28054: Figaro (reply) RE: 28028: FKondrat (response) Re: 28019: Kathleen - Poor People Begging (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Figaro J.

Kondrat's analysis is very much correct with respect to "begging" in
Haiti.  I'd suspect the more Haiti is forced to adopt stringent
structural adjustment policies without addressing the demise of the
agricultural sector and other areas of the economy, the "begging" problem
to which Kathleen alluded will continue.

To confirm Kandrat's point, I was about 17 years old when Mr. Aristide
came to power in 1991, I remember how many of my friends and I were
involved in cleanup efforts in our neighborhood.  I remember a few days
before the inauguration how we went and bought tissue paper (papye fen)
and decorated the streets.  We swept the streets (nou bale/wouze) and
cleaned up the drains. Similar efforts happened all over the country.  As
a teenager who, until that time, had known/experieced life under no other
regime but that of Jean-Claude Duvalier's, it was un unbelieveable
experience.  It was a moment of pride; and hope for the country was
running high.  I suspect if the first coup d'etat did not happen,
conditions in the country would been very different from how they are
now--I know that's not saying much.

Let's hope that Mr. Preval and the new government will try their best to
help put the country on a new track for the better.






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