Many times some of us, Haitians, tend to blame THE PEOPLE instead of our LEADERS for not doing their jobs. "The people" have no power anywhere in the world. Let's stay focus on “the problem of leadership in Haiti ”.

If any of us really want to see good things for Haiti , we must clearly state what is not good, we must have the guts to say the TRUTH no matter what it will cost us.

At the same time, when we are criticizing our leaders for not doing their jobs, we must present ourselves as MODELS (as individuals who are doing something positive). I don't know how much some of us have read about José MARTÍ, the super hero who inspired the Cuban Revolution in the 19 th Century. I can understand how and why Cubans, everywhere today, are so proud of their national hero.

Most Haitians have been complaining about HAITI'S SITUATION for decades, but at the same time they are still functioning with the same colonial mentality, the same “banking system” as the Brazilian philosopher Paulo FREIRE, or the Mexican philosopher Leopoldo ZEA would say today, knowing our past history and the impact of colonization on us.

In some of my writings and my participation on-line on some Haitian forums, I've put a lot of emphasis on ORGANIZATION. Some people did not understand me or probably have misinterpreted me since they did not know where I was coming from, and the work that I've been doing for the past 15 years dealing with “education” at all level s (In terms of my dreams for Haiti, my dream to see a Haiti where everyone can be happy, can go to school free, can have a job, can live with pride and dignity, can respect each other, can eat every day, can be free to say what's in their mind). Isn't this real democracy? But for that to happen, we, individuals, MUST do our part; we must work very hard also.

Fine we can criticize our so-called Haitian leaders, but at the same time, we individuals, must set examples since anyone can develop leadership. We must engage ourselves in doing something positive for the benefit of our community and of our country.

Where are our agronomists, businessmen, computer scientists, doctors, educators, engineers, politicians, scholars, scientists, talented people, who subscribe to different forums related to Haiti today and who know that these forums are open to anyone with all kind of ideas? Can they talk? Have they shared their ideas with others? Are they organized somehow? Are they members of some organizations that have in mind to do something positive for Haiti? Do they try to support some organizations that are trying to do something positive for Haiti? Do they have in mind any plan for Haiti 's future? Why did they spend over 20 years in school - just to get a good job – to accumulate diplomas? Are they just praying for change to happen without their participation? We need a RADICAL SPEECH as a beautiful and brilliant woman on a Haitian forum has suggested last month. It is not a question we are on the left or right, we are progressist or liberal Haitians... these are all bulls and some of us who've been working hard for a new Haiti already know that also.

I see/hear some Haitians labeling themselves “conservative, communist, liberal, Marxist, Marxist-Lenist…” what ever political adjectives they choose but when talking about the Haitian Reality, these are all bulls. If you are a conservative, fine! If you are a communist, fine! If you are a liberal, fine! If you are Marxist or Marxist-Lenist that's also fine! But so far, what have you done for the advancement of Haiti? What have you contributed to the reconstruction of Haiti ? Are you conscious of the Haitian Reality - what is it all about? Let people judge us (based on our work to change our society for the better) and let's be simple and humble humans who dream to see a Haiti like Japan, Switzerland or any country where everyone can be proud of themselves and of their native land also .

Leaders who pretended to be right wing or left wing or whatever name the want to choose for their wing have already fooled the Haitian people enough the past too hundread yeas of wasting history and it's really after they've ascended to power that “the people” can really describe their WING. Once they get there, they call the people FOOLS. And today, it is important to question someone who is going to run for any political position in Haiti . These candidates must be available to have dialogue with “the people” who are going to cast their votes (but too bad, knowing that the people know them well many of them won't do that, fearing to meet the challenge), they must be able to meet the press (though too bad we don't have yet an independent one in Haiti), they must be able to talk openly about their political agenda (but too bad none of them has one), they must be able to talk openly about what they have done in our society before (but too bad for many of them have done nothing so far). This is the kind of transparency we need in the leadership process for a new Haiti.

(E. W. Vedrine, Dec. 24/04)

Kilès k ap dirije Ayiti : Pèp ayisien oubyen lidè ?

(by E. W. Vedrine)

Anpil fwa kèk nan nou, Ayisyen, gen tandans blame PÈP LA olye nou blame LIDÈ yo pou travay yo ke yo pa fè. «Pèp la» pa gen pouvwa nan nenpòt kote nan lemonn. Ann santre sou «pwoblèm lidèchip an(n) Ayiti».

 Si nenpòt nan nou ta reyèlman vle wè bèl bagay pou Ayiti, nou dwe denonse klèman sa ki pa bon, fò nou gen kran pou n di LAVERITE kèlkeswa pri nou ka peye pou sa.

 An menm tan, lè n ap kritike lidè nou yo pou travay yo ke yo fè, nou dwe prezante tèt nou kòm MODÈL (kòm endividi k ap fè yon bagay pozitif). Mwen pa konnen ki valè lekti kèk nan nou fè deja sou José MARTÍ, gran ewo ki enspire Revolisyon Kibèn lan nan 19 èm Syèk. Mwen ka konprann kòman  e poukisa Kiben yo, tout kote yo ye jodiya, fyè konsa de ewo nasyonal yo a.

Pifò Ayisyen ap plenyen de SITIYASYON AYITI ye depi  plizyè deseni, men an menm tan yo toujou ap fonksyone ak yon mantalite kolonyal, menm «sistèm bankè a» kòm filozòf brezilyen Paulo FREIRE, oubyen filozòf meksiken Leopoldo ZEA ta di jodiya, konsyan de pase istorik nou epi efè kolonizasyon gen sou nou.

Nan kèk sa m ekri avèk patisipasyon mwen nan plizyè fowòm ayisyen sou entènèt la, mwen mete alpil anfaz sou ÒGANIZASYON. Kèk moun pa t konprann mwen oubyen pwobableman ta mal entèprete mwen lè yo pa t konnen kibò m soti (an tèm sou ki bit mwen kanpe), epi travay m ap fè depi 15 ane nan kad «edikasyon» nan tout nivo (an tèm rèv mwen pou Ayiti, rèv mwen pou wè yon Ayiti kote kè tout moun kontan, tout ka ale lekòl gratis ti cheri, tout ka gen yon travay, tout ka viv ak fyète e diyite, len ka respekte lòt, tout ka manje chak jou,  tout ka lib pou di sa ki nan panse yo). Èske sa pa vrè demokrasi? Men pou sa rive fèt, nou menm endividi, DWE jwe patisyon pa nou; nou dwe travay trè di tou.

Pa gen danje nou ka kritike swadizan «lidè» nou yo, men an menm tan, nou menm  etan endividi, nou dwe trase egzanp, lefèt ke nenpòt moun kapab devlope lidèchip. Nou dwe angaje tèt nou nan fè yon bagay pozitif pou benefis kominote nou e  peyi nou.

Kote agwonòm, biznismann, syantis konpitè, doktè, edikatè, enjenyè, politisyen, entelektyèl, syantis, moun ki gen talan nou yo, ki abòne diferan fowòm ki an rapò ak Ayiti jodiya e ki konnen ke fowòm sa yo ouvè a nenpòt moun ki vle fè nenpòt ide pase? Èske yo ka pale? Èske yo ka pataje ide yo ak ak lòt moun? Èske yo òganize yon fason? Èske yo se manm kèk òganizasyon ki gen nan tèt yo pou fè yon bagay pozitif pou Ayiti? Èske yo eseye sipòte kèk òganizasyon k ap eseye fè yon bagay pozitif pou Ayiti? Èske yo gen nan tèt yo yon plan pou Ayiti demen? Poukisa yo pase plis pase 20 ane lekòl - jis pou jwenn yon dyòb – pou anpile diplòm? Èske se priye y ap priye pou chanjman rive fèt san ke yo pa patisipe? Nou bezwen yon DISKOU RADIKAL kòm yon bèl dam entelijan sijere sou yon fowòm ayisyen mwa pase. Se pa yon kesyon nou agoch oubyen adwat, nou se Ayisyen pwogresis oubyen liberal... tout sa se kaka rat dèyè bwèt e kèk nan nou k ap travay di depi kèk tan pou yon lòt Ayiti konnen sa tou.

Mwen wè /tande kèk Ayisyen mete etikèt «konsèvatif, kominis, liberal, maksis, maksis-lenis…» sou yo; kèlkeswa adyetif politik yo chwazi men lè n ap pale de Reyalite Ayisyèn lan, tout sa se kaka rat dèyè bwèt. Si ou se yon konsèvatif, oke! Si ou se yon kominis, oke! Si ou se yon liberal, oke! Si ou se yon maksis oubyen maksis-lenis oke tou! Men, kisa w fè pou avansman Ayiti? Kisa w kontribye nan rekonstriksyon Ayiti? Èske ou konsyan de Reyalite Ayisyèn nan – de kisa l ye? Ann kite moun jije nou (baze sou travay nou pou chanje sosyete nou pou l vin pi bon) epi ann eseye trè senp e enb etan imen k ap reve pou ta wè yon Ayiti tankou Japan , Lasuis oubyen nenpòt peyi kote tout moun kapab fyè de tèt yo ak peyi natal yo tou.

Lidè ki te pretann yo sou bò dwat oubyen bò goch oubyen kèlkeswa non yo chwazi pou bò yo, deja blofe pèp la ase nan desanzan ki sot pase yo nan gaspiyaj istwa e vrèman se apre yo fin monte sou pouvwa ke «pèp la» ka vrèman dekri BÒ yo. Yon fwa yo fin rive la, yo rele pèp la EGARE. A jounen jodiya, li enpòtan pou kesyone yon moun ki pral nan eleksyon pou nenpòt pozisyon an(n) Ayiti. Kandida sa yo ta dwe disponib pou gen dyalòg ak «pèp la» ki pral jete bilten yo (men podyab, lefèt ke yo konnen pèp la konnen yo fen e byen, anpil ladan yo pa pral fè sa, paske yo tyalenj), yo dwe disposib pou rankontre laprès (malgre podyab, poko egziste yon près endepandan Ayiti), yo dwe  disponib pou pale ouvètman de ajannda politik yo (men  podyab, okenn nan yo pa gen youn), yo dwe disponib pou pale ouvètman  apwopo sa yo fè deja nan sosyete nou an (men podyab, anpil nan yo pa t janm fè anyen). Sa a se tip  TRANSPARANS nou bezwen nan pwosesis lidèchip pou yon Ayiti tounèf.

(E. W. Vedrine, Dec. 24 /04)

Emmanuel W. Védrine
E. W. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT, Inc.
P.O.B. 255962
Dorchester, MA 02125-5110 (U.S)
e_vedrine@hotmail.com, e_vedrine@yahoo.com