Disaster can create chaos. On the other hand, it can create opportunity. Within the midst of troubling circumstances, Haiti can finally overcome its secretly oppressive past and embrace the status of a first class nation in less than 20 years. But five things have to come together. What is it? Hit the links and find out how Haiti’s stars must align…
My mother would always tell me, “What the devil means for bad, God can make it for good.” My pastor always mentioned, “If you get kicked, make sure you’re getting kicked forward.” The nation of Haiti can absolutely use these mantras to lift themselves to a higher place.
This is not some industrial imperialist age any longer. We are living in the information age. Things happen quicker. Millions are made in far less time. Situations change like models on the runway. No one knows this more than our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean.
We can certainly make a difference and with a little determination and some future fortunes, Haiti can absolutely operate on a powerful level. But five things need to happen in order to elicit forward progress:
5. A New Global-Based Education System Must Be Implemented
News broke out that a new education system may rise from Haiti’s ruins. That’s a perfect start for the statistics that claim only seven out of 800 Haitian kids will ever see the inside of a university. Still, don’t think Haitians don’t care about education. Most parents are spending up to half of their income to put their kids through school.
Per the Miami Herald, New Orleans’ education guru, Paul Vallas, and members of a high-level Haitian presidential commission on education have been waging a quiet debate on how to transform education in this nation where 2.5 million of the nine million people can’t read or write. (Source)
4. Wyclef Jean Can’t Win the Presidency
I love my man Wyclef, and I think his music is awesome. I think his passion for his country is admirable, and I believe he deserves a seat in the Haitian governing table… way down the other side. He is not ready to be a President, and his election would set Haiti backwards. Maybe not how Flava Flav or Wacka Flocka sets back the American black image, but it would decline.
Look. He’s in major debt with the IRS. He got in trouble with the management of his Yele Foundation. There are rumors he’s cheated on his wife. He has no formal education. Let’s stop with the fairytale, kay? He’s a nice guy, but not good enough to be President.
The best pick Haiti can make is someone without business ties (corruption), music ties (not enough experience) and too many American ties (more corruption). So if you’re thinking about Jacques-Edouard Alexis (former Prime Minister who was ousted after food price rose up) or Charles Henry Baker, I’d go elsewhere.
3. France Needs to Unravel Their Panties and Get Off Haiti’s Back
Activists are valiantly attempting to get France off of Haiti’s back for debt. This is good, because France saying Haiti should pay them is like a bully trying to take your lunch money while you’re in school… grad school. In other words… time has passed, and we’re all grown now. Bullies thrive in the third grade. Not when you’re in your mid 20′s. Wasn’t the first Haitian Revolution in the 1800′s?
Not only should the debt be removed, says activists, France should be paying Haiti some Independence money for giving the half-island hell for so long.
Good luck with that. But a total removal of debt and some granting aid would be nice, and set in motion a worldwide effort to assist a nation that should have been totally free decades ago. So much of Haiti’s history is about the liberation of black people and their image in attempting to overcome white dominance. Enough pressure can elicit progress reminiscent of the Civil Rights Movement, when blacks put the spotlight on America to the world that things were simply unfair. We will see what happens.
2. 10 Revolutionary Business People Must Emerge
There was a viral internet story released saying that mangoes will help Haiti’s economy. This annoyed me. That’s like saying an increase of sweet potatoes will boost African-American’s 401-K portfolio. I know mangoes are big in Haiti, and exporting is big business, but come on. Reports speculate that the export of mangoes can make $90 million per year, but will Haiti get that money? With the likes of Fortune 500 Companies like Coca-Cola and big banks making investments (keyword: invest—ments), I would hardly say that Haiti comes out super rich.
In the globalized world of technology and information, continuing to rely on an agricultural economy is a high-stakes Fantasy Football-like risk, where you are dependent on good weather and favorable nature to help you along. And you may not believe this, but nature hasn’t been too nice to Haiti as of late.
Haiti must be committed to producing entrepreneurs within the technological and industrial business area of life. There is a greater need for Haitian Mark Zuckerbergs (Founder of Facebook) and Larry Ellisons (Founder of Oracle)… Some Kompa-style Steve Jobs or something. Someone who can create computerized systems or programs that can compete globally and serve a community on a grander scale. Give me that over a mango any day.
1. Black People Must Invest in Economy
The saying always goes; “A war-torn or naturally torn country bears a virgin economy.” The questions are: how many of us are aware, how many of want to and how many of us can? China is all over West Africa, taking advantage of their virgin economies. Are there motives pure? Who knows? They’re investing, and it’s becoming a huge success. But at who’s expense?
Haiti is not about headless chickens, voodoo dancing and the Zo Pound gangsters. It’s the first liberated Western nation of blacks. It’s the nation that was unfairly blocked off from trade for centuries. It’s the nation filled with bad fortunes and proud heritage.
We can certainly start the revolution. This time, it will be televised.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Who would think that the misfortune of Haiti, would turn into progress !!! If the forecast for success is correct, it will take plenty of work to keep it up. In order to get off the ground with a growing economy, Haiti still needs the assistance of many Nations to establish almost complete independence. The damage done by the “bullies” of Haiti has set them back. It will take some earnest leadership to make Haiti be the ground breaker in Education,Business, and Politics.Creativity is in order here and I know with the right guidance..a distinct, more confident generation of Haiti’s Brightest will bring righteous power to their land !!! I’m watching for results..Oh, well..I’m a serious optimist !!!!