20571: Esser: Busta said: You will be protected (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

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

March 19, 2004

Busta said: You will be protected
by Barbara Gloudon

AS some persons (here and abroad) devour their own entrails over
President Aristide being allowed by the Jamaican Government to
sojourn here while others take his place in Haiti's Presidential
Palace, history is repeating itself.

NEWS JUST IN: I have been reliably informed that Gerard Latortue, who
has been assigned (not elected) to President Aristide's place as
prime minister of Haiti and who has been critical of Jamaica/Caricom
allowing Aristide to visit Jamaica, ONCE FOUND REFUGE IN THIS VERY
ISLAND. In 1964, when the said Latortue fell out of favour with "Papa
Doc" Duvalier and thought it prudent to put space between them, a
well-known Jamaican family opened their home to him here in Kingston
until he could return to Haiti where he got the protection of the
Mexican embassy and left the country. His wife, Ghislaine, was also
given hospitality in this very Jamaica. Memory short fe true.

Thanks to Dr Matthew Smith of the Department of History, UWI, and Mrs
Eppie Edwards of the National Library, I am reminded that Aristide is
not the first deposed Haitian leader to take up refuge here. Turn
back the hands of Time and you find in 1859, the Emperor Solouque who
declared himself President for Life, then moved on to self-anointment
as Emperor, having to take up refuge in Kingston, Jamaica.

Then, there was Fabre Geffrard, another president on the run who
found sanctuary here in 1867. His name was eventually affixed to a
little street which remains even now as Geffrard Place (where Stanley
Motta's headquarters is) to the west of National Heroes Park. And
what about Norde Alexsis - circa 1908. He died here after a two-year
sojourn. There are others in the saga.

So, we come to Dumarsis Estimé, who came into Kingston Harbour,
January 23, 1951 aboard the French liner Colombie. The colonial
authorities of the time denied him entry so he and his wife, their
young son and daughter, had to remain aboard ship. All other
passengers were allowed to disembark while the authorities huddled to
consider what next to do.

The reasons for hesitancy was the same as today. Some feared that
those back in Haiti who were against Estimé would follow him here and
start a war. Estimé responded (according to a report in the Daily
Gleaner) "I want to live in peace, where my children can live
healthily and where they can be educated." The newspaper reported
that as she watched the police question her husband, Madame Estimé
wept.

When one Lucien Chauvet, director of the Office of Control and
Development of the Haitian Development Corporation, who was then in
Jamaica, made representation to bar the Estimés from landing, the
police waved him away. Madame Estimé continued to weep, while she
hugged her children, the report said (even though the reporter was
not on the ship).

Enter Alexander Bustamante. He had been a guest of the Estimés in
Haiti not long before. With typical Busta bravado, he spoke so
Port-au-Prince could hear. "The Haitian Government should not be
allowed to dictate to us. The ex-president should be allowed to land
here. If he commits himself while he is a guest in this country, then
it will be time to deport him."

Following a meeting of the Executive Council, the police went to the
ship and handed President Estimé a letter. He could stay in Jamaica
for one month. Busta recommended lodgings at the Melrose Hotel (which
was then situated at the top of Duke Street, near Manchester Square).
In typical Chief fashion, Busta assured his grateful guests: "You
will be protected."

He is further quoted as declaring: "In Jamaica, I too am undesirable
to some people. Some people would like to walk on my grave.It is not
all the people who regard Estimé as undesirable. And we will not
accept what the Haitian Government says, without proof, that the
ex-president will cause trouble here."

The Estimés stayed their month, then departed to New York where he
was to die of poisoning. The dosage came from home, it was said. How
will the Aristide saga end? Does history count for anything?

[...]