:
``I don't see how we can celebrate, dance and do all that stuff when our
people are in the conditions they are in. Until I see some positive changes
in Haiti, I feel there is nothing to celebrate.''

Fueling the unease is the fact that both Haiti's government and private
businesses spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on elaborate floats, bands
and staging for the event. The government, despite the hard economic times,
is spending about 18 million Haitian dollars, said Lucas Especa, a spokesman
for President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. That's about $383,000.

''Because of the economic crisis, the carnival is very important,'' Especa
said.

``The people have many opportunities to participate in many kinds of leisure
activities for free.''

Carnival, he said, represents ``a moment of unity; free from political
influences.''

Many Haitian Americans agree. Crisis or no crisis, the show must go on.

''Nobody can stop it,'' Miami resident Pierre Louis Metaryer, 38, said a day
before boarding an American Airlines flight to Port-au-Prince.

SIMILAR SENTIMENTS

Similar sentiments were expressed last week during a debate on the popular
Creole-language afternoon program Radio Carrefour (Crossroads) on Radio
Carnivale WRHB-AM (1020). Host Alex Saint Surin posed the question to his
listeners, who called in with divided opinions.

Though he agrees with those who believe carnival should continue as planned,
Surin said he wishes the government did a better job at using the fete to
boost the country's tourism and attract more U.S. dollars.

During the celebrations, South Florida's Haitian community will be able to
tune into the latest carnival songs via Radio Carnivale, which plans to
broadcast live from the festivities every evening and into the early
mornings, said program director Ed Lozama.

''Traditionally carnival is a time when people vent their frustrations and
bands take advantage of it to come out with a hit song about the plight of
the people,'' he said.

Such is the case this year with a group called Kriz (Creole for Crisis). Two
weeks after releasing a single that translates into ''Do Your Thing,'' the
song has become a hit among South Florida Haitians.

Lozama said his deejays get 120 requests an hour for the sociopolitical
lyrics, which can neither be construed as pro-government nor pro-opposition.

For instance, while group members sing about how expensive things have
gotten in Haiti -- from the price of gasoline to rice and beans to security
-- and the ''disorder, anarchy happening downtown'' (where the presidential
palace is located), they tell the Haitian people they are the only ones who
can turn their lives around, so ``manage your misery the way you know how.''







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