Haitian Press Conference

Jun 14, 2004

Haitian Consulate, NY, NY

A little about Haiti:

Haiti is known as the world’s poorest country. It’s Gross Domestic Product was approximately US$1.95 billion in 1987, or about US$330 per capita, the lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti’s economy had contracted during most of the 1980s. In terms of agriculture, Haiti’s employment amounts to about 65 percent of its labor force, which accounts for about 35 percent of Haiti’s GDP and about 24 percent of its exports in late the 1980s. Production had suffered from severe deforestation and erosion, primitive techniques, land fragmentation, and the lack of public and private investment. Coffee is the leading export, but the production consistently fell below the country's export quota, as was determined by the International Coffee Organization. Other cash crops include sugar, cocoa, sisal, and cotton. Real per capita production of food crops had declined during the 1980s, necessitating high levels of basic grains imports.

Haiti’s industry accounted for about 23 percent of its GDP in 1988, 53 percent of its exports, and for 6 percent of its labor force. The most dynamic sub sector was assembly manufacturing, mainly for the United States market. Industry suffered in the late 1980’s because of political instability, the country's failure to compete effectively with other Caribbean and Central American beneficiaries of Caribbean Basin Initiative high utility rates, infrastructure deficiencies, and a shortage of skilled labor.

The government’s dynastic dictatorship of the Duvalier family ended in February 1986, when Jean-Claude Duvalier fled in face of popular revolt. He was succeeded by five-member National Council of Government (Conseil National de Gouvernement--CNG), made up of two military officers and three civilians. Members of constituent assembly, elected by popular vote in October 1986, produced new constitution ratified by plebiscite on March 29, 1987. Presidential elections held on November 29, 1987, disrupted by violent attacks perpetrated mainly by former members of Duvalier's paramilitary organization, the tonton makouts. Armed forces administered subsequent presidential balloting on January 17, 1988. In balloting marked by nonparticipation by major candidates and low voter turnout, Leslie F. Manigat elected president. Manigat overthrown on June 20, 1988, by military coup led by Lieutenant General Henri Namphy, who had headed CNG. Namphy suspended 1987 Constitution and ruled as dictator. Lieutenant General Prosper Avril, backed by significant faction of noncommissioned officer corps, overthrew Namphy on September 17, 1988. Avril partially reinstated 1987 Constitution in March 1989 and survived coup attempt in April 1989 by officers with Duvalierist ties. Avril promised elections and paid lip service to democracy but essentially ruled as a military dictator.

Haiti has had a long history of rule by military leaders and dictators. François Duvalier, elected September 1957 in fairest direct elections in country's history, went on to establish dictatorship based on terror, manipulation, and co-optation of citizenry mainly through mechanism of the tonton makouts. After Duvalier's death in 1971, power passed to his son, JeanClaude , whose excessive corruption and cronyism drained country's resources. Riots beginning in October 1985 overwhelmed the indecisive Duvalier and prompted military conspirators to demand his resignation and flight into exile in February 1986. PostDuvalier instability attributable to weakness of nation's institutions and to complete inexperience with pluralistic democratic government.

Focused mainly on the United States, country's leading trade partner and (traditionally) major source of foreign aid, and neighboring Dominican Republic. International condemnation of the Duvalier regime isolated the country during 1960s and 1970s. Jean-Claude's economic policies, calculated to attract foreign investment and tourism, relieved this isolation to some extent. Relations with other Latin American and Caribbean countries limited by linguistic and cultural disparities.

International Agreements and Membership: Party to Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty). Also member of United Nations, Organization of American States, InterAmerican Development Bank, World Bank (see Glossary), International Monetary Fund (see Glossary), and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The newly elected Prime Minister of Haiti, since Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable had resigned, is Gerard Latortue, who promises a better government structure as well as to provide key political advisors in a variety of different political positions to pump up the Haitian economy. He will do the best he can as the new leader of Haiti.

He was asked questions regarding how he will be different from the preceding leaders. His reply was that he needs more time to assess what exactly needs to be done regarding improving the nation, but promised to do best by the Nation.

There were a number of Haitian business dignitaries on hand were the newly appointed Honorable Consulate General of Haiti, Felix Augustin, the Ambassador of Haiti, Raymond A. Joseph, Youri P. Emmanuel, 1st Secretary of the Permanent Mission Haiti to the U.N. Arthur Cole, Ph,D. Executive Program Advisor for the Public Service Institute for the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Gracia Louis Mayard, and businesspeople John and and Marsha Mills, who traveled all the way from New Hampshire to listen to the Prime Minister’s speech, and hopefully do business with Haiti. There were many, many more dignitaries that were on hand to listen to the Prime Minister speak.

We want to thank the Consulate General, Felix Augustin, for his kind invitation, and wish him tremendous success with his new Consulate position. Liberty News Online is indeed looking forward to covering more Haitian events for its Haitian readership throughout the U.S. We also would like to thank Yoline Milfort, the Publicist and Communication Director for the Consulate of the Republic of Haiti.

For more information about Haiti or the consulate of the Republic of Haiti, please feel free to log onto their website at www.haitian-consulatenyc.org

The African American and Caribbean Section is headed by assistant editor Annette Johnson, and Liberty News Online Staff Writers contributing articles. It will cover articles about the African American and Caribbean communities throughout the U.S.A. For more information, feel free to email us at lncarib@hadofnyc.org. If you are interested in having us cover one of your events, feel free to notify us one week in advance, so we can add you to our master calendar, and have our Liberty News Staff come and write an article about your event. Feel free to email us at lnevents@hadofnyc.org, or telephone us at (718) 507-7616 between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm, and ask to speak to Annette or Steve