HAITI AND THE UNITED STATES: A NEW BEGINNING
Excellencies, Members of the American Chamber of Commerce Board, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you for your very kind welcome. I am delighted to be here this evening to talk briefly about new beginnings in our relationship, a relationship of great importance to Americans and Haitians alike. I understand that it is a long-standing tradition for the newly-arrived U.S. Ambassador to speak before the American Chamber, so here I am. I also understand that it has been a tradition to throw little verbal hand grenades into the audience at events like these. I am not here to do that – well, not quite yet.
I think it’s particularly appropriate that the first major speech of my tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Haiti is here with you. As an economic officer with the State Department, I have worked with AMCHAMs around the world for more than 25 years and I feel very much at home here. I know the important role that AMCHAMs play in a country’s development as advisor, cheerleader and reality check. I have seen how they build and maintain bridges between their hosts and the U.S. business community. AMCHAM’s role in presenting the private sector’s point of view is critical. I am confident that the members of AMCHAM Haiti will continue to play this important role here and I salute you.
I am pleased to congratulate the newly-elected Board of Directors, especially the new President, Bernard Fils-Aimé, who follows a long line of distinguished Presidents, some of whom are with us tonight. The U.S. Embassy and the AmCham have a history of close and collegial cooperation and I pledge that it will continue during my tenure here.
You will note that my remarks this evening are entitled “Haiti and the United States, a New Beginning!” Maybe the printers should have put a question mark after that statement, rather than an exclamation point, because the path before us isn’t as clear as that punctuation would have you believe. But we are indeed on the verge of new beginning in many ways. Certainly, it’s a new beginning for me. There’s a new AMCHAM President on board as well. But perhaps the most important beginning is the one Haiti now faces as it takes its rightful place in the community of nations with a duly elected government and a new president at the helm.
I know for you, our friends in Haiti, the past years have been difficult ones. The litany of troubles that Haiti faces – and has faced for some time – is daunting. Widespread poverty, suspect institutions, insecurity, pervasive corruption – the list is long. Maybe we are being overly optimistic when we discuss new beginnings tonight.
But I don’t think so. I believe that there are good reasons to welcome what is in front of us, as partners, as neighbors – and I do. So what I would like to do tonight is talk a little about us, a little about you, and a little about what might be done to give Haiti the future it so clearly deserves.
First off. Let me assure you the United States, as well as the international community, is at your side as you wrestle with Haiti’s many problems. The successful elections and restoration of a democratic government in Haiti were important first steps in building a stable and secure democracy. These efforts will take time to bear fruit, I know, but we look to you to give birth to institutions strong enough to protect the democratic rights of the Haitian people and to provide a stable environment that will enable your economy to grow. The United States and, I trust, your other friends will continue to help you through this difficult and long overdue process.
We in the international community have already backed up our promise of support with dollars. Of the $1.1 billion dollars pledged for the CCI, over $960 million has already been spent in Haiti. More than $500 million of that comes from my country alone. I have no doubt that by the end of the Interim Cooperation Framework, Haiti’s friends abroad will not only have fulfilled the CCI promise to you but exceeded it.
The United States is the strongest financial supporter of Haiti. That will continue. We will be by your side as you write this new page of your history. In his budget, President Bush has requested $198 million in assistance for Haiti for the coming fiscal year. There are indications that an additional supplemental appropriation may – and I do stress may - be forthcoming when Congress passes the budget bill. In addition to this financial aid, there is now a push in Congress to consider preferential trade legislation for Haiti's textile exports.
I don’t know how it will end up – I never second guess Congress - but the legislation, if passed, could create thousands of new jobs in Haiti, or so some of you tell me.
And if you tell me, as some of you have done, that you don’t see this aid from your American partners, let me say: look around you. We are working with you as you rebuild Haiti. Let me tell you some of the ways how.
Ø We are feeding Haitians. Since 2004, the United States has provided over 37,500 tons of food assistance. That food has fed over 300,000 mothers, 200,000 children under the age of two, and 130,000 primary school children.
Ø We are healing Haitians. The United States now provides basic health services to 40 percent of the Haitian population. We have provided nearly $80 million to help you combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS. We haven’t solved the AIDS problem yet, but we are working on it.
Ø We are creating jobs for Haitians. In the poorest neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, U.S. projects have created over 300,000 person/days of short-term employment. Other projects are in the works. Jobs will be the lifeblood of the new Haiti.
Ø We are educating Haitians. The U.S. subsidized approximately 3.4 million textbooks last year and is doing the same this year. How important are schools to Haiti? We know that many parents spend half their salaries to send their kids to school. It’s that important. So, we have a primary school scholarship program for 13,000 students in five cities which pays their tuition and other school fees, and provides them with books.
Ø We are lighting Haitians’ lives. The U.S. is currently financing the repair of four thermal units in Port-au-Prince. When brought on line, these units will provide an additional 30 megawatts of power to the distribution grid.
Ø We are sheltering Haitians coping with the elements. In Gonaïves, the U.S. spent $12 million in emergency programs to provide food and water to victims of Tropical Storm Jeanne. We repaired roads, schools and homes to the tune of $25 million.
Ø We are bringing Haitians together as they build a democracy. The United States provided approximately half, or $32 million, of the costs of voter registration and holding elections and will give another $4 million for the local elections coming up.
Ø We are giving Haitians hope. The U.S. has focused on projects, like paving roads and building playing fields, which have a direct impact on the populations of volatile urban areas. This program has implemented 500 grants worth $11 million, 70% of these grants in Cité Soleil alone. On Friday, the Prime Minister and I, along with local community leaders, will sign a new agreement which aims at further improving the quality of life for residents in Cite Soleil.
I am very proud of these accomplishments, and of our future plans together, even as I acknowledge that they are only part of the puzzle. There may be those of you who will dismiss our efforts, saying that we do them in our own self-interest. You would be partially right.
But we also do this because we strongly believe that our neighbors in Haiti deserve a better life, a better chance at building a country, and a better future. We do this to give your institutions and your people time to develop solutions, solutions unique to your nation’s needs. And we do this because we believe it is important to help as you find the way ahead.
I believe that key to finding your own way is establishing a solid, stable foundation for democracy. I am greatly encouraged by the steps President Préval has taken thus far towards this end. He has committed to building Haiti’s constitutional institutions and decentralizing the government’s powers. He has called for cooperation and national dialogue. He has called for an improved investment climate. He has called for a better, more secure life for all Haitians. These are the promises against which history – and the Haitian people - will judge President Preval’s time in office.
We look forward to working closely with the President and Prime Minister Alexis as they work towards these critical goals. We will also work with Parliament to provide technical assistance to help it carry out its important constitutional duties because we believe that a strong, competent and engaged legislature will be an effective partner with the government. We will assist the government, MINUSTAH and the OAS in finishing local elections. We will join with the government to improve the ability of local governments to provide services to their populations.
President Preval has clearly signaled that change is coming. In his meeting with President Bush in March, President Preval said, “business as usual in Haiti is over.” He got it exactly right. “Business as usual” in Haiti didn’t work. It brought about destruction, despair, and demagoguery. Haiti needs a new vision for its future – and new ways to get the job done.
And that, my friends, is where you come in.
For those who ask me, what has the U.S. done to “fix” Haiti, I now turn the question around. What have you done? What will you do? Are you ready to meet President Preval and his government half way – or more than halfway, if necessary – as he reaches out and looks for new answers to Haiti’s ills?
During my brief time here, I have come to appreciate and admire the enormous talent and energy of the Haitian business community. You have brought great creativity to bear on the many problems of doing business here. Many of you in this audience tonight are Haitian success stories – success stories in any country, for that matter - and I applaud your accomplishments.
But I do see many of you standing on the sidelines now as your new government begins to wrestle with the enormous task of rebuilding Haiti. Frankly, this disappoints me. The business community has so much to contribute – has already contributed over the years– to this country. Your energy, entrepreneurial skills, and insights are vital to Haiti’s future. While some of you here tonight, I know, have offered your advice to the new government during the transition, there are still those among you who are reluctant to stand up at this critical time.
The other night, I said to someone that the future of Haiti is too important to be left solely to the government. People around the table politely laughed at the cliché, but - like all clichés - there is a certain amount of truth to it. There is so much talent in this room that will go untested and unheard if you don’t get into the game. Haiti’s problems go far beyond the abilities of any one individual or any one government or party to solve them. Haiti needs, Haiti expects, Haiti demands that the talents of all its citizens to be brought to bear on the challenges ahead.
I do not underestimate the difficulties in front of you. Leaving behind the past is hard. Breaking down barriers is hard. Creating confidence is hard. We know that. But you are successful business people. You know it can be done. Building bridges takes time. Yet, it can be done.
Over the years, I have hosted numerous delegations from the U.S. Congress, both Republicans and Democrats. I’ve dealt with fierce business adversaries who fought it out in the competitive arena. And dDespite their many differences, these groups can – and do -- unite for the greater good of their country. Tonight I urge you to do the same. Volunteer your services. Offer your advice. Show your support. Let go of the differences and divisions of the past. Take to heart the slogan “business as usual in Haiti is over.”
Where can you start, you ask?
How about by tackling a problem that affects us all: corruption. I hear time and again from many of you how corruption – in customs, at the ports, throughout the entire system – is hampering business and undermining security. I certainly know it’s killing investment. My Embassy is contacted every week by U.S. investors, many of whom are taking another look at Haiti. Sadly, when we tell them the truth about the level and extent of corruption throughout Haiti, they often walk away. That’s a shame. No, more than that, it’s a waste.
In order for Haiti to attract foreign investment, it must tackle its corruption problem head on. And that includes tax evasion. I agree 100 percent with Bernard’s remarks in his introduction. The only way for Haiti to have the resources necessary to deal with its problems, especially poverty, is for Haitians, particularly those with means, to meet their obligations and pay their taxes. Popular? No. Essential? You bet.
“Fixing” Haiti is not just a job for the Préval government or for its international friends. “Fixing” Haiti is a job for us all. As long as the business sector condones corruption and tax evasion, enables corruption, as it were, investors will stay away and Haitians will suffer.
If I believe one thing from my brief time here, it is that if this latest effort to “fix” Haiti flounders, there will be more than enough blame to go around, even for those who thought they were safely on the sidelines. As the President and his government will be judged on their actions, so must the business community be judged on how it joined in the fight for Haiti’s future.
So where does that leave us? Right now, I see Haiti at a crossroads. With the support of the United States and the international community, you have an unparalleled opportunity to join together to reclaim your country’s future and give rise to a new Haiti. As a friend, I urge you, I beseech you, to seize this opportunity for your family, for your community – and for Haiti.
So, we come back to our topic: “U.S./Haitian relations: a new beginning”. Question mark or exclamation point? It’s really up to you to do with it what you will. I, for one, think we are all at a new beginning. Exclamation point.
As delivered. 6/21/06
The Ambassador
