Here in Haiti’s capital there was a profusion of pink and white. Pink and white stripes adorned trees, telephone poles, street curbs, sides of buildings and brick embankments along the highway. Even some of the orphaned children at the Oasis Center wore pink plastic shoes.
Why the presence of so much pink and white-akin to putting lipstick on a pig-in this devastated nation? They are the favorite colors of Michel Joseph Martelly, the new president.
At the swearing-in ceremony and subsequent inauguration, President Martelly did not wear pink, but scattered throughout the grandstands temporarily erected in front of the collapsed National Palace for the ceremony, there were a number of men with pink ties and women in pink dresses, as well as a contingent of men wearing white suits.
The pink and white should not be confused with a meek and mild administration, Martelly seemed to imply during his strong inauguration speech. “To the judicial and police authorities, I renew my confidence. I tell you that there was enough kidnapping, violence against women, killing of natives and police officers, that there has been enough injustice for the population-we will restore the authority of the state, the rule of law,” he declared. “The order and discipline will prevail throughout the entire national territory.”
That promised discipline was answered by a throng of people outside the palace grounds, many of them cheering him with each powerful phrase. Here and there were posters colorfully pink and white with the image of the president at the center. Some held up pictures of a cow, perhaps to suggest his concern for the nation’s struggling peasants. At the rear and above the crowd were banners, several of them written in Creole, such as, “Prezidan ou se sevite pep la-Pa Jam Bliye sa” (“President you promised to serve the people-don’t forget!”).
“My dear compatriots, by assigning me by your vote on March 20, the destiny of the Republic of Haiti, you made me the first servant,” Martelly said, as if responding to the hoisted banners. “The march towards this victory has been long and painful. It has mobilized all our determination and the courage of the Haitian people. I want to tell you that without the appreciated support of the international community, once too often, the popular vote would have been confiscated-that the Haitian people be proud and that the friends of Haiti to be thanked.”
Among the visiting dignitaries was Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, the first time that a president from the neighboring Dominican Republic had attended a swearing-in ceremony of a Haitian president during free elections. “The process of consolidation of democracy in Latin America is reflected in the autonomy of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the capacity to make decisions together,” he said.
Congratulations were also extended by Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, who was not able to attend. “The people of Haiti have shown patience and resolve in expressing their will and demonstrating their commitment to democracy and the electoral process,” he sent in a written statement. “This transformation marks an important step on the road to recovery…Canada shares deep and long-standing ties with Haiti, and more than 100,000 Canadians have roots in the Caribbean nation.
“We will continue to stand alongside Haiti as it rebuilds its communities and strengthens the rule of law,” Harper added.
After accepting the transition of power from former President Rene Preval, Martelly, with his wife and four children looking on, again anticipated the concerns of the international community, particularly from the standpoint of investments and security. “Haitians, this country is ours. Let us gather to remake our country,” he said to great applause. “But, for there is work in Haiti, there must be security in the country, security for people, for our goods, for production, money for investment, for investors, so that farmers can produce… I’m not going to negotiate if a person comes to clutter [and] create instability so that the country cannot function. I am sorry, the justice will act against these people. Justice will act as it should.”
Former President Bill Clinton was the most recognizable U.S. citizen at the inauguration. Other than Dr. Ron Daniels, president of the Haiti Support Project and the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, who led a delegation of his colleagues and press to the affair, there were no notable Black Americans, and certainly no African-American elected officials.
“If they were here, I didn’t see them,” said Daniels. Moreover, when asked about his opinion of the new president, he said, “I think we have to give him a chance to govern…that’s only fair. If he comes up short on his promises, then I’m sure the people will let him know.”
Patrick Elie, who served as chief of security during the Aristide administration, said he wasn’t sure about the new president, feeling he was a bit unpredictable. “He tends to surround himself with the wrong kind of people,” Elie said. “But let’s see what happens.” Former President Jean Bertrand Aristide was not present at the events, determined to keep a low profile since his return from exile.
Martelly said that the middle class is the economic engine of the country: “Haiti, where a change in our mindset will allow us to enter in the modern world…a Haiti where the slum aren’t the cities, where the Haitian people will find water, electricity, services so that this country can be called a country. A Haiti where we will give people the means of birth control, where health is not a luxury,” he charged in that musical voice so often heard in concert and on recordings.
Yes, Martelly, popularly known as “Sweet Micky,” ended his speech in a tuneful way befitting his acclaim as an entertainer. Many publications are sure to mention the power failure in the makeshift parliament building during the swearing-in ceremony. However, they should also note the festival of lights, the fireworks that streaked the late evening skies over the capital, marking the entry of the new president and a new era of hope and future prosperity.