Dear Sir:

There is a prevailing attitude in Haiti that must be changed if Haiti expects to progress. This attitude can be summarized in these terms: Anything that belongs to a Diaspora or Foreigner is there to be taken – to be stolen whenever possible. This is not only an attitude of the poor – but also of many officials.

Let me give you an example: About two years ago during the long ordeal my wife and I have had to build a residence in the provincial town of Cabaret – we were told that we owed money to the electrical company (EDH). My Haitian wife went to the regional director of EDH to inquire why money was owed for electricity that was never given. EDH had set up a meter for us a kilometer away from our residence for which we had to pay $2,000 Haitian dollars to install wire to bring the electricity to us. The first night electricity was available – it started then disappeared within a couple of hours. We found out that our line had been cut up and was feeding current to all the houses between the meter and us. After my wife explained this to the regional director (who is also a pastor) she was told – “Madame, people like you have a consequence to pay for living where you are. You need to live with the Diaspora and the foreigners in Petionville or La Boule.”

Since we started to build our house near Cabaret in 2001 – it has been broken into four (4) times. Each time it was reported and constated by the police. Each time we lost many of our essential items such as inverters, generators, radios, televisions, wire, animals etc. Nothing was ever done about these break-ins, and no arrests were made. Yet, if a local person reports theft of one plantain from his tree the culprit is found right away and arrested.

Honorable President Preval – how can one expect the Diaspora and foreigners to invest in a country where the people and many officials have such an attitude toward them? Did the Chinese that came to live in the West and return to their homeland with knowledge and wealth face the attitude that Haitians have toward their former countrymen? Looking at the enormous progress of both China’s it is certain that these retuning individuals and family investors were welcomed with open arms.

I am personally aware of numerous, successful Haitian families abroad who have given up trying to invest in returning to their homeland. They do not feel that they must “pay a consequence” for having lived abroad and having worked hard to save enough to be able to invest in their native land.

It is hereby suggested that a cabinet level office be established within the Haitian executive to encourage and closely monitor individual Diaspora and foreign investors who wish to re-establish or establish themselves in Haiti. It is the individual investors and entrepreneurs who come to Haiti that will be the real stimulus for economic and social growth. The organizations that come to Haiti at the behest of foreign governments receive all respect. However, it is the individuals and families that come to stay that need respect. They will make permanent progress for Haiti.

Eric Doerrer
Colonel, US Army Ret