Many times, the Haitian people vote for leaders to lead it with emotion, but not with reflection. What does that mean? This means that when voting for a candidate, we must take time to examine that candidate. We have to find out who he is, where that candidate stands (a chameleon, bluffer, one that has nothing to offer, a gate-crasher, a flip-flop, a clown, one who cares about making money, a submissive, an exploiting candidate?), the positive work he has done in society already… We can ask these questions as well:

1. Is the candidate a person with moral?
    
2. What do those who know the candidate say about this person (as witnesses)?
    
3. What has this candidate already done in the society that is positive?
    
4. What works has the candidate already done to help youths, to orient youth in the right direction to become effective leaders tomorrow?
    
5. How is the candidate with everyone?
    
6. Does the candidate show respect for everybody?
    
7. Is the candidate someone who shows wisdom in everything?
    
8. What’s the candidate’s vision for youth who lose hope in Haitian leaders, their only dream is leaving Haiti that does not offer them anything?
    
9. What is the candidate’s vision for Haiti's development in the next 20 years?
    
10. How from the beginning has the candidate addressed the issue of essential infrastructure that must begin in the context of Haiti's development?

We could keep asking more questions, a bunch, but we just came up with some a way to awaken voters’ consciousness about emotion without really knowing a candidate, for whatever the position campaigning (mayor, deputy, senator or president). It is not when this candidate suddenly appears and hands out some envelopes with money or some small bags of rice for propaganda and rush to say that is the person we should vote for. Here, if we don't think about all that, we will then vote with emotion, and the possibility to vote a bad person.

Many times, this is the consequence that the Haitian people are paying because this candidate did not stand on anything serious. He doesn’t have a clear past, nor did we investigate him thoroughly to find out who that person is. Has he ever published his Curriculum Vitae (CV) anywhere, so that everyone would have an idea of ​​his path (e.g, his education, his civic work in society already, what he has achieved in society to convince citizens who will vote, is he a thief)?

We must vote conscientiously when voting for a candidate (for any position). That is, it is important to take all of this into account, to carefully analyze where a candidate stands before deciding to cast a vote for that person.

VOTE WITH CONSCIOUSNESS!

Hello Haiti, my darling! Hello! Yes, that’s me...
Yes, your child in diaspora.…
Yes, it’s a long distance!
It’s a message I have for you:
Tell the people to go and vote on Election Day.
Tell them not to panic, go and vote!
No matter what!
Don’t stay indoors,
Tell them to go and do their civic duty that day!
We must move on from where we are!
Tell them to vote democratically, darling!
Tell them not to vote candidates for booze.
Vote with consciousness!
Vote for a candidate they think who can bring about change,
Vote for a candidate who can work for Haitians’ welfare,
Vote for a candidate who is not corrupted!
Tell them to do that with discipline, darling!
Follow the orders of officials and police that day to show civility.
Don’t force anyone to vote for a candidate based on promises.
Vote according to good information on that candidate,
One they think who can make a difference, o.k.
Good luck to the candidate who will get elected!
No matter how that candidates makes it!
Remember he will be the president of all Haitians (rich, communists [fake, real],
marxist [fake, real], opportunist, poor, rich, socialist [fake, real]).
They are all children of Sis Haiti who loves them no matter how they are.
So, tell her to do her best to make them to work together
In order to save the honor of the homeland.
Tell them to go and vote on Election Day, little darling!
O.k, I am gone!

(E. W. Védrine)
collection:
"Kri pou liberasyon : Cry for liberation".

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Annexed Texts

VEDRINE. Emmanuel W.

• Alfabè Jenès Rabòday.
   
• Articles related to politics : Atik ki an rapò ak politik.
   
• Entelektyèl komokyèl. (Pseudo scholar). Haitian-American Tribune, Vol. IV, #3/4.
   
• Kandida dan griyen. (Candidates who have nothing to offer). Bon Nouvèl, #426, fev.
   
• Kandida dwategoch. (Flip-flop candidates). Bon Nouvèl, #426, fev.
   
• Kandida lamayòt. (Clown candidates). Bon Nouvèl, #426, fev.
   
• Koudeta nan peyi sivilize. (Coup d’état in a civilized country). [in An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole… (2003), pp. 378-379; published also on Haitilonline.com].
   
• Kote kochon kreyòl nou yo?. (What happened to our Creole Pigs?); in Tanbou.
   
• Kreyòl se lang ki towo a. (Creole is commander-in-chief). Haiti en Marche. Vol. XXI, #2.
   
• Lavèy 30 Septanm. (The Eve of September 30). [in An Annotated Bibliography on Haiti Creole, 2003, pp. 580-581].
   
• Lavoum pou yo! (Tell them to go away). The Nations Tribune.
   
• Litani yon machann. (Litany of a market vendor), in Anthology of Haitian Poets of Massachusetts, pp. 78-80, 1998.
   
• L’oiseau et le printemps : Zwazo ak prentan (The bird and Spring), in An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole, 2003.
   
• Mantalite lakay. (Haitian mentality back home). In Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 122-123.
   
• Mòtorat. (Rat poison). Haïti en Marche. Vol. XI, No.2, fev. 1997.
   
  
• Nan Amerik, nou wè…, Creole translation). [Original English text, “In the Americas, we see…”, by Roberto Gibral-Tarik (an excerpt from One in a Million by (Roberto Gibral-Tarik), pp. 27-29). Both texts republished in An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole…, 2003, pp. 364- 365].
   
• Peripesi yon ti Pèp Nwa. (Hardships of a small Black Nation). [In An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole, 2003, pp. 577].
   
• Pòv k ap mande nan Pòtoprens. (Beggars in Port-au-Prince), in Tanbou, ivè - prentan.
   
• Premye ak Dènye. (Alpha and Omega). In Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 272.
   
• Pyebwa libète. (The liberty tree). [In Materyèl Edikatif pou Bileng Ayisyen, 1994, pp. 172].
   
• Rat konnen, chat konnen, barik mantèg la sou siveyans.
   
• Refleksyon sou Onz Septanm. (Reflection on September Eleven), in Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 272-273.
   
• Reken yo kontinye ap fete. (The sharks continue celebrating). In Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 273.
   
• Rèv mwen pou demen. (My dream for tomorrow).  Haïti en Marche, Vol. XIV #3. 2000; in JKL (Jounal Kreyòl Ayisyen). Vol. 2, #3, janvye 2004.
   
• Si m te, m ta...  (If I were, I would...). [In Revolution Révolution Revolisyon: Anthology, 2004, edited by Ella Turenne; in Materyèl Edikatif pou Bileng Ayisyen, 1994 (pp. 25-26).
   
• Tande kri peyizan yo!  (Listen to the peasants’ cry). [In An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole… 2003,  pp. 312].
   
• Te kwè nou tout se Ayisyen. (Aren’t all of us Haitians?). In Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 273-274.
   
• The Butios have promised victory. [English translation of an epic poem by Emmanuel W. Védrine; original text appeared in Jean Fouchard’s collection Pre-Columbian history of Haiti, original text in French. Both texts republished in Materyèl Edikatif pou Bileng Ayisyen (1994, pp. 9-10); in Prisma (literary magazine, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Spring 1990)].

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 Viré monté