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Patrice Dumont - Haiti opposition leaders create crisis ONLY to pollute the airwaves and Newspaper columns

It is normal for opposition leaders to criticize a ruling party. In fact, it's the rule of the democratic game. In Haiti, we have taken it to a whole other level whereas we create crisis where one does not exist for the only purpose of polluting the airwaves and columns of newspapers.

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I have come to expect outrageous accusations, distortions and outright lies from politicians. We even have members of parliament on whom we can depend to get sound bites full of innuendos and half truths. But when they come from members of our intellectual elite, those are "supposed to know better" or are well informed, there is reason for concern.

On the very popular show Ranmase last weekend, I was appalled to hear the eminent and well respected Professor Patrice Dumont say that the Martelly-Lamothe Government has diminished Haiti in the eyes of the International Community.

The professor who is also an executive officer of the Rally of Progressive National Democrats (RDNP) said he was shocked by what he calls the scandalous attitude of the President who depends on others to defend the interests of his country in the crisis between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Let's be clear. A crisis between the neighboring countries does not exist. There was no declaration of war or threats by the Dominicans to attack our country. The truth is that the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic has made the racist decision to deny its own citizens the rights and benefits of Dominican citizenship. It happens that most of the Dominicans affected by this racist law are of Haitian descent. The Professor should know that a country can not protest against a law passed in an other country as racist or outrageous that law may be. In the United States, it has been common practice to accept Cuban boat people who land on their soil while automatically deporting Haitians who arrive using the same mean of transportation. Is it racism? I say yes. But it's their law.

The Haitian Government has chosen the right path to deal with this situation by keeping the issue in front of international and regional organizations. Among results obtained so far, we can mention the resolution adopted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to suspend the Dominican Republic's application to join its economic block while calling on the country's leaders to urgently "take immediate, credible steps" to stave off a potential humanitarian crisis triggered by their racist citizenship ruling.

Perhaps Professor Dumont is not privy of the fact that President Michel Martelly spent several hours on the phone last Tuesday with Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Kamlar Persad-Bessessar, incoming CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalvez discussing actions to be taken against our neighbors. As a result, Domincan President Danilo Medina has committed to Prime Minister Persad-Bessessar that deportation of Haitians will stop. The Trinidadian Prime Minister insisted that the Dominican Government "must be prepared to show good faith immediately, by taking credible steps as part of an overall plan to resolve these nationality and attendant issues in the shortest possible time."

Professor Patrice Dumont claims that Haiti's Government has minimized the country on the International scene going as far as suggesting that it is best that the President remains quiet instead of subjecting us to more shame.

Let me remind him that this government has changed the way Haiti deals with foreign donors by marketing the country as a possible business opportunity instead of a country begging for foreign dollars. For the first time, there are leaders who will hold their heads high when criticized by traditional economic powers such as the United States and Canada. As recently as last week, the government took to task the special envoy of the World Bank Mary Barton-Dock for her ill advised and awkward criticism of how the Government spent the Petro Caribe funds prompting Venezuelan Ambassador Pedro Antonio Canino Gonzales to disavow her claims. Sparing future generations from heavy debts, this government has made the decision to start repaying the Venezuelans with products including agricultural and electronic gadgets made in Haiti.

Opposition is important to any democracy. It is with constructive criticism and loyal opposition that this system will succeed. However, it is also time for us to stop criticizing just for the sake of criticism. Professor Dumont has nothing to worry about. We are on the right course.

Article --- Original title: A wake up call for Professor Patrice Dumont --- by Ed Lozama, HaitiHebdoNews.com

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