Haiti - Security : Opinions of Chambers of Commerce on the new security force
Hervé Denis, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti (CCIH) believes that "even if it's just by respect for our ancestors, I think the army, is an inseparably institution, linked to the founding of the Haitian State [...] I believe that this army could be intended for reconstruction tasks, to civic tasks, I think it would be a step forward [...] what makes problem, is that people are still thinking, because some, with reasons, have in memory the abuses they have suffered. But, if we create as I hope, a modern army, it will be necessary at all costs that the army is respectful of rights and modern..."
For his part, Frantz Liautaud, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Haitian-Canadian (CCIHC) indicated "you know, it's a constitutional provision, I do not think that we can find a Haitian who does not think that we need an armed force in the country, even if it is only for the national sovereignty. Do we have the means to this policy ? It's another thing, but the Constitution asks us, we must find the means. That said, personally, I think that, yes every country needs a military force that guarantees its sovereignty. How it will do ? We'll have to determine... the security for the moment, is provided by foreign forces, it's a nonsense. We'll have to roll up our sleeves, we should prepare ourselves for a long time for the withdrawal of UN forces who have a role to play, they have effectively stabilized the country, we must recognized. Now we must take our destiny in hands and we put ourselves in a position where we can ensure our security ourselves [...]
...the armed forces around the world have a philosophies and they are not altar boy, these are people that fire first and think later, his is not the best part, the best image that we have of an army, but their primary role, is a role of protection of the national sovereignty of a country...
