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Action for a Sustainable Development Project for

Haiti (ADD AYITI)
Welcome to the project: Action for a Sustainable Development Project for
Haiti (ADD AYITI, for its acronym in Creole).

Summary of the Project

The project has two main parts and should be implemented in four phases.
The first part presents a summary of the project; it defines its scope, justifies
it, and makes an analysis of the critical economical and sociopolitical
situation of Haiti and draws a conclusion that things must change in Haiti.
This part explains also how the four stages should be realized. The second
part deals with a series of considerations (“considering that”), including
about 40 items that represent an impediment to the development of Haiti,
except that the country was the first black independent republic in the world.

After reviewing these considerations, we make declarations, a suggestions,

comments, recommendations that Haiti should apply in order to file a
petition if it wants to break the vicious circle of underdevelopment and start
the process of the development. After these two main parts of the project,
comes the conclusion followed by the references. Finally, for the
identification of the project, is presented a brief summary of biological data
of one of the Coordinators. Suggestions and commentaries are welcomed at
addayiti@gmail.com . For your better understanding of the project, below is a
summary of the main points, the original version being in Creole.

Why you should welcome the project?

Action for the Sustainable Development of Haiti (ADDAYITI) wants to reach
the complete development of Haiti by integrating it on the road of
development, on its road of success as the country has been a leader after
the independence.

Add Ayiti has been conceived and prepared by a group of Haitians who are
conscious of the critical situation of Haiti, and realized that, without an
uncommon measure, the country cannot make progress in a near future and
could even experiment a more vulnerable situation. The project suggests
that Haiti prepares, presents, and pledges for a partnership with one
developed country. The type of agreement would be a commonwealth.
However, the cooperation cannot, under any circumstances, creates neither
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a dependent condition nor a territorial or colonial status for Haiti. It is

understood that Haiti, being an independent country, can negotiate with any
other independent country without jeopardizing its rights and privileges as a
free nation. As its actual situation is not good, the country can ask for help
from countries that by any means it has helped in the passed. But, the
partnership should be sincere, sustainable, flexible, and beneficial for both
countries.

Nobody asks us or pushes us to prepare and diffuse this project. It does not
engage any institution from which the Coordinators are members. We do not
receive money from nobody either. We do not represent any political
ideology. Our purpose is the continuous development of Haiti and the well-
being of the Haitian population, not a sector or clique of the population, since
the sun shines for everyone.

The group made research before presenting the project. We speak with
different people; we listen what they say about Haiti; we know the country;
we visited other countries and read several documents related to Haiti such
as the governmental project called “Document of National Strategy for the
Progress and Reduction of Poverty (DSNCRP, by its acronym in Creole)1, and
the Internet document supposedly prepared and approved by the US
Congress to make of Haiti a commonwealth of the United States by July,
2009, among other documents.

The project made an almost complete analysis of the bad situation of Haiti
and the Haitians, specially our governments who cannot put the country on
the track of the development.

By the time of its independence (1804) up to now, Haiti has already 22

constitutions; 14 amendments; 25 electoral laws; 32 coups; few presidents
for life and a lot of presidents or collegial committees that stayed generally
for a couple of months.

More than the half of the population is still illiterate.

The Haitian people are starving. They called the hunger: battery acid or
Clorox. You can imagine how this hunger is hard in their belly.

Haiti is a country without almost nothing (see the document written by Hervé
Denis): a country without democracy, without national
1
DSNCRP is a document of about 160 pages that has been created by the Haitian Government through a presidential measure on December 5, 2006, and that has
been prepared by the Ministry of Planning, in collaboration with several other governmental agencies. This document makes an analysis of the situation of the country
and presented a global plan for the year 2008-2015. If this plan would be implemented, Haiti would be developed; however, its implementation would cost US
$3,864,000,000. You can read the entire document in this address: (http://www.mpce.gouv.ht/dsncrpfinal.pdf).
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consciousness, without the willing [to do something], without

strategy, without an educational system, without a healthcare
system, without a public hygiene, without infrastructure, without
equipment, without agriculture, without industry, without trees,
without water, without electricity, without national security, without
justice, without freedom, without project…2 .

Haiti is a highly sensitive country in relation to the natural disasters. There is

no solid infrastructure. We all now what happened in the country, especially
in Gonaives, where four hurricanes almost destroyed everything last year.

Haiti was named the Pearl of the Antilles, a Haiti Cherie, a place where, in the
eighteen Century, poor white Europeans tried to arrive by any means,
vending themselves to the Captain of the boat for thirty six months to come
that country of their dreams; Haiti was the food bank for France, and our
today Cap-Haitian was as beautiful as Paris.

The attitude and behavior of most of our politicians and civilians are
characterized generally by: the struggle for the power, political crisis,
coups, deceit, hatred, corruption, division, lying, abuse, injustice,
repression, kidnapping, I don’t care, and the like.

The Haitian people lack discipline, cooperation, freedom, equality, and

brotherhood, unity, respect of rules, and ethics.

The Haitians are so divided that people wondered if there are two countries:
one for the rich, another for the poor, one legal, and another real. Frederique
Marcelin noticed this contradiction when he maintained that there is a legal
country versus a real one (Frederique Marcelin, Questions Haitiennes, [95, p.
106). In this sense, Haiti would really be a State against a Nation.

There is a false problem between the so called philosophers (who have

knowledge) and the illiterate persons (nèg sòt); between the upper hierarchy
of the church and the lowest level (Ti legliz); between mullatos and the black
Haitians; between the peasants and the citizen (dwellers of a city); between
the catholic religion and voodoo practitioner. This categorization, this
dichotomy impedes the country to enter the road of progress.

Haiti used to receive monetary and service aids from the international
community, principally form the so called countries “Friends of Haiti”. A lot of

2
Denis, Hervé: April 2001; message published by e-mail: apali_haiti@yahoo.fr
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non for profit organization (ONG) and missionaries, and clerical groups help
also, but the country is still in die poverty.

The government and its agencies do not help too much in the development
of the country. People used to say that the country is like a truck duly loaded
to travel but that has its four flat tires. It breaks down. The country lacks
transparency, accountability, and the application of the principles.

The Haitian historians, musicians, artists, painters, priest, nuns, evangelical

pastors, and so on, try to palliate the situation, but there is no result, and the
crisis is deeper than what we think.

Haiti is the poorest country in the hemisphere. Its GINI coefficient is the
highest in the region. The country breaks the Pareto Law according to which
about 20% of a determined population possesses nearly 80% of the national
resources. In Haiti, less than 10% of the population possesses more than
90% of the wealth of the nation. We are not against the rich, but we want
opportunities for all.

The project can do all the following, among others:

Help the Haitian people to live longer. The life expectancy is 51.5 years; the
infant mortality is 62.3 / 1000.

Facilitate the creation of jobs. In the developed countries, people do not work
only from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. In Haiti, after 10:00 PM or sooner, there is
practically no economical activities. There is more entertainment in the
country (cards, dominoes, dancing…) than opportunities to work. Our
neighbors critically say that Haitian does not produce. Is Haiti really a
country of 3 B (bouteille, bal, bamboche ~ bottles, dancing, and pleasure).

The project can help the country to produce more. Haiti is producing now less
than ¼ of what our neighbor is producing per hectare of land.

The products of the peasants do not have good price. It is why they prefer
eliminate some exporting products such as coffee and mangoes to cultivate
beans, maize, and peanuts. The inflation rate raises the price of the products
but the people do not have sufficient money to cope with this increase.

We are doing everything in Ti in a Big country (The native population named

the country HAITI, QUISQUEYA, OR BOHIO, and we learned also from them
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that the word Haiti means: High land; the word Quiqueya means: Mother of
lands; and the word Bohio: big country).

The project can create means to enlighten the country. Two or three hours
per day of light are not enough in a developing country.

Facilitate a climate of understanding among the Haitian people through the

cooperation, coumbitism, and union.

In the field of health, it can increase the capacity in the existing hospitals
and allow the creation of new ones duly equipped and operable.

It intends to facilitate justice for everyone. The problem of self-justice, zero

tolerance, hatred, the voodoo and its bad effects do not put the country on
the road of progress.

Water is very important in life. The drinking water is a necessity. Haitian

cannot continue to count on the rain or on buying a truck [load] to obtain this
precious liquid. Water coming from public reservoir or bought from a truck
cannot solve the problem. And it has been already born, the microbe that
can kill the Haitian.

Improving the communication and the road system is a necessity in Haiti.

Haitian cannot anymore use their head, their shoulders, wheelbarrow,
horses, mules, horses, donkeys, even bikes to carry heavy loads. They
cannot anymore walk kilometers on foot, or on bike or donkeys. The
technology can help.

They cannot anymore accept a very expense charges for a phone call that
our neighbor is managing for less. Why we have to pay more? Speaking of
communication, Haiti seems to be farther than France or any other countries
in the Pacific zone! Is the international embargo still on Haiti? By the way,
most people explained they lived better by the time of the embargo (1991),
because they practiced their solidarity.

The project can help people to create small businesses that work. A small
bark of peanut, salt, boiled eggs, or a small pile of charcoal cannot really
help the vendors.

Energy is what the people need to cook food, to have light, to run factories or
to prepare breads. We all know the consequences of cutting down the trees
in order to obtain charcoal. The people cannot anymore count on “lanp tèt
gridap” or “ vè lanp”, “recho” , or “ twa wòch dife”. It is time to use
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other kind of energy. Let’s remember that we’re in an era of solar system,
and we have a sunny island!

Everyone would have the opportunity to go to school, independently of the

levels: primary, secondary, university, professional, or continued education.
We should have solid and working school buildings as well as pedagogical
techniques to improve the teaching and learning process.

Opportunity for all, rich or poor, against all kind of monopoly, real or
imaginary, against the vicious circle that impedes the country to start
progressing.

Create a positive climate. Even though “since Guinea, the negroes hate the
negroes”, since that also, some Negroes love their peers. It is real that the
iron cuts the iron, but blood is blood, water is water. And we Haitian are only
one family. And a family is like a tree trunk. And the black dogs never bite
other black dogs until the bones. Creole [people] speak, Creole understand.
Do you?

Facilitate the housing for everyone. No anymore “joupa”, “bidonvil”, or “site”

alongside the country. We have enough slums: Site solèy, lasalin,
sentelèn, bwouklin, boston, fòmèkredi, granravin, raboto, lafòsèt,
sentfilomèn, site mouch, site katon, site letènèl, among others. Those wild urbanizations
can become modern ones.

Why Port-au-Prince become a city of flea market? There are flea markets everywhere, from
Carrefour to Petion-Ville, in front of houses, churches, governmental agencies, even in front of
the National Palace. That is weird. Besides the markets, there is an acute
environmental problem: trash everywhere; there is no adequate drainage
system; there is no effective service of trash pick up.

Haiti is where the minority groups suffer the most: children, women, widow,
elders, handicapped, poor people, and prisoners.

Port-au-Prince is a highly centralized city. All the major services are found in
that Capital; they talk often of “the Republic of Port-au-Prince”. The other
cities lack the major services.

What lessons have we drawn from this analysis?

All these misconducts are the causes of a bad state being of Haiti.
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The gravity of the situation demonstrates that the solution is not for
tomorrow; unless we undertake an extraordinary action. The Haitians are fed
up of trying to convert water into butter, and to have all the badness of the
world. Any human being, anyone who used to sing the National Anthem “La
Dessalinienne”, who used to read the “Universal Declaration of the Human
Rights and Citizen” would vote for an extraordinary action to save Haiti break
the circle of misery, with division which is the cement of underdevelopment.

ADD AYITI is a project that would find, through a good partnership, a solution
to unblock the country, without jeopardizing our dignity as a nation, without
going against the belief of our ancestors, namely: Toussaint Louverture who
wanted a prosperous nation in union with other nations.

Phases of the Project

ADD AYITI has four phases:

Phase 1: Planning, organizing, preparing, informing, and justifying the

project. According to Pope Jean-Paul II when he visited Haiti, it is necessary
that things have to change in Haiti. After that, we changed presidents,
constitutions, habits… but the quality of life of the Haitian becomes worst.

Phase 2: In this phase, the Haitian authorities understand the importance of

the project, file, and defend an official petition to a qualified country for a
partnership agreement. The process may not be so easy. The Haitian people
have to fight for it. One example of this kind of partnership is what exists
between Puerto Rico and the United States of America. Haiti does not have
to loose its independent status before being able to negotiate such an
agreement.

Would Everyone be Agreeing with this Project?

We do not pretend that everyone will endorse this project, since everyone is
a world and consequently has different taste, different interest, and like
different colors, and that what is not good for one may be the best for others.
So, this project seems to me the best way to solve the situation of Haiti,
while it may appear a drawback or a treat for others.

Several sectors should endorse and applaud this initiative: Political parties,
artists, painters, musicians, journalists, radio and TV show presenters,
businessmen, developers, professional groups (Lawyers, Engineers,
Agronomist…), women groups, human rights groups, religious and clerical
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groups, students, and so on. However, conflict of personal interest may

impede them to come to an agreement.

There was a time, Haiti has been considered as a melting pot of groups with
divergent interest: masters (white people and rich planters); mullatos (color
people and black emancipated) and slaves (slaves working in the plantation
or housekeepers). Fortunately, when the slaves group realized what
happened to the white group, to the mullato groups (the death of Oge, and
Chavannes), and to the slave group, (elimination of Mackandal, Boukman,
and especially Toussaint Louverture), they were obliged to joint themselves,
and later, with the mulatos, to fight for their freedom, and then for their
independence.

Today, it seems that we have more factions or small groups with more
different or divergent interest than by the time of the colony. So, we need a
stronger union than that made in Arcahaie in 1803 that gave birth to the
independence in 1804. We must remember that our motto is: Liberty,
Equality, and Brotherhood; in the union is the strength. But, in the
division is our weakness.

Who may find this Project Unnecessary or a Treat?

A sector of anti-foreigner (let us say a particular type of foreigners), even
though everyone in Haiti is trying to obtain a visa or preparing every single
project based on the help of the international community or the Haitian
Diaspora.

Some politicians may misunderstand that they would loose their field of
battle, and consequently their interest.

Some zealous patriot may oppose the idea, since they may love Haiti more
than the Haitian people. It is not really Haiti that is the problem; we are the
poor, not Haiti.

The youth may easily agree with the idea, since they are practically rejected
by the traditional politicians.

Those who used to take advantage of the people, those who use misery,
division, knowledge, and illiteracy to make money, may oppose any idea that
tends to solve the Haitian problem.

Some people do not want change. What ever the changes. Others loose
confidence in any project of development, due to their previous bad
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experience. They do not trust either themselves, or others. They believe

every project is a lie, a booby-trap, a device or an artifact of making money,
a way to defend his or her own interest…they seem to believe only on God;
on a miracle to solve the problem of Haiti.

Division is the major drawback, the major enemy for the project. The Haitian
people are highly divided, even though their motto is: … In the union
resides the strength. We do not remember when they conjugated their
effort to realize an important project; may be before 1804! They may have
some exceptions.

The country candidate to sign the agreement may underline that Haiti is a
poor country, with black people; a nation better known by these words:
poverty, zombi, voodoo, dictatorship, Tonton Macoute, Lavalas, and the like.
However, the people are valiant, highly creative, and have other valuable
qualities.

Some countries or State may have fear that Haiti becomes a touristic
competitor, besides its qualifying and low labor cost.

Some ill-intentioned persons may diffuse the idea that the project has as
purpose to sell the country to the white (people). However, the Haitian
intelligent people have the last decision.

We understand the resistance of the people to see a country is associated

with another, because in the past, men made men slaves; some countries
converted other countries into colonies. The worst of all, until now, there are
countries that are still colonies of others.

Phase 3: In this phase, the agreement is already signed and implemented.

The more important discussion should be the criteria to determine the
eligibility of the two countries to be joined into agreement. Thus, Haiti would
undertake a real battle; make a conjugated effort to have another country to
accept this project. Haiti has more advantages to take than the other
country, although both countries will win. Remember that Haiti is a virgin
country, in almost all fields.

Who can submit this project?

Neither the Haitian people, nor a group of Haitians, nor a political party is
able to submit the project. Only the Haitian Government can do it.
However, the Haitian people can create the climate for the petition. Vox
populi, vox Dei. Only the Haitian people, together with the people of the
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country chose for the partnership, can, in a referendum, notify or reject the
project.

Phase 4: In this phase, the project will be evaluated. They will also make the
follow up. Any errors or deviation should be corrected. The progress must be
gauged to prove its effectiveness.

3 Evaluation

Agreement
2
Petition
1
Motivation

What the project is not?

ADD AYITI does not ask that Haiti become a dependent country or a colony of
any other country. Haiti is an independent country; it cannot loose its
freedom before becoming a member of any partnership. Some of the
developed countries had received help in any kind from Haiti in the past. So,
it is now their turn to help Haiti. We do not want to beg anymore; we want to
negotiate. We are looking a true partnership with other countries, not a
simple agreement or membership. Haiti is already member of these
organizations, among others: ONU, FMI, OMS, CARICOM, ACP group, and so
on. The project does not intend to justify, legalize, covert, planning any
project or plan other countries would already have to intervene, occupy, or
exploit the country; our purpose is to help to break the vicious circle and
start progressing.

For any comment, please contact the Coordinators of the project at:
addayiti@gmail.com.

PROJECT: ACTION FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN HAITI

CONSIDERING THAT:

(1) Haiti is a Republic free, sovereign, and independent, and that it can
negotiate with any other country.
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(2) Haiti played a historic unprecedented role worldwide. It was the richest
French colony; it was named the Pearl of the Antilles; and was the
principal food bank for the European countries in the nineteen Century;
and it helped most of the Latin American countries to give birth to their
independence.

(3) Haiti, even though it is free and independent, still depends on the
United Nations force (MINUSTAH), like a toddler, for its security. Most
Haitian wonder if the country is not already under an occupation.

(4) The Haitian people ask MINUSTAH to go home. However, they know
that its presence is, after all, necessary. They know if they go, the
country will be in turmoil, because the different groups of interest are
ready to start fighting.

(5) The problem of Haiti is in the Haitians themselves. We do not practice

the freedom, equality and brotherhood. We rather create disorder and
incomprehension. We do not have infrastructure, administrative
techniques and our MENTALITY does not enhance the development.

(6)When we do not advance, we go backward. And we are good at this.

(7)After 205 years of independence, besides a lot of efforts made, besides

a lot of international aids, Haiti is still in a very precarious economical
situation. We have the poorest country in the western Hemisphere.

(8) Haiti is potentially a rich country in relation to the culture, to the

human resources, and even to the natural resources.

(9) The actual socio-cultural and political conditions do not facilitate the
development of the country.

(10)We have a lot of good theories, a good motto, interesting constitutions

and laws. However, they do not correspond to the reality.

(11)There are a lot of good projects and national plan that are either
abandoned or not yet implemented.

(12)Some Haitian believes they are the only ones able to do or undo in the
nation. They are the only intellectual persons while the others are
ignorant. Salt never markets itself telling it can salt. Haitians seem do
not need other Haitians, unless they can obtain some personal
benefits.
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(13)Given the statu quo in the country, it will take a long time before
the progress could begin in Haiti, if any, unless there is a conjugated
effort or an extraordinary action to break the circle.

(14)In this 21st Century, people continued to starve in Haiti (Jean-Rabel,

Hinche, Belle-Anse…). They called the hunger: Battery acid or Clorox.
In general, they are not sure if they can find food for tomorrow. By the
same token, the farmers depend on the rain in order to obtain a good
harvest. They wait for a miracle.

(15)Contrary to what people are repeating, the Haitian people are ready
for democracy. People usually repeated that dogs like bones. Yes they
do, because you give them only bones. Put good flesh in front of them
to see what will happen.

(16)It is not the return to dictatorship that could put the country on the
road of progress. Would the return of all the dictators or bad presidents
in exile back to Haiti solve the problem? Maybe. Who knows?

(17)Several Haitians and groups of Haitians look for their own interest. It is
after the bottle is filled out that the cork could receive their part. We do
not say that the people do not have to look for their own interest. We
know that, according to Laroche Foucault, “Les virtue se perdent
dans l‘interet comme les fleuves a la mer”. However, everyone
can be around the table (you can eat) instead of being under it (you
cannot even see the food).

(18)The initiative of one person could solve the problem of a country or in

the entire world. For example, we can cite Luis Munoz Marin in Puerto
Rico; our Haitian ancestors; Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and
other in the United States; Nelson Mandela, in South Africa. Does
Barack Obama changed or is changing the history of the world? Does
Christ change the world with only twelve disciples?

(19)Nowadays, our neighbors, including the countries friends of Haiti,

seem to be tired with Haiti, since their aid does not produce good
result. It is like an inflated balloon that becomes flat.

(20)Almost every project in Haiti, we depend on foreign help. There are a

lot of good measures for Haiti, international aid, TPS (Temporary Protected
Status), DED (Deferred Enforced Departure, residence, aid, Law HOPE (Law between Haiti
and the United Sates according to which several industries would be establish there to
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create massive jobs) and so on, are useful measures but that can only solve partially and
for a while the problem of the country.

(21)We are now in an era of radical change. All that seems impossible may
become possible and vice versa.

(22)For the first time in the history, a very intelligent black, we would say
a genius is the president of the United States.

(23)President Obama is already aware of the problem of Haiti and wants a

change for the country. Together with the Haitian born Canadian Prime
Minister, Mr. Obama wants the change for Haiti too.

(24)The Haitian Diaspora has valuable resources that can greatly help the
country. However, Haiti does not consider those resources. Several
members of the Diaspora are in a type of exile, while their parents in
Haiti think they are in paradise. Sometimes, Haiti seems to be farther
that any other county in Africa or in Asia. Moreover, most Haitian
seems to be in exile in their proper country.

(25)Several countries such as Puerto Rico have a relationship of

Commonwealth with the United States, although there are
disadvantages too. By the way, several decades ago, Haiti was
economically better than Puerto Rico. Now, this Caribbean country is
well developed comparing to Haiti. We are not saying that that Puerto
Rico is a paradise; nowhere on earth is a paradise; we all is
experimenting the worldwide economical crisis, and some countries
like Puerto Rico may suffer more than the US mainland. However, we
cannot underline only the negative aspects of Puerto Rico, being a
colony that switched to Commonwealth. What we know is that the poor
Puerto Rican has at least the following: shelter, refrigerator, electrical
services, microwave, TV, food stamp, health care, drinking water, and
so on. What I do not understand is the fact that when some Puerto
Rican group want the independence of the country, their political
opponent mentions Haiti as a bad example, a poor republic that has
become independent too soon. On the other hand, some Haitian,
ignoring the importance of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean, do not want
their country become “a Puerto Rico”.

(26)In the last Century, Haiti and Dominican Republic were only one
country, governed by a Haitian President Jean-Pierre Boyer for 21
years. Today, Dominican Republic is a developing country while Haiti is
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sinking; until now, it not yet on the tract of the development. Haitians
are crossing the border at any cost to get there, even though there are
sometimes mistreated. Today, Haitian people strive in the so called
“Batey” (there are more than 300); most of the children of the Haitian
descendent are not recognized as Dominican (jus soli); according to
the Dominican authorities, they are Haitian (jus sanguini). So they
neither are Dominican nor Haitian citizen, and consequently, they are
living in a limbo. Also, in Bahamas, Haitians are living in the bush,
fearing to be arrested and deported as undocumented. We do not
mention the other countries where Haitians are struggling to live. If you
know a country where Haitians never experiment mistreatment or
harsh time, please share it with us. What are we paying for? There is
no place like home.

(27)In any bilateral relation, there is gain and loss; the parties must
accept some sacrifice. But, what we loose in one side can be recovered
in the other side. It is time for us to reject the idea of total win or total
loss. Everyone can find food to eat.

(28)The government has a plan that depends on US $3 billions to be

executed. But, even when this sum of money would be obtained, the
people are not sure that the project will be performed, since they have
bad experiences; most of well designed projects did not never been
implemented, or the money simply disappears. By the way, is the
problem of Haiti is a lack of money? Isn’t it rather a lack of
management and brotherhood? According to a Haitian bishop, Haiti is
like a very beautiful young girl who has only one imperfection: she
lacks three teeth; and these teeth are: Freedom, Equality, and
Brotherhood!

(29)The sovereignty of Haiti is somewhat jeopardized due to the continual

presence of foreign or multinational military forces. There are rumors
that Haiti would already be under a foreign occupation. There is even a
document on the Internet according to which the USA would voted a
law that would make of Haiti a Commonwealth of the United States by
July 2009. However, even the person who posted the information is not
sure if the document is authentic, or if the information is true or false.
In the case that would be true, that it would be disrespect for the
Haitians people, because they were not considered in the process and
they did not take part in the decision. That would be a unilateral
decision. We are looking for a bilateral consensus.
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30)The bad situation of the country is a treat to our ancestors who fought
for the independence, against the sacrifice of Coutulien Coutard and
Charlotin Marcadieu (they died for others), of Charlemagne Peralte who
fought against the American Occupation (1915-1934), to Dr. Cole and
his colleague against foreign intervention, among others. They did not eliminate
themselves to give us the poorest country in the hemisphere. Come on! What is our
valuable contribution to the nation? Until now, we are only taking advantage of what our
ancestors left in the country, such as the Citadelle H. Christophe, which is considered as
the 8th marvel of the world. Let us construct our nation.

31)The majority of the Haitian people dream a developed Haiti. We would

say all Haitians want the progress for their countries, without
exception. The problem is that there are factors that impede them to
reach the results. They want to attain the end, but the process, the
means to get there is not clear. I believe Haiti is like a football game
where a player should make a goal, but it is not so easy for the player
who is in the field to do so, even though for the watchers, it seems
possible. According to a story, the Haitian authorities would be like a
group of dancers who cannot perform well on the podium; the public
cry against them; however, the reason why they cannot dance well it
that the podium was made of broken bottle and nails, but the public
ignore the fact. This is not an excuse to clean the past of the
presidents or PM, and I was not one of them, but I am sure there are
factors against the realization of good things in Haiti. Maybe a
workshop of all of alive presidents, PM, and Ministers would release
some useful information. People used to evoke other factors such as:
some foreign counties, or the lack of money, or a too short period of
time for ruling…

32)The Haitians try to escape, to leave the country in order to avoid the
bad situation in the country. They collect thousands of US dollars to
pay the illegal brokers to cross the ocean or the border. We are
gathered in the world as if we were paying a price. The luckiest
persons who did not die in the sea experiment in other countries:
nostalgia, racial discrimination, cultural barriers such as language
problem, detention, and deportation for being undocumented. They are
called: boat-people (in the US) or braceros (in Dominican
Republic). There are only two categories of people who do not try to
leave Haiti: those who cannot at all (they are very poor) and those who
are convinced (resignation).
 Page 16 of 24

33)Our beautiful country, the Pearl of the Antilles, become a trash can; a
country for used or cheap items: kenndy and pèpè (used clothes
coming especially from the USA), bogota (broken cars), bwa
fouye (small boats) kounouk kay (poor house), chen janbe
(junk street food), fòkseli (maize), atèmiyò (a very poor type of
bed), and so on. It is time for a change; it is time for a change of
modus operandi and modus vivendi. At that time, an Haitian can
answer to the salutation: I am very fine, thank to God” instead of “ I
am struggling”.

34) Haiti can obtain a lot of advantages in the bilateral relation with
another country. It has more to win than to loose, even though both
countries will win.

35)An agreement between Haiti and another country will be useful; it is

neither against our patriotism, nor our fanatism. Also, it will not forbid
us to talk with pride about our passed deed, about Dessalines,
Charlemagne Peralte or other ancestors.

36)At this moment, every country, especially those in the Caribbean

Islands, is looking for the best alternative for a sustainable
development. They seize the moment of change preached by Obama
to make their change too. Why we cannot do it also?

37)The Haitian people, including the government, express always their

dissatisfaction with the statu quo through short stories, mock, radio or
TV shows, manifestation, songs and carnival satyr, poems, and so on.

38)Each solution in Haiti, each step toward the progress seems to be

followed by a double step of regression. We go backward.

39)Haiti is a country we have to rebuild; and the elements for the

reconstruction are already available. If the well designed blue point is
well executed, Haiti may regain its position of the Pearl of the Antilles
that would be one of the better places on earth to live.

CONSEQUENTLY, WE DECLARE, SUGGEST, AND ASK THE FOLLOWING:

1) A petition of a Sustainable Cooperation for Development should be

signed between Haiti and one of the developed countries namely:
United States, Canada, France, Venezuela, Japan, China… the so called
“countries friends of Haiti would have a priority to negotiate.
 Page 17 of 24

2) A group of Haitians would write a document to describe the type of

cooperation the country wants to obtain.

3) The document must disclose the means to avoid or minimize the

disadvantages and maximize the advantages for Haiti. Previous
existing covenant between the other countries should be reviewed to
avoid any bad experiences.

4) The document must emphasize the following aspects, among others:

a. Control of the country and its territories by the “country-partner”

for the purpose of security. Haiti must become a country safe, a
land of laws, principles, and order.

b. Administration and control of some governmental agencies such

as: Postal services, Airport and Seaport Authorities, Social Affairs,
Human Resources (Travay), Agriculture, Health care, Education,
Housing, Public Administration and Environment.

c. Implementation and facility of any project such as the Law HOPE

already signed between the USA and Haiti or any contract
between firms that can create thousand of jobs in the country.

d. An appeal for the Haitian members in the Diaspora to contribute

to the development of their loved country.

e. Improvement of the infrastructure by constructing solid and

worthy buildings for schools, churches, police stations, bridges,
and roads, and governmental agencies in the nine geographical
departments of Haiti.

f. Establishment of the Social Security system resulting from an

improvement of ONA, victim of corruption.

g. Creation of an agency for the minority groups, orphans, poor

people, foster home children, women, disable persons, and
elderly.

h. Emphasis on reforestation and gardening.

i. Creation of an effective alphabetization program.

j. Opportunity of drinking water for all.

 Page 18 of 24

k. Utilization of the solar energy system and any other up-to-date

technology.

l. Effective practice of agriculture, utilizing fertilizer, irrigation,

good seeds, technology, and capital.

m. Creation of credible cooperative groups for agriculture and

animal husbandry to facilitate the access to loan for small (not
micro) business administration.

n. Respect of the integrity of the country (the nine geographical

Departments and the islands, including the natural resources).

o. Creation of groups for control, audit, or anti-corruption in the

governmental and private agencies.

p. Creation of an ombudsman agency to control abuse against

customers in the agencies such as: DGI and Customs.

q. Development and care of the sport science.

r. Development of an effective and fair system of income tax.

s. Creation of a touristic agency to develop certain area such as:

Bassin Zim, Saut Mathurine, the constructions made by H.
Christophe, the city of the Independence, the caves, and so on.
Several zones in Haiti could be a touristic center. The
governmental program (DSNCRP) could help a lot in this field. I
know a place for example between Gros-Morne and the Borgne
where nobody does not visit already; there is an old French flag
in the top of a mountain, and according to a story, anyone who
would try to go there would automatically disappear. Stories like
that are abundant in the country.

t. Permission for all Haitians to travel to the “country partner”

without any visa, and vice-versa.

u. If the partnership would be signed between Haiti and the USA,

Haiti would have a governor instead of a president. All the other
post such as Prime Minister and the government (ministers…),
members of the Congress, and so on, will stay.
 Page 19 of 24

v. The Creole and French languages should be maintained. Also, the

language of the other country should be learned to facilitate a
smooth transition and cooperation.

w. Amendment of the constitution of both countries to put them up-

to-date with the changes, due to the covenant.

x. Establishment of a civic educational program to explain the

people every detail of what is going on and why.

y. Determination of the duration of the agreement (maybe 50 years

renewable).

z. Organization of a referendum in both countries that will enable

the people to approve or reject the covenant previously voted by
the Congress of both countries.

aa. Submission of a Pledge for the elimination of the international

debt of Haiti. According to an article found in Internet, debt
enslaves the free Haiti
(http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Caribbean/Haiti_Enslaved_De
bt.html). After paying the 150 millions of Francs, the country paid
several other lump sum to other countries. According to another
source found in Internet (http://www.jubileeusa.org/jubilee-act/haiti-debt-cancellation-
resolution/resources-on-haitis-debt.html), Haiti is qualified for the World
Bank/IMF’s debt relief initiative in April of 2006 and reached “decision
point” in November of 2006. Haiti was expected to reach “completion
point” for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) program
and receive complete debt cancellation in September of 2008.
However, Haiti’s expected “completion point” date has been pushed
back to as late as July of 2009. Haiti is scheduled to send more than
$20 million (that’s $1.6 million a month) to the World Bank in 2009 -
other lenders like the International Development Bank (IDB) agreed to
write off Haiti’s debt payments but the World Bank has not.

bb. Reduce of the bunch of all Haitian political parties to two or

three.

cc. The project should be implemented in a reasonable period of

time (maybe two years).

dd. Organization of a nationwide roundtable to discuss the viability

and the benefits of the project.
 Page 20 of 24

CONCLUSION

The Action for a Sustainable Development of Haiti (ADD AYITI) is a

project presented by a Haitian group who dreams the progress for
Haiti. The dream may come true. The goal of the project is the
social justice for every Haitian who has suffered for a long time.
There is in the country an endless cross station without a Palm
Sunday or an Easter. The people always recite the “Our Father”, but
never get the “daily bread”. If the project comes true, all Haitian
can have an alternative to succeed. Every person is a human being.
Only the attitude and character of a person would impede him /
herself to progress.

Everyone is invited to be member of this group. However, Haiti

would need only a committee of nine strong persons (maybe
twelve) for its development. Christ changes the history of humanity
with only twelve apostles. We still have human resources in Haiti.

We ask everyone well-intentioned to share our vision and help us to

reach the goal. It is better for us to make that decision of progress;
otherwise, others can impose us a solution. What solution? When
they give you, you do not have too many alternatives. You have to
take it or leave it. You have to live with it, or you leave. You have to
take it easy.

It is better for us to negotiate as an adult, instead of accepting with

humiliation any covert or overt foreign occupation.

We know this is not an easy project; but we know also that if you
want to reach the top of any ladder, you have to start with the first
step. To reach the top of Mont Everest, you need to undertake the
first step. Also, the success of this project may depend on sacrifice.
It is not a peanut butter. And any big project starts with a first step:
the idea. The discovering of the new world by Christopher Columbus
started with an idea.

One must know to run but also to hind. In the same manner that
Toussaint Louverture, in a so called “ Percée Louverturienne” had
run from one country to another, looking for the best alternatives
for his country, some Haitian authorities would seize an opportunity
to make solid contact with other countries, without being a treat to
the nation in difficulty.
 Page 21 of 24

Haiti must be a flexible country. We are in a great moment of

change. A global change. And changes go fast. What was good
yesterday may not be good for today. A good plan for yesterday
may need an adjustment for today. For example, after the
Independence of Haiti, it was very good to read in the imperial
Constitution that: any children born from Haitian lineage, no matter
where he or she is born, is citizen of Haiti (jus sanguini). However,
Dominican Republic makes of this law an excuse to deny any
children born in other country (jus soli) from Haitian parents. Thus,
these children are neither Dominican citizen nor Haitian citizen.
They stay undocumented (no birth certificate; no baptism) and live
in a limbo, without access to the public services such as schools and
health care. Here is another example: The Haitian Constitution does
not accept a double nationality. This law seems to be outdated, due
the great quantity of Haitian who live in the Diaspora, and the
importance of their contribution to the country. Also, according to
the Constitution of Haiti, a foreign person cannot possess real estate
in Haiti. This law was very important after the independence, but
with the time, it become outdated (we do not justify the rumor
according to which some prominent persons would buy a great
quantity of lands in Haiti). If Haiti needs to be developed, these laws
merit to be amended. A country cannot have two different types of
birth certificates: One for the peasants and another for the citizen
(dwellers of the cities). There must not have any difference between
a natural child (born outside of marriage) and a legitimate one (born
in a matrimonial link).

According to a Haitian Motivator, we have to make good plan. He

narrates that there was a couple who had planned to obtain three
boys and one girl. After years of marriage, they surprisingly realized
that they had three girls and one boy! Accordingly, our plan may
somewhat deviated. We need contingency plans. Accordingly, we
can also change our personal or selfish plan for the sake of a
developed country.

This document is presented to you for your evaluation. You may

accept it, make suggestions to change it or reject it. In the last case,
please give us your alternate convincing plan for the development
of the country, and we will follow you.
 Page 22 of 24

What you have to do? Share the information with friends: Bri kouri,
nouvèl gaye! Let the news run. Send us an E-mail and forward the
message also to your friends for discussion. Thank you.

____________________ ______________________

Tercius BELFORT Dr. F. LAMOUR

Coordinator Coordinator

____________________

C. PIERRILUS

Coordinator

Contact: Addayiti@gmail.com

Below are some references:

Denis, Hervé: avril 2001; message published by E-mail: apali_haiti@yahoo.fr

http://agora. qc.ca/mot. nsf/Dossiers/ Haiti

http://searchwarp.com/swa350656.htm.

http://www.haiti-reference.com

http://www.henrygeorge.org/spanish/cap24.htm

http://www.metropolehaiti.com/metropole/full_une_fr.php?id=14868
http://www.mpce.gouv.ht/dsncrpfinal.pdf

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/story/928042.html.

http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_profiles/2004-2005/2-Haiti.html

http://www.solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/

www.alterpress.org

Revew: “ Questions haitiennes” [95], p. 106.

N.B.: biographical information of one of the coordinators of the project.

Tercius Belfort was born in Gros-Morne, near Gonaives, in the Department of Artibonite. Orphan, he was raised by her maternal grandparents, the Noelsaint and

Pierre family. As the economical situation of these parents was bad, Tercius never thought he would go to school. Fortunately, thank to her granma, he begun to take

tutorial lesson with a student, and as he was intelligent, the parents were pushed to send him at a regular school at about fifteen years old.
 Page 23 of 24

Thank to God, he made rapidly his primary classes (St-Monfort School of Corail and Ste Cecile School of Rivière Mancelle); his secondary school (New Modern

College of Gros-Morne, the state public school Lycee Firmin in Port-au-Prince, and Juvenat College of the Sacred Heart, Carrefour, Port-au-Prince); and finally a

Bachelor Degree in Accounting at the university (Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce, and a Master Degree in Education at the University of the

Sacred Heart, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In relation to the work experience, Tercius taught in several institutions, including where he studied previously (Ste Cecile School; New Modern College). Then, he

taught in the following schools: College Jean XXIII (Gros-Morne), at a primary school (Rivière Froide, Carrefour, Port-au-Prince); at a pedagogical school

(Papaye, Hinche); at the French Alliance (Ponce, Puerto Rico); University of Puerto Rico (San Juan); at a public school of Puerto Rico, and at Florida International

University (FIU), Miami, Florida.

Tercius worked for more than ten years at the Consulate General of Haiti in Puerto Rico (1992-2003). This job facilitated his contact not only with the Haitian

residents in Puerto Rico but also those of the US Virgin islands (St Thomas, St John, and St Croix) where he went monthly in mission. Besides, he visited several

other countries such as: Dominican Republic, Washington (the White House), New York, and Florida.

He was member or part of the executive committee of the following non for profit organization, sociocultural, and religious organizations: Committee of Solidarty

(Gros-Morne); the Holy Family movement (Haiti, Florida); Kiro (Haiti); Shoenstatt (Puerto Rico); The Knight of Colombus (Puerto Rico); FONDEMENT, Inc

(Puerto Rico); Rotary Club (Haiti); Human solidarity Movement (Puerto Rico); Haitian-Caribbean Civic Association (Puerto Rico); Service Corps of Retired

Executives (SCORE, Chapter of Puerto Rico); member and guitarist of several Catholic Church (Haiti, Puerto Rico). He is also, President and CEO of Haitian

Trading Center, Inc..

Tercius is the author of the book: Haiti, Mito y Realidad (1995) and Haiti: Grandeza, Decadencia y future (in process); a book to teach and learn the Haitian Creole
language; loose poems and religious songs. Thus, he is writer, musician, and poet. He speak, write, and read Creole, French, Spanish, and English.

For any further information, please feel free to contact the Coordinator of the project at: addayiti@gmail.com .

SUMMARY OF SOME SOCIOECONOMIC DATA FOR HAITI, USA, CANADA, FRANCE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND VENEZUELA.

DATA HAITI UNITED STATES CANADA FRANCE DOM. REP. VENEZUELA

AREA 27,560 sq km); 9,166,601 sq km 9,093,507 sq km 545,630 sq km 48,381 sq km 882,050 sq km

POPULATION (2008 est.): 8,924,553 2007 est.): 301,139,947 2008 est.): 33,679,263 2008 est.): 64,094,658 (2008 est.): 9,507,133 (2007 est.): 26,084,662

LIFE EXPECTANCY 57.5 78.0; 80.4 80.8 73.3 74.8;

INFANT 62.3/1000 6.4/1000 4.5/1000 3.3/1000 26.9/1000 20.9/1000

MORTALITY

PER CAPITA $1,300 $45,800 38,400 $33,200 $9,200 $12,200

REVENUE

EXPORT $554.8 million f.o.b. $927.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.). Exports: $364.8 billion Exports: $558.9 billion Exports: $6.881 Exports: $69.23 billion
(2007 est.): f.o.b. (2005 est.): f.o.b. (2007 est.): billion f.o.b. (2007 f.o.b. (2006 est.):
est.):
 Page 24 of 24

IMPORT $1.844 billion f.o.b. $1.727 trillion f.o.b. (2005 est.): $317.7 billion f.o.b. $601.4 billion f.o.b. $12.89 billion f.o.b. $28.81 billion f.o.b. (2006
(2007 est.): (2005 est.): (2007 est.). (2007 est.): est.):

LITERACY 53% (2003 est.) 99% (2003 est.) 99% (2003 est.) 99% (2003 est.) 85% (2003 est.) 93% (2003 est.)