#1340:Questions about Leadership : Delatour replies to Antoine

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Mario L. Delatour <mardel@gol.com>
> > 
> > Re: # 1302: Questions about leadership:Antoine asks
> > 
> > 3) Given the political and social realities of Haiti, what are the 
> > limits, if any, of moral leadership?  What are the limits, if any, 
> > of constitutional adherence?  What are the limits. if any, of 
> > national sovereignty? 
> 
>  Haiti is ripe for moral leadership,but then again whose morals and by
what
> morals? A Ceasar Chavez moral campaign to stamp out corruption Venezuelan
> style would be welcomed in Haiti, the land of "Grand Mangeurs", despite
the
> fact the verdict is still out on this one.But has an Aristide finger
> pointing moral campaign against the upper class served anything ?Moral
> leadership is a tricky domain as charisma has its limits.
> On constitutional adherence,much work needs to be done to elevate the
> constitution as the "Mother of all laws" in Haiti. Our constitution is in
> dire need of "Respect".That too will take a long time for we come from a
> culture where "Konstitution ce papie lame ce fe"(constitution is paper
> where as the army is steel)
> On sovereignty we Haitians have made a fine mockery of ours.Had we
strived
> to build and be more tolerant of each other since 1986, we would not be
in
> the quagmire that we are in today,we would not have experienced the
> humiliation of an invasion in 1994.If we are to claim sovereignty, we
must
> act in a more responsible manner to ourselves and to others.Only then
will
> we be able to join the ranks of sovereign nations.Only then will nations
> like the Dominican republic stop slapping us in the face.Only then will
we
> be able to truly say with pride and dignity "I am Haitian" as a Dominican
> says "Yo soy Dominicano".
> 
> > 4) What are the absolute criteria of success for any government
> > or system of government in Haiti?  
> 
> > One criteria for me is when the people turn out to vote.When there is
> voter's apathy as was the case in the 1995 legislative elections,the
people
> are telling you, you did not deliver,you betrayed my trust.You took my
vote
> and gave me nothing.You are just like the rest of them. Later for you let
> me go fend for myself.
> 
> Note: The Economist of this week ran an interesting article on Haiti on
How
> Haitians have turned their backs on Preval and politics. I urge some of
you
> to read it.
> > 
> >