Taking Stock of the Situation

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Something has changed. Haitians always have a healthy dose of skepticism about the political process and the future of the country, which I would say is quite prudent given the country’s recent history. Still, the people I have spoken with since returning are markedly more pessimistic now than when I left. The biggest change is the election—it has been postponed (for the fourth time), and no new date has been given. In a recent poll, former President Rene Preval was the clear-cut favorite, with 32% support. The next eligible candidate received only 5%. If an election were held today, it is clear that Preval would win in a landslide. What is less clear is what that would mean for the plight of Haiti’s poor. As of right now, Haitians realize that they are not being given a chance to take their future into their own hands, and unrest will only grow as long as that is the case.