Speeches & Op-Eds
Why Haiti's Elections Matter
December 2, 2005
Good afternoon. It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to join the Rotarians of East Nassau for your monthly luncheon. I welcome this opportunity to share with you my perspective on an issue of importance for both the United States and The Bahamas – the political situation in Haiti, that country’s upcoming elections, and Haiti’s future as a stable, democratic neighbor for us both.
What I would like all of us to think about today is: ‘Why Haiti’s Elections matter?” I would like to answer that by looking first at why the elections matter to the people of Haiti; second, why they matter to the United States; third, why they matter to the Caribbean region as a whole, and finally, why they matter to The Bahamas.
By way of an introduction, let me briefly bring you up to date on political developments in Haiti. Just this week, Haiti's Electoral Council announced a two-round election schedule that will produce a new president and a new national legislature by February of next year. The first round of presidential and legislative elections are set for January 8, 2006, and a second round of run-off elections -- if needed -- for February 15, 2006.
Altogether over 3.4 million voters are registered, which represents over 80 percent of Haiti’s total eligible voter population. Dozens of candidates are running for the presidency and many more for legislative seats. The Electoral Council and its international partners still have much work to do to ensure that the elections are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner, but the process is now inexorably on track. Distribution of identification cards has begun, ballots are being printed, and 36,000 poll workers are being recruited.
So, first, let me say a few words on why these elections are so vitally important to the Haitian people. The United States believes that these elections can be a real turning point in Haiti -- a transformational moment that defies decades of disappointment to put Haiti firmly on the path to a more stable, more prosperous, and more democratic future. Already the voter registration process has been the most comprehensive, transparent, and fraud-free process Haiti has ever known. The stage is now set for Haitians of all classes and conditions, for one of the very few times in their long history of independence, to openly and freely select the leaders who will govern them.
By legitimizing the ballot box, successful elections will help to institutionalize a non-violent contestation of power. New leaders who are elected democratically and govern democratically can reverse the culture of violence that too often has destabilized Haiti to the detriment of the Haitian people. Elections can reform corrupted institutions and create new, more effective ones. They can build and defend the impartial rule of law, promote respect for human rights and freedom, and establish a more secure and stable environment for all the people of Haiti.
A democratically-elected Haitian government, because it must answer to the voters for the country's economic performance, is also more likely to care about generating real economic opportunity that is spread throughout society. A democratic government is also more likely to be able to work effectively with the international financial institutions and the world's development community to mobilize new resources for Haiti’s long-term development. Finally, a democratically elected government will be more likely to be able to tap into the considerable Haitian diaspora living abroad for much-needed human capital, financial remittances and other contributions.
Now, I would like to turn to the question of why Haiti’s elections matter to the United States and the broader international community. Here, the bottom line is that we believe it is in everyone's interest for these elections to be a real turning point. The benefits of Haiti’s success and the costs of its failure would be high, in global terms, for the region and for the U.S. and The Bahamas.
There is no greater priority for President Bush than spreading the benefits of democracy to all corners of the globe. Happily, the community of democracies has grown dramatically over the course of the last century. In the last three decades alone, democracy has spread throughout the world faster and more extensively than at any time in human history. But new democracies are the most vulnerable and the most prone to back-sliding. Solidifying Haiti's place in the democratic community will be an important sign that democracy is spreading, taking root, and bearing fruit, even under difficult circumstances.
Helping democracy take root in Haiti is consistent with the principles upon which the United States was founded, and the principles that have motivated America’s engagement with the world from our foundation. It is also justified by more pragmatic reasons: history has demonstrated that democracies tend to be more economically-prosperous, more respectful of human rights and civil liberties, and more peaceful internally and toward other countries, than non-democracies. Enlarging the world's community of democracies makes for better neighbors and a more humane world, which benefits the United States and the rest of the world.
Moving from a global to a regional level, Haiti’s elections will inevitably have an impact on regional stability, security, and prosperity. Haiti is one of the largest and most populous countries of the Caribbean, with a direct land border with the Dominican Republic, and close proximity to Jamaica, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, Antigua and other territories. Instability in Haiti inevitably means a greater flow of illegal migrants to other countries, new opportunities for drug traffickers and other criminals, greater risk of transmission of infectious diseases and other health risks within the region, greater potential for environmental degradation, and more limited opportunities for regional trade and investment.
Just as important, Haiti is a member of CARICOM, which has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most successful regional groupings of stable, democratic states in today’s world. The success of Haiti’s elections matters to CARICOM because democracy is at the core of what CARICOM is and what it stands for. Should the elections fail, CARICOM’s reputation as a grouping of democratic states that stands together and supports each other in times of trouble would certainly suffer.
Despite this importance to the region, CARICOM for the past two years has excluded Haiti from the Caribbean Community family. At its time of greatest need, it has been largely ignored by its closest neighbors and regional allies. While countries as far away as Jordan and the Philippines have sent troops to support the United Nations in ensuring stability and preparing for elections, CARICOM countries have elected to sit on the sidelines and watch developments in Haiti from their 50-yard-line seats. It is our profound hope that the upcoming elections will bring these regional divisions to an end and begin a new, more promising chapter in Haiti’s relations with the Caribbean region. For a newly elected Haitian government will need the political and moral support as well as the material assistance of its CARICOM colleagues in order to begin to address the many challenges it will continue to face after the elections.
Finally, I would like to turn to the question of why Haiti’s elections matter to The Bahamas. I think one does not have to look to far or dig too deep to find the answer to this question. In fact, I would be willing to suggest that, other than Haiti itself, no two countries have more to gain or lose from these elections than the United States and The Bahamas. Developments in Haiti don't affect us in an abstract, theoretical way. They have real consequences on the ground for our societies and our economies.
In fact, as I was thinking about how best to capture the issue of the importance of these elections to The Bahamas, I saw the Prime Minister’s comments at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta last week when he noted that The Bahamas, because of its advanced economy, and its sophistication, has become a source of attraction for illegal Haitian immigrants. “And so we have this added burden of the instability of Haiti, which if it is not addressed by the world, will leave us to carry the burden.” He further observed that this was why the Bahamas would be making an effort to ensure the situation in Haiti received adequate international attention. He concluded: "Haiti is more than just a pastime. It has to be dealt with."
Let me briefly sketch the dimensions of the illegal immigration problem: Thousands of illegal Haitian migrants are interdicted in and around Bahamian waters each year by Bahamian and U.S. authorities working together. Tens of thousands more are already resident in The Bahamas and the U.S., some legally, some not. This flow is perilous for the migrants, who risk their lives on rickety boats, and disruptive for the receiving countries. Successful elections, however, can help check this flow both now and as we move forward. It is therefore in the Bahamas’ interest, as much as it is in our interest, to do everything possible nationally, through CARICOM, the OAS, and UN to ensure the success of these elections.
A potential migrant considering whether or not to undertake a dangerous journey to an uncertain point on the horizon considers many factors. The one that can change most quickly is his or her perception of the future. People can tolerate very difficult conditions in their homelands and will stay there if they believe better days are ahead. Illegal migration, on the other hand, is a sign of pessimism about the future. The upcoming election process must succeed -- and be perceived as succeeding -- so that Haitians have a reason to believe that the quality of their lives at home in Haiti will improve. If the process goes badly, and if Haitians give up hope that they will ever be well-governed, they are much more likely to take to the seas.
Beyond their impact in fostering a sense of national self-confidence in Haiti, these elections can also serve as a starting point to address some of the more deeply rooted causes of illegal migration. First, the elections can promote political stability by reaffirming the positive example of a peaceful transfer of power and by reinforcing the belief in and commitment to democratic governance.
Second, they can help restore confidence in Haiti’s economy. The current hard reality is that Haiti, a nation of over eight million people, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its per capita income is under $500 per year
-- a mere fraction of the level in the United States or The Bahamas. That wide disparity will continue to draw migrants like a magnet unless new economic opportunities can be developed in Haiti. Only genuine economic development can begin to reduce poverty and deliver the results that will make the Haitian people optimistic about the future. A democratically-elected government is a vital first step along that road.
Because these elections matter so much, the U.S. and other international partners are doing everything possible to make them a success. The U.S. has contributed over $30 million for election administration and monitoring as well as providing electoral support to political parties and civil society. The international community as a whole has already has provided over $75 million to the Haitian elections, proving the international commitment to seeing the inauguration of a democratically elected government that reflects the will of the Haitian people.
CARICOM representatives have offered to provide further election administration experts to the Provisional Electoral Commission. We strongly support the provision of this assistance, and urge CARICOM to ensure that these experts are in place as soon as possible. As elections near, CARICOM’s expert assistance is needed now more than ever. As a neighbor in the Caribbean, Haiti’s future is important for the stability of the region and Haiti can benefit significantly from the continued engagement of all of its neighbors in building a better future.
The United States is committed to reinforcing democratic governance in Haiti, to ensuring security and human rights for all Haitians, and to building the foundations of a sustainable economy. We will also support the renewal of the UN's mandate to remain in the country through MINUSTAH – the UN mission in Haiti – while working simultaneously to train the Haitian national police. CARICOM, too, should be actively considering steps its member countries can take in the wake of elections to work with the Haitian government and their CARICOM partner to build the new government’s capacity to enforce the rule of law, patrol its borders, build effective administration of justice, expand regional trade and investment, and deepen economic and political integration.
There can be no doubt that the stakes will be high when Haitians go to the polls in January and February. One need only remember the early 1990's when a failed democratic transition led to three years of illegal military rule and nearly 70,000 migrants interdicted on the high seas.
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during her visit to Haiti in September, "This is a chance for a new day for the people of Haiti." To reach that new day, the upcoming elections must be free, fair and transparent. We all have a strong self-interest in making sure that is the case.
All of Haiti's friends – especially the Bahamas and its CARICOM partners -- have a clear self-interest and strong moral interest in promoting stability, prosperity and democracy in Haiti. At the end of the day, Haiti’s elections matter to all of us, and today I ask The Bahamas and its CARICOM partners to join us to ensure their success. Together we must work with the democratically elected Haitian government to build the institutions and promote the development that will be essential for Haiti to achieve the brighter future its people so richly and urgently deserve.
Thank you.