20491: Esser: Mr Latortue should reconsider (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. E s s e r <torx@joimail.com>

The Jamaica Observer
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com

March 16, 2004

Editorial
Mr Latortue should reconsider

We are surprised, and deeply disappointed by the decision of Haiti's
interim, UN-elected prime minister, Gerard Latortue, to recall that
country's ambassador to Jamaica and to freeze relations with the
Caribbean Community (Caricom).

Mr Latortue, it seems, has taken the action to protest Jamaica's
decision to permit a two-month sojourn in the island by the deposed
Haitian leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and Caricom's expression of
unease over the coup d'etat that was fomented against Mr Aristide.

But in his actions, Mr Latortue has displayed patently poor judgment,
a lack of diplomatic skills and, we suppose, a susceptibility to bad
advice. Indeed, we would suggest to Mr Latortue that he review his
decisions and adopt a more measured approach to policy formulation
before he causes irreparable harm to his nascent administration and
Haiti's ultimate ability to find consensus, a critical ingredient to
democratic governance.

It is easy to point to a number of areas in which Mr Latortue has
either miscalculated, misinterpreted developments or just missed the
nuances.

Take Mr Latortue's response to Mr Aristide being allowed to stay in
Jamaica, a decision taken by Prime Minister P J Patterson with the
full knowledge of his colleagues in Caricom.

It is understandable that opposition elements in Haiti may be
disappointed with this move, claiming, as they do, that Mr Aristide's
proximity to his homeland may energise his supporters who believe
that he was unfairly done. Which was the position taken by the
Caribbean Community.

However, there has been a nuanced and textured evolution of Jamaica's
and Caricom's management of the Haiti crisis. No longer is Caricom's
position premised on the legitimacy of the Aristide presidency.

The region has accepted the political reality on the ground and its
prima facie constitutional underpinning, with the swearing of a new
president and the naming of a prime minister.

Indeed, in the statement announcing the decision to allow Mr Aristide
to come to Jamaica, Prime Minister Patterson referred to him as
former president Aristide, and also indicated his willingness to meet
with Mr Latortue, on an informal basis. Also of importance are the
restrictions that the Jamaican Government has placed on Mr Aristide
for his stay, explicitly warning him to stay away from political
speeches or attempting to use Jamaica as a "launching pad" for a
power grab in Haiti.

It would seem to us that Jamaica's posture provided an opening for a
critical engagement by the interim regime in Haiti of a key Caricom
member, ahead of the summit at which the community will declare its
formal position on the administration.

After all, it is for Mr Latortue's administration, not Jamaica and
Caricom, to prove its legitimacy. It would have served him better, we
believe, to have quietly expressed his concerns to Jamaica about Mr
Aristide's presence and get on with the job of mending fences and
building consensus, rather than political bluster. He might have even
lobbied with the Patterson Government to get Mr Aristide out of
Jamaica earlier than when he is set to leave.

Instead, Mr Latortue has lambasted Jamaica, but has alienated 14
member states of Caricom, which will be useful in helping Haiti to
reintegrate into the community of stable and democratic nations.
Unless Mr Latortue believes, or has been advised, that he does not
need any such help from a bunch of small, relatively poor, countries.

We find it most unfortunate that Mr Latortue seemed to have
misapprehended the nature of the pre-coup initiative that Caricom
attempted to implement in Haiti.

We are also a bit surprised at some of Mr Latortue's domestic
rhetoric. They, from this distance, sound distinctly partisan and
unworthy of a man who needs to build trust between angry and
distrustful factions.

Haiti has grave problems. It will require much help to fix them, and
not only from rich nations. Caricom is a potentially important
partner.

So we share with Mr Latortue one important bit of advice: to
formulate bad policy is bad. What is worse, is to implement that
policy.
.