Why France?

Mar 31, 2024 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Whilst I welcome the “maritime assets” France is sending our way, accept and bless, I really do not see the reason why that acquisition should be accompanied by the establishment of a French embassy in Guyana. The two countries do not share a significant colonial history – thank God for that – and have not shared any significant bilateral relationship since 1966.

Moreover, since the last of the 3 military coups that led to the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States in West Africa, and to revelations about the shockingly exploitative nature of France’s relationships with her former colonial possessions, why on earth would any former colony enter into a special relationship with France for any reason that is not special? France is a member country of the EU. That should be enough. Is the special reason for a French embassy in Guyana to facilitate the processing of Schengen visa applications?

CARICOM is in the process of endeavoring to help achieve peace now in Haiti – a country that has been unremittingly abused by France for almost 5 centuries. The abuse started psychologically – with almost 1 million slaves on that half of the island of Hispaniola allocated to France (by agreement with Spain) falling under the misapprehension that the French Revolution contemplated them as numbered amongst men. After achieving the first and only successful slave rebellion in history, the Haitians further had to deal with the realization that encouragements to undermine the new administration were not for the cause of France but against their own status as free French subjects, as France intended to re-enslave them. The realization triggered their violent rejection of all things French. Haiti was only grudgingly recognized by France after agreeing under duress to pay reparations to France that it took up to 1947 to fully pay up.

Early indications are that the current power brokers in Port-au-Prince have rejected the CARICOM initiative. Whilst disappointing, is that at all surprising? There exists little reason for Haitians to trust a CARICOM that does not treat Haitians the same way it treats other CARICOM nationals. There are practical explanations for this. Haiti is economically depressed and has a population that represents about half of the entire bloc. The other territories are either small islands or larger territories that cannot absorb more persons anyway – except for Guyana recently – though not before we progress a bit further with our infrastructural development, by which time controlled Haitian immigration directed particularly towards agriculture, can help propel the process further. Guyana is English-speaking whilst Haitians speak French. Both Spanish-speaking Venezuelans and Portuguese-speaking Brazilians presently come to Guyana to work and sometimes settle – but those are neighboring South American countries that have interacted with Guyana continuously over decades. Further, Haitians are of African heritage and that raises issues of “optics” with local politicians – on a grander scale and with deeper implications than importing 500 Bangladeshi health workers has excited.

CARICOM must respect Haiti’s history. Haitians are Africans who successfully took destiny into their own hands and since survived against terribly repressive odds. The slave-owning countries saw it in their own interests not to recognize the Haitian Revolution, and so Haiti lived in economic isolation whilst paying reparations to France. It is not the fault of the Haitian people that the country is so poor today – without the absurd argument that had they not successfully rebelled against France at the end of the 18th Century the country might have been better off. Kenya is on conditional on standby to put boots on the ground to help Haiti. CARICOM stands ready and willing to do whatever else can be done with limited resources. A major factor that has contributed in part to the current impasse is that acting President and Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, is perceived by Haitians as a US appointee and thus not acceptable as eligible to negotiate anything on behalf of Haiti’s de facto power brokers.

A way will have to be found to engage with the likes of Barbeque, as otherwise no elections will be held in the foreseeable future to produce a legitimately elected leader. Peace has got to start somewhere. Revolutions are triggered by dissatisfaction. The US promises much needed money to assist the effort, however cries for democracy – especially when aimed at reinstating or installing leaders who in reality represent foreign interests – are unattractive locally whilst people are dying and social infrastructure is being destroyed. Purporting to enter Haiti without being invited in would amount to an invasion followed by occupation, as ECOWAS realized only after issuing such threat to Niger. CARICOM should remain committed to helping Haiti to achieve peace and become a normally functioning State – but that will only happen by engaging with those who hold power in Port-au-Prince, whether CARICOM or anyone else outside of Haiti likes them today.

For any such talks to stand a chance of success, the inevitable issue of an amnesty favoring possibly hundreds of persons will arise and will need to be conceded up-front. Presently Haiti has no effective Government, police force or judiciary anyway! Given the right reasons, most patriotic persons can in time become good people to do business with. Unlike the approach of our own former colonial master, French patriotism has favored France only. It is noteworthy, that whereas in the 4 decades since its independence, Niger has supplied France with 20% of the uranium it refines to produce the electricity that powers France’s First World standard of living, only 10% of Nigerians enjoy any electricity in 2024. Direct talks with former police officer Barbeque, and his ‘Shadow Cabinet’ of patriotic Haitians, should prove more beneficial to Haiti and the region than blindly tying bundle with France of all EU nations.

Yours truly,

Ronald Bostwick

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• colonial, France, Guyana, Ronald Bostwick, significant

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