a1114: The Big Question

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Hoover, Julie H." <Hoover@pbworld.com>
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Amy Wilentz asks "Where is the good that is happening in Haiti today?"
Another
related question inherent in some of the discussions is "How is the
Aristide
government any different from preceding ones since there is so little
progress?"



For me, the "good" is that Aristide, Yvon Nepture, and at least a few
other
people in this government are totally motivated by a deep desire to
improve the
lives of the Haitian people.  They want Haitians to be better educated,
unlike
the Duvaliers, who viewed an educated populace as a threat.  They seek to
expedite land reform to improve the lives of those in rural areas.  And so
on.


Admittedly, they have not been very successful to date due to a wide
variety of
reasons--some perhaps their fault, many not--but at least they are trying.
A
few months ago, Michelle Karshan distributed a list of Aristide government
accomplishments.  Several seemed not too significant while others might be
exaggerated but this administration has programs and is struggling to move
in
the right direction.  Can anyone imagine the Duvaliers or Cedras having a
list
of such progressive programs?  People keep mentioning that the Convergence
does
not even have a platform...