7013: Re: 6985: Re: The Inauguration (#6973) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: archim <archim@globelsud.net>


     Responding to 6985 on line. (A personal response was already sent.)
     
        Eugene Seagraves is the nom de plume of a writer for the local 
     Haitien news agency, "Rooters". Eugene Seagraves *does* live in Haiti 
     and has for many years...through most of the governments and coups 
     since Papa Doc. Rooters does not claim to be Reuters...nor would it 
     wish to do so. Rooters reports on Haiti from Haiti, by Haitiens.
        There never was a *public* bus service in Haiti. The blue and white 
     buses with lots of big windows was *not* a "public" bus service; it 
     was private and it was not cheap. They may also have been the buses of 
     the Military Academy.("Les Leopards")
        I just re-read the article and there is no mention of there never 
     having been any improvements to the Champs de Mars or the Airport in 
     years past. The article merely says that the recent improvements are 
     "more beautiful than ever". The recently-improved roads have recently 
     been improved by the Lavalas government, and perhaps Mr. Seagraves 
     feels that credit should be given where credit is due. (After all, the 
     foreign and opposition news media surely knocks at the Lavalas 
     government every chance it gets!)
        And as far as I can see, there was never an *official*  
     organization which had as its intention that of feeding the hungry, 
     healing the sick and helping the needy in other ways until the 
     Aristide Foundation came into being. (And by the way, it still does 
     what it was founded to do!)
        Aristide does not live an "opulent life-style"; he lives the life 
     of a normal married man. To be sure, his home ("Tabarre") is quite 
     lovely and large, but there are lovlier and larger homes in Haiti 
     wherein live the "rich and famous", none of whom are former or present 
     presidents of the country. (Almost every "elite" community in Haiti 
     has the unfinished hulk of a palatial home which was being built by 
     Jean Claude Duvallier and never finished because he was 
     overthrown...and took-off  with many millions of dollars!) Aristide's 
     home was built from funds provided by Antoine Izmery. The home may be 
     "opulent",  but Aristide is not!
        Aristide *did* appear frequently in public...right up to last week 
     and before the inauguration.
        And to point-out another error, Eugene Seagraves *does* live in 
     Haiti, and has for many years.
        Regards,
           archim


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: 6985:  Re: The Inauguration (#6973) (fwd)
Author:  Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu> at INTERNET-MAIL
Date:    02/11/2001 12:31 PM


     
From: persevere@infospacemail.com
     
>The New President
>By Eugene Seagraves
     
>PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Rooters) -
     
I'm curious: who is "Eugene Seagraves", and what news service is "Rooters" 
(It's certainly not "Reuters".)
     
>There was never a public bus service 
     
I don't know, but I recall seeing big blue/white lots-of-big-windows buses going
up and down Route Panamericaine years ago.
     
>To see the wonderful improvements at the airport and 
>the roads to the airport; to look at the Champs de >Mars today...more beautiful
than ever, and drive on 
>the many improved roads, does show that some things 
>have been done.
     
Airport improvements have been ongoing for years and years.  The Champs de Mars 
was greatly improved during the 1970's - 1980's.  Compare roads from the 1960's 
to the 1970's and 1980's ... they were greatly improved.  I wonder who Mr. 
Seagraves is implying improved them and what that has to do with what.
     
>There was never an official organization which had as
>its intention that of feeding, healing, directing and >helping those who needed
help 
     
>Aristide did not build his "palatial 
>home" in Tabarre; Antoine Izmery did! Aristide does 
>not live "opulent" life-style ... had appeared 
>frequently in public
     
I'm wondering on what basis Mr. Seagraves makes these statements.  I watched as 
Aristide's Tabarre home was being built.  Seems pretty opulent - particularly on
a comparative basis - to me.  Aristide did appear frequently in public ... back 
in the 1980's ... Surely from Mr. Seagrave's name, he is not Haitian and does 
not live in Haiti.    
     
     
     
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