23604: Vedrine: Strategies to solve some of Haiti's problems... (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>


STRATEGIES TO SOLVE SOME OF HAITI'S PROBLEMS
FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT

by  E.W.VEDRINE

Talking about ‘solving some problems', Haiti has already been facing a bunch
of them. First, we can emphasize a lot on two important things:
consciousness and organization.

1. “Consciousness” would not be a difficult word for us to define when we
know our inner selves. So, as human, we all have the upper level of mental
life that makes us aware. We are all Haitians, we live Haiti’s daily
problems, we have a flag, etc. so, what can we do collectively as citizen?
What are the positive things we can do for Haiti’s development? With all of
our observations of events resulting in tending toward knowledge (be it
abroad or back home), can we create a positive model for next generations to
follow? Shouldn't we “go back to the community” to help those who are still
behind? Are Haiti's problems ours? Would others make a “positive stereotype”
of us if Haiti had a “positive image”? – a whole list of questions we can
ask to become conscious of the Haitian Reality - who we are, what we know,
and what we can do to change the visual representation of the mother land.

2. In “organization”, all groups are supposed to organize themselves and the
question we may ask is the following: Can Haitians succeed in organizing
themselves (in all domains) without any  “silly fights”? Certainly, the
answer lies within us and in this answer if we think of its positive side,
we will realize that the manner of being organized is something crucial to
move Haiti forward.
In this condition also, it is the whole professional groups that we aim at
where they can register themselves under an organization's banner where the
central point in this sense should always be a long-term vision for Haiti 's
development.

The term organization may appear a bit broad (to some of us) at all angles
therefore, we can limit it by thinking of some professions: agronomists,
architects, doctors, businessmen, computer scientists, electricians,
engineers, lawyers, nurses, plumbers, researchers, shoemakers, students,
teachers, truck drivers, writers…, people who are somehow practicing a
trade. For some problems that may impede it, we can outline:

a . Lack of dynamism
b . Selfishness
c . Narrow minded
d . Absence of a model

In point “a”, ‘lack of dynamism', the individual may be living “from day to
day” without a well-organized plan in his mind of what he thinks of
achieving within a specific period of time, in what level he likes to be at
within a definite period of time. Here, immediately, we can notice the
“progressive aspect” where we see the individual does not have any idea of
it in his mind or what he would like to achieve.

In point “b”, we can clearly see the notion of ‘selfishness': “I have
attended level “x” or “y” in the society; I don't need anybody else to reach
  that level so that they don’t compete with me” or “I stay within my
corrupted clan”. Here, some people or small groups who think like that, in a
way, separate themselves from progressive groups in the disadvantage of the
country's development. It's “me” who dominates instead of “we”, the central
point for success.

In point “c”, 'narrow minded or lespri koridò' (as we say in Kreyòl), we
know that 'koridò' is a very narrow alley therefore the individual’s
thinking is quite narrow. He doesn't have a vision to see further
(positively) and this, right away, makes him concerned with his own welfare
excessively. His mind is quite limited or we can even call it a “small mind”
(not a beautiful thing to waste at all).

In the “absence of a model”, we see that there is not a “model of
leadership”, a conceived and planed out trodden way. And if, by any chance,
there was one, it is not a well-structured design. It has passed out of
sight for it lacked the solid foundation in order to facilitate a long-term
transition. It is comparable to some seeds that are not germinated for they
fell in bad areas.

We then let out a deep audible breath: what is the solution to all of these
problems? –

To solve a problem, the first thing we ought to do is reading it, reflect on
it to find the possible solution. This reminds us of a doctor who is going
do a surgery: he does not just examine the patient and says “I am going to
operate on that patient”, but he first does a diagnosis, and he has a series
of procedures to follow before reaching his decision, and even after the
surgery there is a follow-up procedure just in case if supplementary action
is needed to be taken. That is, we, who are more or less at a level to
understand Haiti's situation and who are conscious of the Haitian Reality,
we must conform strictly to a standard.

(E.W.Vedrine)