The Masters, Montréal edition

I was paying close attention to the coverage of the one-day, closed-door meeting of the Group of Friends of Haiti in Montreal yesterday.  Living in the Washington, D.C. area, news from my hometown up north (and Canada for that matter) is usually limited, but many eyes were on Montreal yesterday as Haiti’s future continues to dominate the world’s headlines.

Jean-Max Bellerive, the Prime Minister of Haiti, seemed to have taken the lead in the conference that included leaders from all over the world: Canada, the U.S., the European Union, Japan, the D.R., and Spain, to name a few.   He made it clear since his arrival in Canada Sunday: “Les Haïtiens veulent rester maîtres de leur avenir”.  Haitians want to be the masters of their future.   Amen, Mr. PM.

Yet the big question remains: how will Haitian leadership fare as it enters this era of new beginnings?  Haitian leadership has appeared weak lately, almost non-existent to some, particularly in the aftermath of the earthquake.  In the few days following the devastation, I shared the sentiment of many Haitians who wondered what on earth President Preval was doing (or thinking)?  And where was he?  His lack of presence when Haiti needed him the most disappointed many, to say the least.   Perhaps coordination in the early phases of this catastrophe could have gone a bit smoother.  Unfortunately, this type of presidential test does not come with a make-up exam.  I’m not sure how he will be able to convince Haitians to trust his leadership at this point.

At this critical hour, I hope he will pass his next test- fully addressing what else has not worked in governments past:  questionable administration practices; aid not reaching the people who need it most; and limited accountability from those supplying assistance.   Corruption has been blamed in the past for many of Haiti’s woes today, but I also knows it travels on a two-way street.  The world is watching Haiti and her Group of Friends to hold all responsible in making the best use of the resources it has poured in to help rebuild the country.

Speaking of rebuilding, one of the key points Prime Minister Bellerive made yesterday was the need for Haitian diaspora to take part in leading the reconstruction efforts.  The aid is coming in, but key leaders of change need to be put in place.  He called for professionals of the diaspora in various fields to consider a temporary return back to Haiti to offer their skills to their homeland.  Considering he made the call from Montreal, I took his request personally.  The city is not only my hometown, but also the place where thousands of immigrants from Haiti, including my own parents, began to settle beginning in the 1960s.  Since then, Haitians in Montreal have made significant contributions in Quebec’s educational system, entertainment world, and political sphere.  And this reality echoes in many other parts of the world where Haitians have found a second home.  I imagine their collective voices and additional input to their homeland could make a significant difference.

But, I also took the call to heart for another reason.  The reality is, many of our parents who migrated over the last four decades are today’s “baby boomers”.   Before this earthquake struck, they were preparing for or settling into retirement,  many of them hoping to at least semi-retire back in Haiti.  Although I’m sure several of them will answer the Prime Minister’s call, they will need the full support of what my Grand-mother often referred to as la relève, the ones who will carry on the torch of those who walked before them.  The road to recovery will be a long one, and as part of the second generation, I hear the call.   Haiti needs us too.

Jacques Roumain’s timeless novel, Masters of the Dew tells the story of Manuel, who, after several years in exile, returns back to Haiti determined to encourages his fellow countrymen to come together and become masters of their own destiny.   The book certainly does not romanticize Manuel’s attempts to inspire change in his homeland and neither should we.  But if we can learn anything from this classic gem in Haitian literature, it is that sacrifice is necessary for the long journey towards transformation.  I hope I’m ready.

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