OCTOBER 6, 2017

There is an old Creole Proverb to the effect that:

“You don’t abuse your horse, if you want to complete the journey”

This concept should be applied by President Moise if he wants  to complete his mandate. There are too many enemies, who wish and work for his failure, that some attention should be paid  to those elements   needed to guarantee his survival.

Basic common sense.

That’s why our Creole Proverbs are so useful in that – in a very few words – they deal with everyday challenges, and their solutions.

Ignore their truths, at your peril.

Why then does President Moise have a dangerous, perhaps fatal problem with the lower ranks of the PNH? He already has an inner enemy in Chief Gedeon, a Lavalas, Lavalas, Lavalas person who marches to Aristide’s drumbeat.

The criminal Privert didn’t pay the PNH during his illegal hold on power, leaving Jovenel with another, of  many  Privert landmines to deal with.

And the problems are not rocket science. While the President is seen to be focused upon $123,000,000 in new equipment the PNH lower ranks are focused on survival, food, rent, school for the kids, and – perhaps – a new uniform shirt since today’s outfit has been worn for the past 4 years.

The lower ranks of the PNH – our basic protection and guarantee of law-and-order, are paid criminally low wages, in the first place.  And they are constantly faced with the Finance Minister’s indifference brought about through neglect, indifference or personal malice, any of which works heavily towards an unstable future in which PNH officers – on the scene of crimes and violent events – will simply stand by and let disaster follow.

We already see this tendency.

While there are some bad PNH officers, our force has many, many, many guys committed to the community and its welfare. We should give them support and not forget to keep “this horse happy” so  that “we might complete the journey” in safety.

President Moise is seen to be focusing too much attention on the BIG THINGS which really have no effect on really short-term day-to-day elements. Our President must also focus, as the Lamothe government focused, upon simple, basic things that enter into the simple citizens’ lives each day. Otherwise the creative, substantial important long-term elements will never have a chance to take root.

The PNH lower ranks deserve immediate and focused attention, because they deserve it, and the Nation  requires it,  if we are to fight off the threat of a revived, more violent LAVALAS.  These guys face danger on a daily basis – without proper pay or consideration.

The PNH – without our Army – is the front line, now that MINUSTAH has departed.

If Jovenel does not react positively to the ongoing PNH needs, the LAVALAS will sweep our hopes away in a flood of violence and chaos.

Pere Lebrun stands ready, awaiting Aristide’s call