Michaelle Jean returned Tuesday to the struggling city of Jacmel, where she
expressed her "dream" that her ancestral Haitian hometown might one day reach
its true potential.
The Governor General, who was born in
the capital city of Port-au-Prince, arrived by helicopter in the colourful port
city she considers the source of her family roots - a place where, as a child,
she spent many a happy summer with relatives.
Jean arrived at an airstrip and shook
hands with Canadian soldiers, thanking them for their efforts in the wake of a
catastrophic earthquake in January that estimates say killed more than 200,000
people.
The military is shutting down its
field hospital, but will leave behind some of the infrastructure it has built,
including a water-purification unit and latrines. Up to 500 troops were in the
city after the earthquake, and roughly half have already gone home.
Jean was to stroll through the old
town square and visit the house she knew as a child.
But first she met with civic leaders
for a blunt exchange about problems facing the region.
Amil Roland Zeny, head of the chamber
of commerce, greeted her at the meeting.
"This is a wonderful day," Zeny said.
But he and others around the table
went on to list a variety of long-term challenges.
There is the collapsed school system.
A dearth of private-sector investment in the agriculture sector. The lack of
power production, which has resulted in sky-high rates that Zeny compared to a
"sword of Damocles" over the region.
But the most persistent criticism,
voiced all around the table, was frustration with Haiti's government, which they
say controls development planning and aid funding.
The head of one prominent local
non-governmental organization said the Jan. 12 earthquake merely exposed
structural problems that already existed within the country.
"We need better governance," said
Gerald Mathurin, head of CROS. "The capital, Port-au-Prince, has become the
Republic of Haiti ... There is a war between the nation and the state."
When it was her turn to speak, Jean
said Canada has not forgotten Haiti's smaller regions. She pointed to Canada's
efforts to help thousands of people in Jacmel and Leogane, while much of the
international community's immediate reflex was to direct all aid to
Port-au-Prince.
"These communities have been left
alone for too long," Jean said.
She then launched into a detailed
description of her hopes for the region, with a modernized port that could
accommodate shipping traffic and tourism.
"I have this big dream," Jean said.
"There is a refurbished port to get
goods in and out ... There are extraordinary beaches. There are kilometres of
white sandy beaches ...If we could get ships back in here, to see the port of
Jacmel rediscover its pride, to work with all its vigour, it would be
extraordinary."
Jean said the ideas are there,
because numerous development plans have already been made for the country.
Now is the time to put them into
action, she said.