29223: Simidor (comment): More on the IDT-Aristide scandal (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Simidor

Lucy Komisar?s latest revelations in the Aristide-IDT
corruption scandal deserve broader exposure, including
on this list.  Unlike the earlier Fusion International
scandal, starring the former democratically-elected
president of Haiti and some well-known Democrat
bigwigs, the IDT scandal involves some equally
well-known Republican bigwigs, going all the way up to
the U.S. vice-president.  Which goes to show among
other things that Aristide knew which way the wind was
blowing.

IDT is the billion dollar telecommunications
multinational that, according to a pending lawsuit,
arranged to pay 9 cents out of 21 cents per minute to
Teleco for each long distance call going to Haiti
through its networks, the difference to be split
between IDT?s shareholders and an Aristide off-shore
account known as Mount Salem in the Turcs and Caico
islands.

According to the Komisar Scoop, a Bush appointee and
her underlings at the Justice department are
attempting to cover up this scandal by denying Haiti
its share of recovered drugs money, part of which
would pay for a lawsuit that would get back some of
the millions embezzled by the former
democratically-elected president with sticky fingers.

Read all about it at:

http://thekomisarscoop.com/2006/09/18/criminal-division-chief-wrote-%e2%80%9clawyer%e2%80%99s-letter%e2%80%9d-clearing-gop-ex-congressman%e2%80%99s-firm/

Corruption unfortunately goes way back to the very
beginning of the Haitian state.  ?Pluck the chicken,?
warned Dessalines, ?but don?t let it squeal!?  Getting
one?s turn at plucking the stringy Haitian chicken has
been for generations the primary incentive for going
into Haitian politics.  The former
democratically-elected president, his
democratically-elected parliament, his other
democratically-elected and non-elected officials and
partisans, all plucked the national chicken with such
patriotic zeal that in the end it did squeal!

Some would say: Even so, why not let the man complete
his term in office since he was constitutionally and
democratically elected?  Part of the problem is that
Aristide?s corruption goes well beyond money.  Let?s
face it: the IDT arrangement and others like it did
not come with an expiration date!

Aristide was aggressively using his presidency and the
meager resources of the state to construct an absolute
dynasty  -- what some call a totalitarian regime --
with himself, ?the people?s choice,? at the top of the
pyramid.  The slogan ?Aristid wa!? (Aristide the
king), the ?manch long? (long sleeve, the long haul)
symbol, the bold claim ?Nou la pou 20 an? (We?re here
for 20 years) speak for themselves.

The 2005 elections were to conform to the ?apre nou se
nou? model, with a popetwèl (puppet) like Neptune as
the next "democratically elected president" and every
avenue of power firmly under Lavalas control.  And so
every five years, the proverbial golden goose would
remain safely within the family ? the Lavalas Family
that is.

Haiti simply deserves better.




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