The first Haitian Diaspora day was celebrated this past April 20th. For many of the 2.5 million Haitian migrants living mainly in the DR, USA and Canada, this national day is a major step officially recognizing the diaspora community exists and implicitely acknowledges its different contributions. Activities were held in Haiti and in various locations worldwide, such as Switzerland, Washington D.C. and Chicago.
The main objective in Haiti was to inaugurate the yearly celebration of the National Diaspora Day as an integration tool that allows Haitians, and their descendants living abroad, a place to participate in laying the fondation of sustainable development in Haiti.
Congratulations to all Haitians for celebrating this important sector of society. Many thanks to the Haitian Diaspora Minister, Mr. Edwin Paraison for this recognition effort and incredible mission accomplished! His staff and co-workers were thorough, welcoming and did their part to uphold the important tasks in organizing the day’s activities and accommodating the numerous guests at Ritz Kinam II.
Haiti Diaspora’s remittances are estimated at over 1.5 billion dollars, in a country where the gdp is 6.5 billion. Those statistics should make the Diaspora major contenders in Haiti’s economy, yet the group struggles to represent a coherent movement. Collectively, its sum is impressive but in reality, it’s never added to relieve more than a family’s member pain and discomfort, or a friend’s emergency. Most often, it’s a best effort and a hard earned monthly contribution wired back home.
Learning to pool energies, to create sustainable livelihoods and contribute effectively to national development that will change Haitians lives are some of the challenges on the Diasporas’ agenda. These are some of the areas diaspora organizations can examine where workable solutions will make a difference.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Competency is more than a college degree
Last night’s debate between Haitian presidential candidates Mylande Manigat and Michel Martelly showcased a regional socio political movement that both candidates represent well. Mme Manigat is a well-educated seventy year old university professor, groomed in her ex-professor’s political party RNDP (Rassemblement National des Democrates Progressistes) for the past forty years. Mr Martelly recently turned fifty and spent the last twenty years as a very successful musician and entertainer in Haiti and abroad, whose social work turned more toward political activism since last year’s devastating earthquake.
Both candidates illustrate the difficulties and great challenges created by a faulty educational system based mainly on a catholic school elitist model where “many are called and few are chosen”. Private schools represent more than ninety percent of the school population and public schools fail miserably in comparison. Forty percent of Haitian children don’t ever go to school; less than twenty percent get a secondary education. Competition is fierce to remain at the top of the class making group work counterproductive; only the best pass the grade and will remain in school. Every year the elimination process continues inexorably leaving the crème of the crop at the end of high school; a majority of the precious minority of educated Haitians slowly fall through the cracks.
Although a good education undoubtedly better prepares you to find a job, it’s no guarantee you will succeed in life. However, even if you don’t get a good formal education you may nevertheless be successful in life. In Michel Martelly’s case, that’s just what happened: his potential, talents and upbringing were the winning combination to become the successful Sweet Micky. He became the first Haitian musician to raise his family and live large based on the money he earned playing music with his band.
Tèt Kale, Martelly’s electoral pseudonym referring to his bald head, now wants to become president of Haiti and Myrlande Manigat and intellectuals such as her who have spent their lives at the top of their class snubbing the students in the back row cannot fathom the idea. “You cannot compete with me Michel”, she giggled at him condescendingly last night. However, Michel can and he clearly proved that during the debate last night. His performance was strong; he exuded confidence, a broad base knowledge of the issues and was at ease in front of the camera and unequivocal answering unfair personal questions presented by opportunistic journalists. Michel is a charismatic candidate, he has a passionate following and seems in line to becoming the next president of a new generation of Haitians who perceive the elder political class as pretentious, well-educated failures.
Michel Martelly may soon join the ranks of Ruben Blades in Panama, Correa in Ecuador, Lula in Brazil; non-traditional politicians voted into office to deliver the economic democracy traditional politicians have been promising for the past 30 years.
Both candidates illustrate the difficulties and great challenges created by a faulty educational system based mainly on a catholic school elitist model where “many are called and few are chosen”. Private schools represent more than ninety percent of the school population and public schools fail miserably in comparison. Forty percent of Haitian children don’t ever go to school; less than twenty percent get a secondary education. Competition is fierce to remain at the top of the class making group work counterproductive; only the best pass the grade and will remain in school. Every year the elimination process continues inexorably leaving the crème of the crop at the end of high school; a majority of the precious minority of educated Haitians slowly fall through the cracks.
Although a good education undoubtedly better prepares you to find a job, it’s no guarantee you will succeed in life. However, even if you don’t get a good formal education you may nevertheless be successful in life. In Michel Martelly’s case, that’s just what happened: his potential, talents and upbringing were the winning combination to become the successful Sweet Micky. He became the first Haitian musician to raise his family and live large based on the money he earned playing music with his band.
Tèt Kale, Martelly’s electoral pseudonym referring to his bald head, now wants to become president of Haiti and Myrlande Manigat and intellectuals such as her who have spent their lives at the top of their class snubbing the students in the back row cannot fathom the idea. “You cannot compete with me Michel”, she giggled at him condescendingly last night. However, Michel can and he clearly proved that during the debate last night. His performance was strong; he exuded confidence, a broad base knowledge of the issues and was at ease in front of the camera and unequivocal answering unfair personal questions presented by opportunistic journalists. Michel is a charismatic candidate, he has a passionate following and seems in line to becoming the next president of a new generation of Haitians who perceive the elder political class as pretentious, well-educated failures.
Michel Martelly may soon join the ranks of Ruben Blades in Panama, Correa in Ecuador, Lula in Brazil; non-traditional politicians voted into office to deliver the economic democracy traditional politicians have been promising for the past 30 years.
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