Blueprint for Resolving Haiti's Political and Economic Crisis

The people of Haiti want real change. But the changes Haiti needs today require a total transformation of government, institutions, and society. What is needed first and foremost is an open and objective dialogue on the kind of future Haitians, both in Haiti and the Diaspora, want for their beloved country. However, before suggesting any solutions for Haiti’s problems, it is important to identify them. Essentially, Haiti has two major problems:

Lack of Institutions

Lack of Infrastructure

The permanent instability in Haiti is the result of inadequate institutions and infrastructure without which a country cannot prosper in peace and stability. The lack of stability has exacerbated the current Haitian crisis. As a result, the rule of law and civil society are almost nonexistent. The ultimate question is whether Haiti can build the adequate institutions and infrastructure needed to join the developed and civilized nations of the world. Considering the entrepreneurial spirit, family values, work ethics, pride and dignity of the Haitian people, it is indeed possible, first, Haiti must undergo a complete make-over, starting with constitutional reform, decentralization, and modernization of its government.

We must admit that Haiti is dysfunctional. The nation is dysfunctional for it has yet to recover from the betrayal at Pont Rouge of the Haitian Revolution. The Haitian people have yet to acknowledge the senseless crime and betrayal of Jean Pierre Boyer that caused the country's economic bankruptcy. Haiti has suffered greatly spiritually and culturally from the Concordat of Fabre Nicholas Géffrard. Haitians have lived in a world of ingratitude that is displeasing to God. Haiti continues to suffer because of our collective bovarysm.

In order to objectively address the Haitian crisis, there are three major challenges that need to be addressed immediately and among them:

1. Corruption

2. Waste of public funds

3. Incompetence

According to Transparency International, corruption is defined as abuse of power for private gain;

Waste is defined as frivolous, reckless, and inefficient expenditure of public funds; and

Incompetence is defined not having the education, skills, and experiences needed to do a job successfully.

Every year, Haiti is ranked among the most corrupt nations in the world and the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Despite these awful characterizations, Haiti remains a great nation.

The Great and Mighty Nation of Haiti is rich in history, historical military conquests, natural resources, cultural treasures, intellectual strength, ingenuity, pride, and a love of God. Haiti is not poor; but quite the contrary, this great nation remains one of the greatest countries on earth for having produced great leaders like Boukman, Toussaint and Dessalines and for having made some of the greatest contributions to humanity.

The Great Haitian Revolution was betrayed. To say that Haiti has become increasingly mismanaged, neglected, abandoned, and betrayed may be more accurate. There has been a great deal of waste, corruption, abuse, and tragedy in Haiti, but this does not have to be our future.

The time has come for the people of Haiti and specially the youth of the nation to have zero tolerance for incompetence, waste, abuse, and corruption. With the right vision, we can truly rebuild Haiti. United, we are a force that can only prosper and cannot be defeated. What is needed in Haiti today is an objective plan for nation building, such as the following:

Establish a committee of legal scholars and prominent citizens to revise and/or the replace the Haitian Constitution of 1987 to make it relevant today;

A new Legislature should introduce and enforce a 50/30/20 rule by allocating 50% of the national budget to the departments, 30% to the municipalities, and 20% to the national government. Such a rule would create ten professionally managed competitive centers of development, and reduce considerable waste in the national budget. Instead of Haiti’s National Budget being allocated to fund a dysfunctional national government system, imagine 50% of the National Budget is allocated toward funding:

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Governmental Centers;

Ten Professionally Managed Independent Regional School Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Independent Regional College and University Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Banking Centers;

Ten Professionally Managed Court Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Police/Law Enforcement Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Corrections Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Attorney Offices;

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Public Defenders Offices;

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Hospital Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Library Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Regional Parks and Recreation Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Seaport Systems;

Ten Professionally Managed Airport Systems

Ten public procurement departments (adhering to performance-based acquisitions).

* A new Haitian Unicameral Legislature should introduce and enforce a 50/30/20 rule by allocating 50% of the national budget to the departments, 30% to the municipalities, and 20% to the national government. Such a rule would create ten professionally managed competitive centers of development, combat corruption, and eliminate wasteful spending. The legislature should introduce enforceable, anti-corruption and anti-waste legislation and promote a culture of competence, professionalism, integrity and personal responsibility through transparency.

It should be noted a budget is a sacred and moral document that reflects not only the priorities but the values and mores of a society.

* There is a need to decentralize and modernize the Haitian government by hiring skilled career administrators committed to public performance improvement to manage Haiti’s ten departments: (1). Artibonite, (2). Centre, (3). Grand Anse, (4). Nord, (5). Nord-Est, (6). Nord-Ouest, (7). Ouest, (8). Sud, (9). Sud-Est, (10). Nip;

* Hire professional city managers adhering to the latest public performance measures to manage major cities like Port-au- Prince, Cap Ha?tien, Gona?ves, Saint Marc, Jacmel, Port-de- Paix, Cité Soleil, Carrefour, Pétion Ville and Delmas and eventually all cities;

* Provide taxing powers to the Departments and Municipalities in order to operate on a balanced budget. Taxation should include, but not be limited to property tax, individual and corporate income tax, and sales tax. Each department will be self-sufficient with adequate resources, modern institutions, and infrastructure;

* Raise a minimum of $25 - 30 Billion dollars in development fund through national treasury bonds, regional and municipal bonds, loans and foreign investments. Each department should be headed by a competent career administrator designated to receive a minimum of $2.5 - 3 billion dollars capital investment fund to build the foundation of a new Haiti based on modern institutions and infrastructure;

* Professionalize Haiti’s state-owned enterprises by hiring private and public sector leaders to manage the airports, seaports, and electric companies to generate substantial revenue and employ a skilled workforce. These enterprises should be modernized in order to become competitive in the global market economy;

* Implement major public works program such as modern housing, schools, hospitals, highways, seaports, airports, a modern rail system, parks/recreation, irrigation systems and electric power to create decent jobs for the population. Provide social and economic justice for workers and their families by guaranteeing a livable wage comparable to that of neighboring Caribbean nations;

* Make grants and loans available to farmers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in order to create a strong and thriving small business sector;

* Build low cost affordable housing and provide financing to encourage home ownership, asset building, and wealth creation;

* Provide quality affordable health care;

* Create an independent judiciary with adequate training and resources along with a regional police force, national bureau of investigation, and correctional institutions to uphold the rule of law;

* Eliminate the Executive Office of the president in order to decentralize power. Haiti time and again has produced autocratic form of governments where the presidency dwarfs the legislature and the judiciary;

* The time has come to replace the office of the president with a governor general much like the one that existed during the time of Toussaint Louverture and continue to exist in the stable and thriving nations of the Caribbean community. In Haitian Legal and Democratic tradition, a senior member of the Haitian Supreme Court has assumed the presidency during a presidential vacancy as provided by the Haitian Constitution of 1987. The precedent was established by three Senior Judges: Ertha Trouillot, Emile Jonassaint and Josef Nerette who became presidents as a result of presidential vacancies. Members of Haiti’s Supreme Court “Cour de Cassation” are qualified to serve as Governor General of Haiti;

* Establish a Unicameral (Non-Partisan) Legislature, a National Assembly or Senate with up to 33-35 nonpartisan members. The legislature will choose a Prime Minister, vote on a national budget and create laws. In a country, without a strong democratic tradition, there is no need for a bicameral legislature. Each department will be represented by three members in the legislature. Upon approval of dual citizenship, the Diaspora will be awarded two seats in the legislature;

* The Legislature should approve Dual Citizenship Legislation to encourage skilled Haitian professionals from all over the world to return to Haiti in order to share their talents in both public and private sectors;

* Build the nation’s capital in the Artibonite region as was envisioned by Haiti’s founder Jean Jacques Dessalines, the Great. The area remains the country’s agricultural hub. With sufficient investment and adequate technical support, the Artibonite region can easily feed the entire country;

* Decentralize and modernize Haiti’s educational system. Each Department should provide quality education for children, youth and adults. Build state of the art vocational, technical education, modern community colleges and universities in each department. Each department will have an independent school system with adequate resources to meet the needs of the people in that region.

* Groom a new generation of honest and competent young men and women proud of their Haitian history and heritage to ascend to positions of leadership in Haiti in both the public and private sectors.

* Encourage Haiti’s greatest asset, the seniors and professionals of the Diaspora to return to their beloved country to share their expertise, knowledge, and wealth.

* Build state of the art infrastructure at Haiti’s Sacred Sites like La Ville Aux Camps, Bois Cayman, Souvenance, Soucri, and national monuments at La Crête à Pierrot and Vertière.

* Put in place an effective macro and micro economic policy, sound monetary and fiscal policy. The goal is to create economic growth, stabilize the Gourde to increase the purchasing power of the Haitian people, and strengthen Haiti’s economy.

* Create effective public procurement departments (adhering to performance-based acquisitions) at the national, regional, and local levels. The aim is to reduce contract costs while improving the performance of private contractors. (Performance-Based Acquisitions (PBA) for Services.)

* Build retirement communities throughout the country to encourage Haitian seniors to return to Haiti. Beautiful modern Retirement Communities in Haiti can attract seniors primarily from the United States. There is a large skilled workforce of Haitian doctors, nurses, and home health aides that are readily available to work in this important industry.

Despite being mismanaged, Haiti remains one of the greatest and richest countries in the Caribbean Region. Unlike its neighbors, Haiti has a great history, great military forts, numerous sacred sites and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Haiti’s natural resources and cultural heritage can serve as the basis of Haiti’s economic development.

Haiti has some of the greatest military fortifications in the world. These great fortresses can be used for educational and economic development purposes. Here is a list of great fortifications in Haiti.

Fort Citadelle La Ferrière, Fort Citadelle des Platons, La Crête-a-Pierrot, Fort La Source, Fort Culbuté, Fort Décidé, Fort Innocent, Fort Doko, Fort Ogé, Fort Anglais, Fort Olivier, Fort Dauphin, Fort Drouet, Fort Jacques, Fort Alexandre, Fort Fin du Monde.

There are great beaches throughout Haiti that can be transformed into first class resort communities and among them:

Best Beaches du Nord - (Les Plages du Département du Nord)

Labadie (Cap Ha?tien), Cormier (Cap Ha?tien), Choo-Choo Bay (Port Margo),

Best Beaches du Nord Ouest - (Les Plages du Département du Nord-Ouest),

Nan Chalet (Port de Paix), Bord de mer (Jean Rabel), Embouchure ((Port de Paix), La Pointe (Port de Paix), Sylvain (Port de Paix), Coloniales (Mole Saint Nicolas), Pointe des Icaques (Anse a Foleur), Pointe Ouest (Ile de la Tortue).

Best Beaches du Nord Est - (Les Plages du Département du Nord Est)

Basin Ca?man (Caracol), Four Lachaux (Phaéton), Bison Pointe (Terrier Rouge), La Bouque (Terrier Rouge), Mancenille (Fort Liberté), Bale de Caracol (Caracol)

Best Beaches de l'Artibonite - (Les Plages du Département de l’Artibonite)

Anse a Pirogue (Saint Marc), Amani-y les bains (Saint Marc), Gonaibo (Gona?ves), Dodo (Saint Marc), La Voute (Saint Marc), Juvensku et Milord (Frecyneau), Grosse Roche (Portail Guêpe), Naturelle (Grande Saline).

Best Beaches de l'Ouest - (Les Plages du Département de l’Ouest)

Taino (Grand Goave), ?a-Ira (Léogane), Guilo (Gressier), Mombin (Fond Mombin), Lataniers (Lapointe) La Gonave, Naturelle (Gressier Mariani) Léogane, Mahotiere (Pointe a Raquette ) La Gonave, Pointe Sable (Anse a Galet La Gonave, Cocoyer (Petit Goave), Moulin Sur Mer (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Wahoo Bay (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Kaliko (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Ounga Bay (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Club Med (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Xaragua (Cote des Acadins) Montrouis, Luly (Cote des Acadins) Arcahaie, Kayona (Cote des Acadins) Arcahaie, Bain des Pécheurs (Carries) Montrouis, Trou Foban (Carries) Montrouis, Page Publique (Carries) Arcahaie, Ibo (Carries) Montrouis.

Best Beaches du Sud - (Les Plages du Département du Sud)

Ile a Vache (Baie des Cayes), Gaby (Baie des Cayes), Zanglais (Cayes), Gelée (Cayes), Zanglais (Aqain), Coby (Cote de Fer), Pointe Sable (Port Salut), Christopher (Saint Pierre Coteaux), Mandela (Coteaux), Duverger (Duverger), Cocoyer Anglade (Saint Louis du Sud), Pointe Sable (Port Salut)

Best Beaches du Sud Est (Les Plages du Département du Sud Est)

Ti Mouillage (Jacmel), Raymond les Bains (Jacmel), Nan Lance (Bainet), Titou Mahot (Bainet), Cyvadier (Jacmel), Conjuré (Marigot).

Best Beaches de la Grande Anse - (Les Plages du Département de la Grande Anse)

Anse d’Azur (Jérémie), Roseaux (Roseaux) Jérémie, La Découverte (Anse d’Hainault), Abory (Anse d’Hainault), Accord (Petit Trou de Nippes), Trou Lanfel (Dame Marie), Grande Anse (Baradée), Père Noel (Dame Marie), Anse Blanche (Pestel), Libertation (Bourge de Pestel), Anse a Chat (Pestel), Grand Bassin (Roseaux), La Chapelle (Abricot), Nan Bambou (Dame Marie), Petite Anse (Abricot), Derrière Pointe (Dame Marie), Ti Boucan Noel (Corail), Anse Gourdin (Dame Marie), Source Salée (Pestel), Anse a Fortune (Cayemite), Layer (Dame Marie), La Seringue (Abricot), Petite Anse (Dame Marie), Ti Boca (Dame Marie), Libertation Bord de Pastel, Anse a Putain (Corail), Fond Martin (Dame Marie), Baradères (Dame Marie)

Imagine Haiti with a diversified economy with approximately one hundred resort communities featuring some of the most beautiful beaches, gorgeous landscapes and a friendly people. Imagine some of the greatest military forts and battle fields in the world available for local and international tourism. 

Imagine some of the most Sacred Spiritual Sites are made available to the Haitian people and the world community. Spiritual and cultural tourism will largely involved pilgrimages to La Ville Aux Camps, Saut-d’Eau, Bois Cayman, and famous Lakous like Nan Souvenance will receive millions of visitors every year. Despite rampant corruption and gross mismanagement Haiti remains a rich country with limitless potential. Haiti’s natural resources and cultural heritage can serve as the basis of Haiti’s economic development.

Haiti has experienced the world’s worst brain drain (human capital flight) for the past 6 decades causing major decline in competitiveness. The solution to Haiti’s problem is brain gain through reverse migration. It is estimated that 250,000 Haitian seniors, among them highly skilled professionals, residing primarily in the United States, Canada and Western Europe would welcome the opportunity to return to Haiti, granted there is peace and stability.

Much like the nation of Israel, the rebirth of Haiti can be based on a mass exodus of Haitian seniors and professionals of the Diaspora returning home to share their skills, talent and wealth for the redevelopment of their beloved nation. Imagine Haitians from the Diaspora visiting their elderly parents or their ancestral home in Haiti every year.

Imagine 10 million tourists, primarily Haitian Americans and friends of Haiti visiting one of the most exotic and beautiful tourist destinations in the world. Imagine the state-owned enterprises such as the electric company, the airports and seaports generating billions of dollars in revenue and employing a skilled workforce. Imagine local governments managed by skilled career administrators employing several thousands of skilled civil servants. Within a decade or two, Haiti can realistically build a $75 to 100 billion dollars diversified economy and a minimum of $10,000 to $15,000 per capita income based on good governance and competitive private sector consisting of construction, agriculture, health care, education, manufacturing, and tourism. The goal is to rebuild Haiti by creating ten competitive regions and revitalizing the cities with efficient tax generation and collection, good governance while harnessing the country’s natural resources and cultural heritage.

What role will the private sector play in the modernization and development of Haiti?

It should be noted that Haiti has a unique economic system. Haiti’s economy can be defined as Traditional, State Controlled, and Free Market Capitalism. There is a need to groom a new generation of entrepreneurs in Haiti. We have learned that a society with a skilled and entrepreneurial work force, fair labor laws, livable wages, and due process of law and protection of contracts provides an environment for a competitive market economy and private foreign investment. Skilled Haitian workers should earn a livable wage comparable to their peers in the most competitive economies in the Caribbean Regions. Today the private sector in Haiti has an historic opportunity to help rebuild an entire country. While there is profit to be made, the values and ethics, the fairness and transparency upon which business transactions are conducted will determine the foundation upon which the new Haitian economy is created.

What role can the public sector play in the modernization and development of Haiti?

Democratic principles and ideals have not taken root in Haiti after two hundred years of independence. Political parties, for example, have not advanced the cause of democracy in Haiti. There are too many political parties in Haiti. Political parties exist in name only. Haitian politicians hide behind a party label as a way to hide their unemployment. They hope through politics, they too will be provided with the opportunity to change their social stratification.

A political party is defined as an organized group of people who share the same ideology, belief, economic philosophy and political positions fielding candidates for elections, to get them elected and to control power. Politics can also be defined as a Coliseum where politicians become Gladiators who fight for money and power for their country, communities, and their constituents.

Why Haiti ultimately needs a two-party system? Haiti has more political parties than any other country in the world. There is a need for only two competitive political parties in Haiti (a ruling party and an opposition party) like “Le Parti Liberal and Parti National” of the late 19th Century. It should be noted that the United States of America has two (2) main political parties: The Democratic Party and the Republican Party. China has one (1) political party: The Chinese Communist Party. It is through political parties that agendas and policies are implemented in a democracy.

Haiti will never experience political stability until the country creates a Two-Party System. We must warn the Haitian people that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” according to Albert Einstein. It would be insane to have Haiti’s Conseil Electoral Provisoire (CEP) scheduled new elections and expecting miraculous change in Haiti. Haiti needs a two-party system.

The executive office takes care of the president at the expense of the people it is supposed to protect and serve. It is a well known fact that the president of Haiti normally uses most of the country’s meager resources for personal use or to reward his family and friends. As a result, local governments operate without a budget. Furthermore, very little funding is allocated for government operations including personnel, equipment, capital improvement, emergency response or social services.

Haiti’s Bicameral Legislature has been very ineffective. The Haitian Legislature does not fulfill its most basic duties and responsibilities of voting a national budget and creating laws. The resources of the national government have contributed to the enrichment of politicians while the majority of the Haitian people continue to live in abject poverty.

The Court System and prison system do not have adequate funding and the expertise to operate efficiently.

Haiti’s problems can be resolved at the local and regional level by hiring professional city and regional administrators adhering to the latest public performance measures to manage the major cities and the ten departments in the country. There is a need for public and private partnership for essential services, job creation, and economic growth. Eradicating underdevelopment in Haiti requires a skilled workforce, and collaboration among national, regional and local government agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, small businesses and major corporations working together to create good paying jobs, economic growth and prosperity.

Haiti, once a great and promising nation in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries, served as a beacon of light and a symbol of liberty and freedom for the world. Haiti can again serve as a model for economic development and political stability for all developing nations. First, Haiti must undergo a complete make-over, starting with constitutional reform, decentralization, and modernization of its government and address the problems of corruption, waste and incompetence. It is time for a Renaissance in Haiti.

Despite the present chaos created by the earthquake, numerous hurricanes, and Petro Caribe, there is hope in the heart of Haitians throughout Haiti and the Diaspora. Haiti is poised for change. The people should elect progressive and competent leaders who are committed to use the power of government to work for the well-being of the Haitian people and the economic development of the country.

Why providing a blueprint for resolving Haiti’s political and economic crisis?

According to Proverbs, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” It is important that political leaders are able to look at politics and economics from a scientific, philosophical, strategic, and preferably in policy term. This Blueprint is dedicated to the Haitian people and especially the youth of Haiti. It is designed not only for resolving the Haitian crisis but for transforming Haiti into one of the most progressive nations in the Caribbean by 2040.

Imagine Haiti with a functional constitution, a decentralized government, and ten competitive regional governments serving as pillars of development, thriving resort communities, military fortifications, sacred spiritual sites, Haiti can become once again “La Perle Des Antilles.” If implemented, the proposed Blueprint would transform Haiti into an economic power house in the Caribbean Region, and a new and modern nation based on the rule of law and good governance. In one decade or two, Haiti could realistically become one of the most prosperous and progressive nation. “Bon Dieu Bon,” with God’s blessing, Haiti is ready for change.