22016: Seraphin: INVESTIGATIONOF ARISTIDE ALLEDGED CORRUPTION. MES FELICITATION A JACQUELINE CHARLES (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Sonny Seraphin <sonny_seraphin@yahoo.com>

Dear Mrs. J.Charles,

I would like to present my warmest Congratulations to
you for your well written and wonderful article
titled: "HAITI INVESTIGATING ALLEDGED CORRUPTION UNDER
ARISTIDE". It goes right to the heart of the haitian
problem: "corruption and clientelism", as indicated
recently so eloquently by ambassador James Foley in
his speech to the haitian-american chamber of commerce
.

In relation to your article, our Foreign Affairs
Minister Yvon Simeon is currently on the last day of
an official visit to Taiwan where I live. He has
categorically refused to meet with me to dicuss
matters of interest to our country even though I am
the only haitian living here. It is Known that I have
been in strong opposition to the style of government
of Preval and Aristide, despite the fact that I had
been their Ambassador here(1991-1999). During ma term
I fought very hard to keep the relationship at the
high level of government to government and people to
people. I was very successful at it until I fell
victim of a terrible conspiration mounted by my own
government, one that I am still at lost to explain. As
a result, I was accused falsely by the personel of my
own Embassy of sollicitation of prostitutes and
corruption as an excuse, a pretext, a front to recall
me from my position. Your article does shade some
light on what might have happened to me at that time,
and could explain why to this date I am still being
treated as a pariah, as a non person even today
certainly by my own government, as indicated by the
rudeness of Minister Yvon Simeon who is here to attend
the inauguration of the taiwanese government. Is there
a connection between the bizarre behavior of the
minister and the investigation going on in Haiti about
Taiwan and Aristide's private organizations? Taiwan
television has just broadcast a report on that matter
while the Foreign Minister is still here. They must
have read your article. Why was the minister so afraid
to meet with me? Who was controlling the movements of
the minister? The minister of Foreign Affairs Yvon
Simeon owes an explanation and an apology to me
personally, and to all the haitian people for his
unbecoming behavior.

Moreover, the message that I can read here is that the
Latortue Government does not seem to care much about
the haitian people, that everything the government
says is all slogans et demagogueries, including this
investigatio that they have promised. That tells me
also that nothing has changed, certainly for me, and
by extention for the haitian people as well. I can
feel exactly the same frustation that the people are
feeling right now. It is business as usual.

This kind of indifference, when displayed by many
other public officials in positions of authority
affecting the daily life of the haitian people
translates into a sense of dispair, translates also
unfortunately into more pains and sufferings for those
in our population who most need the assistance of our
government. And naturally that is going to create also
more troubles for the country in the very near future.
More and more people are going to take to streets to
show their unhappiness to the Latortue government. The
people will simply not tolerate the kind of corruption
that has existed before. I can understand that they
feel as if Aristide was still in power. It's up to the
government to take corrective action now before it is
too late. Opportunism and clientelism can no longer,
and will no longer be tolerated or accepted. The Prime
Minister needs to talk less and act more.

As for Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvon Simeon he
turns out to be quite a great disappoinment to me
personaly, and I am sure to a great many of his
friends and fans. A myth has just been exposed. It's
not too late for him to find some character, dignity,
and moral courage to change the course. We cannot
afford to have a foreign minister who is controlled by
outside interests. The country simply rejects that. A
strong character and moral courage are the basic
attributes necessary to conduct good and sound
Diplomacy. Let's please keep our head high. This is my
message to this government.

Now, should we dispair? Of course not.
The solution for the people of Haiti is to stay
mobilized, be alert and trust ourselves first. The
solution is within ourselves. There can never be
another "Bon Papa" again in our history. We must do it
for ourselves or nobody else will do it for us. The
fight goes on, harder, but we are winning it. Even
though many Officials in that government cannot be
trusted because they are sending the wrong message by
behaving exactly or worst than the ones who  preceeded
them, it is no less true that they are still our own
officials, our own government. They are our transition
government. We have put them there, yes, but not to
keep the status quo in place, as some of them might
argue because it is a transition government after all.
Those officials do not have their place in this
government and we should not hesitate to kick them
out. We were duped, true, but now that we know them a
little better, now that we know them by their true
face, that we know that many of them do not have the
guts required for the job, let's watch them and
monitor their actions more closely. Let's get more
involved and engaged. Let's again not forget that they
work for us and that we can fire them. No more
"primadona"!

we cannot afford to miss the opportunity that this
transition period represents.  It is our best and last
chance for the next 100 years. One hundred years is
what it will take for this favorable situation that
Haiti now enjoys in the International Community to
materialize again. Haiti is now being liberated not
just for a few people but for everybody, for every one
of her sons and daughters. So, Let's all work in
solidarity. Let's be optimist, but realist at the same
time. Let's engage in a real reconciliation dialogue.
It will not be easy. It will take a long time. It's
not for tomoorrow but at the same time it is non
negotiable. What ever many years it takes, we must
stay focus. let's work very hard together to finally
build that free, democratic, peaceful and prosperous
Haiti. The future belongs not to us but to our kids.
Let's give them a chance. We must, we shall, and will
succeed. Long live Haiti!


Sincerely yours,


Sonny Seraphin
sonny_seraphin@yahoo.com
8862-2421-1367


Note: forwarded message attached.
















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