Source
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/top...-does-the-Dominican-Republic-want?-30226.html
By Jean H Charles
I recently asked that question in a forum hosted by the Bi-national Observatory for Migration, Media, Education and Commerce in Port au Prince. The answer was brushed aside by those in attendance at this important colloquium on how to dynamite commerce and industry between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Yet, I believe this is one of the fundamental questions for Haiti and for the Caribbean region: what does the Dominican Republic want!
charles.jpg
Jean Herv? Charles LLB, MSW, JD is an ex-candidate to the Haitian presidential election of 2015. He works now with the Group named G30, a political network of 30 former presidential candidates that vow to use their energy as one to change the face of Haiti into a nation hospitable to its entire people. He can be reached at jeanhcharles@aol.com and followed at Caribbean News Now/Haiti
In an essay some ten years ago, I suggested that Puerto Rico, an outpost of the United States in the region should use its American leverage to become an important engine for growth of the Caribbean islands. It failed to do so. Ten years later it is a bankrupt territory.
There is a natural law in nature all unused resources will wither away.
The Republic of Haiti was destined to be the leader of the Caribbean. With its epic story set 200 years ago, albeit disturbing for the colonial empire, it delivered the rest of the world from the yoke of the disgusting state of black slavery. Haiti came to a sliding state of failure two years later that is now 200 years old.
The last 60 years, where the newly decolonized nations have embarked into a nation building project, Haiti has sunk into a brutal dictatorship for 30 years followed by another period of 30 years of faux democracy with in between a devastating earthquake.
I have not seen yet, signs of the light at the end of the tunnel for Haiti. There is nonchalance from all sectors of civil society as well as from the government to apprehend the urgency of the situation in optimizing the human and natural resources of the country for the benefit of all the citizens.
The Dominican Republic that occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola or better Ayiti (to use the name given by the indigenous Tainos inhabitants) is pushing forward, y palente que vamos! Haiti under the weight of its demography, rampant corruption and lack of civism regresses every day.
The rest of the Caribbean might be in better shape than Haiti, but the load of foreign debt of each one of the islands coupled with a lack of a diversified economy that goes further than sun, surf and sea. It does not satisfy the need for employment of the citizens that left the Caribbean region in a low growth area where the citizens find solace in New York, London or Ottawa instead of Kingston, Bridgetown, or Roseau.
Cuba could also play that role of leadership for the Caribbean but it has been bruised to such a degree by 60 years of embargo by the United States and the rest of the world that it will take some time for that nation to heal and cruise at the growth level where it could become the main engine of the Caribbean locomotive.
Dominican Republic is an exception. It has just been named the best Caribbean destination by Expedia. It has a large human resources and a diversified economy of agriculture, mining, services and tourism. The question is whether it wants to go the way to Puerto Rico, destined to wither away or pursue an expanding growth by stimulating the economy of the entire region starting with the one from Haiti?
The Dominican Republic could become like the Germany of Europe or the Singapore of East Asia that play a determining role in forcing their region to become more productive. Angela Merkel did not hesitate to use the stick and the carrot with Greece to force that nation to stop playing the cicada that sings while not being diligent at working. Singapore has shown the way for Malaysia and the entire region of East Asia to engage in the nation building project and as such becoming emerging nations.
In that meeting, the focus was on escamourches from the Dominican Republic, and crocodile?s tears about unfair policies in business practices. The macro/micro agenda was not on the agenda of shepherding Haiti into better business practice. It will as such becoming an efficient nation the way the United States deals with Canada or the rest of the European Economy supports each other to greater wealth for each and for all.
I have said in an essay the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti are like a bird with two wings, needing both to fly to the zenith. One is in need of the other; the Dominican Republic will not fly like an eagle with a damaged wing on the Haitian side.
The issue in the next election in the Dominican Republic coming in May should be whether the Dominican Republic is ready to take the lead in helping the rest of the Caribbean, in particular Haiti, to become vibrant nations bent on growth, and felicity for their citizens.
The Dominican Republic did help Haiti to build one of the best university complexes that the country has; yet, under Haitian hands, it is not functional. A dual Haitian-Dominican administration management would bring back to Haiti all those 15,000 Haitian students in transit in Dominican Republic for their studies.
With support from the European Community, the Dominican Republic in a joint venture with Haiti has the leverage to stimulate growth in adjoining border cities of Ouanaminthe and Dajabon, Belladere, Lascahobas and Elias Pine, etc.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has shunned the Dominican Republic in not advancing its application to become a full member of the organization. It sounds like Cuba being denied membership in the OAS because it would displease the United States. (Before the Obama administration embraced the Castro brothers.) Haiti could play a determining role in helping the Dominican Republic becoming a fully fledged member of CARICOM.
On the other side, the Dominican Republic has expressed little interest in interaction with the Caribbean Community. Some would pretend it is due to a barrier of language. Spanish speaking Dominican Republic finds it uncomfortable with the English speaking Caribbean. This reason is not good enough. The European communities of different languages engage in commerce, industry, art and exchanges for the benefit of each and all.
The Dominican Republic has not understood the first principle of nation building. It calls for the birthing of the sentiment of appurtenance amongst all those who live within the confines of the country including the dark skin Dominican as well as the Dominican of Haitian origin. It is the cardinal rule to aspire to a great nation that will lead other nations to greatness.
Failure to do so, can only lead to another Puerto Rico (ten years from now) that once was!
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/top...-does-the-Dominican-Republic-want?-30226.html
By Jean H Charles
I recently asked that question in a forum hosted by the Bi-national Observatory for Migration, Media, Education and Commerce in Port au Prince. The answer was brushed aside by those in attendance at this important colloquium on how to dynamite commerce and industry between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Yet, I believe this is one of the fundamental questions for Haiti and for the Caribbean region: what does the Dominican Republic want!
charles.jpg
Jean Herv? Charles LLB, MSW, JD is an ex-candidate to the Haitian presidential election of 2015. He works now with the Group named G30, a political network of 30 former presidential candidates that vow to use their energy as one to change the face of Haiti into a nation hospitable to its entire people. He can be reached at jeanhcharles@aol.com and followed at Caribbean News Now/Haiti
In an essay some ten years ago, I suggested that Puerto Rico, an outpost of the United States in the region should use its American leverage to become an important engine for growth of the Caribbean islands. It failed to do so. Ten years later it is a bankrupt territory.
There is a natural law in nature all unused resources will wither away.
The Republic of Haiti was destined to be the leader of the Caribbean. With its epic story set 200 years ago, albeit disturbing for the colonial empire, it delivered the rest of the world from the yoke of the disgusting state of black slavery. Haiti came to a sliding state of failure two years later that is now 200 years old.
The last 60 years, where the newly decolonized nations have embarked into a nation building project, Haiti has sunk into a brutal dictatorship for 30 years followed by another period of 30 years of faux democracy with in between a devastating earthquake.
I have not seen yet, signs of the light at the end of the tunnel for Haiti. There is nonchalance from all sectors of civil society as well as from the government to apprehend the urgency of the situation in optimizing the human and natural resources of the country for the benefit of all the citizens.
The Dominican Republic that occupies the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola or better Ayiti (to use the name given by the indigenous Tainos inhabitants) is pushing forward, y palente que vamos! Haiti under the weight of its demography, rampant corruption and lack of civism regresses every day.
The rest of the Caribbean might be in better shape than Haiti, but the load of foreign debt of each one of the islands coupled with a lack of a diversified economy that goes further than sun, surf and sea. It does not satisfy the need for employment of the citizens that left the Caribbean region in a low growth area where the citizens find solace in New York, London or Ottawa instead of Kingston, Bridgetown, or Roseau.
Cuba could also play that role of leadership for the Caribbean but it has been bruised to such a degree by 60 years of embargo by the United States and the rest of the world that it will take some time for that nation to heal and cruise at the growth level where it could become the main engine of the Caribbean locomotive.
Dominican Republic is an exception. It has just been named the best Caribbean destination by Expedia. It has a large human resources and a diversified economy of agriculture, mining, services and tourism. The question is whether it wants to go the way to Puerto Rico, destined to wither away or pursue an expanding growth by stimulating the economy of the entire region starting with the one from Haiti?
The Dominican Republic could become like the Germany of Europe or the Singapore of East Asia that play a determining role in forcing their region to become more productive. Angela Merkel did not hesitate to use the stick and the carrot with Greece to force that nation to stop playing the cicada that sings while not being diligent at working. Singapore has shown the way for Malaysia and the entire region of East Asia to engage in the nation building project and as such becoming emerging nations.
In that meeting, the focus was on escamourches from the Dominican Republic, and crocodile?s tears about unfair policies in business practices. The macro/micro agenda was not on the agenda of shepherding Haiti into better business practice. It will as such becoming an efficient nation the way the United States deals with Canada or the rest of the European Economy supports each other to greater wealth for each and for all.
I have said in an essay the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti are like a bird with two wings, needing both to fly to the zenith. One is in need of the other; the Dominican Republic will not fly like an eagle with a damaged wing on the Haitian side.
The issue in the next election in the Dominican Republic coming in May should be whether the Dominican Republic is ready to take the lead in helping the rest of the Caribbean, in particular Haiti, to become vibrant nations bent on growth, and felicity for their citizens.
The Dominican Republic did help Haiti to build one of the best university complexes that the country has; yet, under Haitian hands, it is not functional. A dual Haitian-Dominican administration management would bring back to Haiti all those 15,000 Haitian students in transit in Dominican Republic for their studies.
With support from the European Community, the Dominican Republic in a joint venture with Haiti has the leverage to stimulate growth in adjoining border cities of Ouanaminthe and Dajabon, Belladere, Lascahobas and Elias Pine, etc.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has shunned the Dominican Republic in not advancing its application to become a full member of the organization. It sounds like Cuba being denied membership in the OAS because it would displease the United States. (Before the Obama administration embraced the Castro brothers.) Haiti could play a determining role in helping the Dominican Republic becoming a fully fledged member of CARICOM.
On the other side, the Dominican Republic has expressed little interest in interaction with the Caribbean Community. Some would pretend it is due to a barrier of language. Spanish speaking Dominican Republic finds it uncomfortable with the English speaking Caribbean. This reason is not good enough. The European communities of different languages engage in commerce, industry, art and exchanges for the benefit of each and all.
The Dominican Republic has not understood the first principle of nation building. It calls for the birthing of the sentiment of appurtenance amongst all those who live within the confines of the country including the dark skin Dominican as well as the Dominican of Haitian origin. It is the cardinal rule to aspire to a great nation that will lead other nations to greatness.
Failure to do so, can only lead to another Puerto Rico (ten years from now) that once was!