THE EDITOR, Sir:
IN THE twilight of a political career long on the mundane and short on the monumental, Prime Minister Patterson has latched onto a legacy-making cause. He has invited the newly-exiled Aristide to visit Jamaica. Hopefully for him, Jamaica, Aristide and Haiti, Patterson's late-in-the-day grasp for international relevance doesn't turn into a disaster.
The newly installed Haitian government is already calling it an "unfriendly act". This may be an overstatement, but it's hard to see any benefit or necessity to Aristide's planned visit to Jamaica. Aristide's presence on the doorsteps of Haiti will give heart to loyalists still seething at his ouster and will prolong unrest in a nation that badly needs stability. If his performance half a world away in the Central African Republic is any indication, Aristide will be broadcasting a message of resistance to his loyalists while he is in Jamaica.
MUST HAVE GOT THE BLESSING
Undoubtedly, Patterson is an experienced statesman and as chairman of Caricom must have got the blessing of other member states for Aristide's visit. I believe Caricom endorsed the visit as a political statement against what transpired in Haiti. A degree of political defiance is defensible given the way Caricom's suggestions for a solution that would have given some deference to democracy were ignored by the world powers in the run-up to Aristide's departure from office. However, I think this particular decision is in poor judgement and will end with no positive gain for Caricom's standing in the world or for the people of Haiti.
What's done is done, and the most important thing Caricom can do now is help the Haitian people pick up the pieces and move on. Aristide's visit does not abet this outcome. The need of the Haitian people far outweighs the need to show solidarity with Aristide. Caricom's relevance is better demonstrated by joining in the creation of a strong, democratic post-Aristide Haiti not trying to make a moot point though Aristide.
I am etc,
RYAN BAKER
stelizabethjamaica@
hotmail.com
Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth
