21786: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Haiti's interim premier fields tough questions (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Haiti's interim premier fields tough questions

By Rafael A. Olmeda
Staff Writer
Posted May 9 2004

The interim prime minister of Haiti, in South Florida for the weekend,
answered difficult questions from three compatriots on a radio broadcast
Saturday.

Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, a United Nations official who retired to
Boca Raton before he was tapped two months ago to lead the troubled nation,
defended his leadership after the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide. He said he has spent his time in office seeking foreign aid,
adding he's hopeful about the prospects of elections next year.


"I would really like the next election to be the true expression of the will
of the Haitian people," he said.

In a blunt hourlong exchange broadcast on WLRN, FM 91.3, state Rep. Philip
Brutus, D-Miami; North Miami City Councilman Jacques Despinosse; and Leoni
Hermantin, research director of Sant La, a Haitian community group in Miami,
peppered Latortue with questions about the country's economic, political and
internal stability.

Brutus told the prime minister that he and other Haitian-Americans haven't
visited Port-au-Prince in years because they fear for their safety. "I have
not gone back and I will not go back," Brutus said, adding that fear keeps
many Haitian-Americans from visiting their homeland or investing in
businesses there. "We don't want to go back and get killed on the street
corner. I'm not going to get killed down there for no reason just so people
can say: `Gee, he was a nice guy.'"

Latortue took the comment in stride, and even chuckled, but insisted that
Brutus was exaggerating the problem of violence and kidnappings in Haiti.
Other Caribbean nations, including Jamaica, have similar problems with
crime, he said.

Brutus seemed unimpressed. "The difference is the response to the crimes,"
he said, arguing that the Haitian police force is inadequate and too corrupt
to deal with the problem. Brutus and Despinosse also said too much of the
country remains in the control of the armed rebels who toppled Aristide.

The issue is hardly academic. Hermantin pointed out that the Haitians who
now live in the United States contribute to the island economy both through
remittances and visits. Haitian-Americans send an estimated $800 million a
year to family and friends, she said, a figure that would be much higher if
they thought they could visit the island safely.

Latortue said U.S. officials had pledged more than $40 million in aid this
year during meetings in Washington last week. While the money would help,
it's far less than Haiti needs.

"We need about $20 million per month to run the country," he said. "The
money [from the U.S.] will certainly help. But Haiti is not necessarily a
country that lacks resources." The island's economic problems are largely
due to mismanagement by previous governments, and a combination of foreign
aid and domestic dedication is needed to attain economic stability, he said.

Latortue also said Caricom, the group of 15 nations in the Caribbean
community, needs to recognize the new government of Haiti for future
progress to be successful. The organization has not recognized the new
government, citing Aristide's election to office and questions as to whether
his resignation was voluntary.

"I have no problem with Caricom," Latortue said, noting his dialogues with
the United States, Canada, and the European Union. "This is [Caricom's]
problem."

The discussion was videotaped and will be broadcast today at 8 p.m. on the
Haitian Television Network (Comcast Ch. 32 in Miami-Dade, Ch. 24 in Broward)
and at 9 p.m. on Island Television (Comcast Ch. 23). It will also be
rebroadcast on Radio Carnivale, AM 1020, today at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.



Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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