A paradigm shift is needed.

March 2, 2007
Sen. Hansen Clarke from Detroit is a visual artist who primarily paints in oils. Recently, he donated a painting to COTS (the Coalition On Temporary Shelter). It is a program that houses the homeless, addresses their needs and supports them in moving from homelessness to housing and stability.
Senator Clarke is also setting up a scholarship fund that will help send disadvantaged inner city youths to a college prep school. Named after his mother, the Thelma Clarke Opportunity Program is his way of giving back to society. "That's what makes this country so great. We have an opportunity to invest in one another." Along my readings I was able to pick up on those paragraphs, and believe that as Haitians living abroad , now is the time to invest in Haiti. Haitians living abroad propped up the economy of their impoverished Caribbean homeland by sending more than $1.65 billion in cash to relatives last year, according to a report from the Inter-American Development Bank. That sum represented twice Haiti's national budget and 30 percent of its gross domestic product, said Jean Geneus, Haiti's minister in charge of Haitians living abroad. Terry said an estimated $400 million in food and other gifts were also sent home by Haitians living abroad, bringing the total remittances to more than $2 billion.

Haiti, a former French colony trying to establish democracy after decades of violence, dictatorship and military rule, is the poorest country in the Americas. Most of its 8 million people scrape by on less than $2 a day.

Haitians living abroad complain Haiti welcomes their money but not their participation in politics. Haitians abroad could not vote in the last election because there were no absentee ballots and those with dual citizenship cannot vote or run for office because the constitution considers them foreigners.

The tides are changing and there are a lot of Haitians living abroad that are not U.S citizens. Those of us that have become US citizens will lend the support needed to also have a say in the political and the development process that will use those resources that we are so ready to give to the Haitian homeland.

Let’s unite behind the biggest challenges of self preservation that is our homeland that our children should inherit and cherish this beautiful country that is Haiti.

Hansen Clarke