The discussions that are going on in Santo Domingo regarding possible solutions for a turnaround in Haiti’s crisis have produced several possible scenarios, including the possibility of an international trust that would oversee government in Haiti and that country’s recovery into the near and medium future.
A former Haitian Consul General, Edwin Paraison, thinks this would be completely unacceptable and a possible danger to the Dominican Republic. But he did not specify how the international trust could be harmful for the Dominican Republic. Paraison told reporters from Hoy, “if there is something that the Haitians are in agreement on, it is that they are against any application of a protectionist plan that is being put forth by members of the international community.”
The former official said that Haiti needs to re-establish the authority of the state, which has been lost as a result of the political violence of the past few months.
The diplomat spoke out in response to the statements made by sociologist Frank Marino Hernandez who suggested that if the Haitian politicians cannot come to an agreement, an international intervention or trust will have to be established to guarantee the impoverished nation a chance to get out of the current crisis.
Paraison pointed out that the Hernandez’ proposal presented to the seminar was different from his statement to the press, and that the proposal made to the international community at the seminar was one of the most applauded by the Haitian participants.
However, in his statements to Hoy, Hernandez added that “if the Haitians do not reach an agreement, there exists the threat of a protectorate plan or up to a certain point, an occupation of Haiti.”
The former official praised President Leonel Fernandez for asking the international community to cancel Haiti’s foreign debts during his speech French Guyana.
At the same time Paraison complained of the non-fulfillment of promises made by the Organization of American States (OAS), which had agreed to provide US$500 million in aid to Haiti under resolution 8-22.
Editorialist Adriano Miguel Tejada also pointed out the difficulties in trying to assist Haiti when the Haitians themselves are at such polar extremes.