Recommendation for taking the Federation to the next level

November 12, 2011

MEMORANDUM

TO: HDF Board of Directors

FROM: Johnny Celestin

RE: Recommendation for taking the Federation to the next level

During its most recent meeting on Sunday 6 November 2011, the Haitian Diaspora Federation Board of Directors (BOD) asked me to take on the Executive Director role of the organization because Wiener Rouzeau, who recently held this position, had decided to step down for health reasons. Although I have not yet decided to accept the position, I am deeply humbled by the BOD’s unanimous vote in favor of my candidacy.

As I consider whether I can be useful in the efforts to move the Haitian Diaspora Federation (HDF) forward, I promised the BOD that I would think about the issues HDF face and lay out a plan of action, which would be considered a commitment between HDF and myself.  This plan will serve as a way to keep me accountable.  Most importantly, it will ensure that we share a common vision for moving forward. 

I am proud to have been involved with HDF from its inception.  I know firsthand the tremendous efforts and sacrifices that have been made to get it to where it is today.  I also know the criticisms the organization has received from the diaspora.  The harsh critiques of the Federation are in a way an acknowledgement of the importance of HDF for the diaspora community and the expectation it has of our leadership.  Although HDF has not been fully accepted as the single voice for the Haitian diaspora, in just about a year it has gained prominence among political circles in the United States as well as Haiti.  However, we should be clear that no organization could ever be the only voice of our diverse community – though we should strive to be as representative as possible.  The challenge before HDF today is to grow its recognition among the grassroots so that we can emerge as one, if not the most prominent voice of Haitians Living Abroad (HLA).  While we have to respond to the criticisms, it is also important to highlight that a number of other organizations much older than the Federation have unsuccessfully endeavored to unite the Haitian diaspora community and we must learn from their efforts.  In my view the criticisms we have received are an indication that the diaspora does indeed view the Federation as a singular opportunity to bridge the gap between our community’s hopes and the realities of building a strong institution.  Indeed, from its inception HDF was created on a platform to address the concerns of the very diverse HLA community, regardless of their professional backgrounds or political affiliations. At present, HDF has a membership of 30 organizations that hails from Boston to Miami, Chicago to Georgia and from Canada to Paris to name a few places where our members operate. We need to take pride in that achievement and aim higher.

The HDF has played a major role over the past year in reaching out to policymakers to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the US and the US-based diaspora in particular.  We have been a partner of the US State Department’s effort to inform the diaspora about the commitments made by the United States and the reconstruction strategy it developed in partnership with its bilateral counterparts in Haiti.  While key members of the Federation have worked hard behind the scenes to maintain this engagement, we have not done a good job cobranding the activities that stem from our advocacy.  We continue to advocate the US government to stay engaged in Haiti and to work with Haiti’s elected government and civil society.  I want to emphasize the importance of this point as it affects how the Federation positions itself going forward.  There are a number of voices in the community who are calling for the diaspora to develop its own plan for Haiti.  From the very beginning, those of us who were involved in the creation of HDF considered, debated and rejected that approach.  We believed that Haiti as an independent and democratic country has the right and the obligation to develop its own reconstruction plan to which its civil society and international partners will hold its elected leaders accountable.  While this should be informed and influenced by civil society, we did not believe that it was up to the diaspora to develop a reconstruction plan for Haiti.  This is a principle worth remembering and the Federation’s stakeholders should reaffirm it as we move forward. 

I want to introduce a couple of other ideas in this memo, which I hope you will support as additional principles for the Federation.  At its formation, we made the decision that HDF would be an apolitical organization.  We use that term to mean that the Federation does not and will not have any political affiliation. I believe very strongly that we should maintain that position inasmuch as we do not officially endorse any political parties.  This principle ensures that the Federation remains a space for all HLA to debate and engage on issues that affect Haiti and Haitians without the specter of political division.  I would suggest however that being apolitical is not the same as being non-political.  For example, we have agreed to be advocates for Haiti and Haitian-related issues and the dual citizenship is one such issue that has important political implications.  Rather than focus on the term, I would suggest that we engage in activism, which is in essence a political act that is different than being in politics. 

Over the past year, I have taken part in numerous meetings, all of which had more or less the objective of understanding the diaspora’s priorities and interests.  I have narrowed this focus to one theme, which is that most of us want a peaceful, equal and just Haitian society.  To get there will require us to concentrate on advances in three areas: Good Governance, Transparency, and Accountability.

I believe we all want to see power being held to account, for there to be better governance and political leadership and for decision-making to be made on the basis of what is best for Haiti, not for partisan advantage. We want better implementation of equality and human rights commitments, particularly for those still living in IDP camps and others who have moved out or pushed out and now live in precarious conditions that are either no better or worst than before the earthquake.  To deliver on this grand vision, I believe we need to encourage and sustain greater activism around a progressive agenda.

The Federation will have an important role to play and all of its programmes, in addition to their specific outcomes, should contribute to the goal of a peaceful, equal and just society. As a diaspora community but also citizens in our adopted countries, each individual through growing activism should endeavor to embody and speak when possible to the issues of good governance, transparency and accountability. 

HDF is at an important intersection and we need to develop key priorities and targets by which it can be measured.  The work of HDF must result in concrete policy gains in the selected areas of work while also working to broaden the base of the Federation.  There are many strategies we could consider for moving the Federation forward.  However, I will focus on two.  The first option to consider during this transition phase is whether to use this opportunity to rally a small but committed coalition made up of the existing members or some other combination to focus on these limited goals.  The other is to use this opportunity to “reset” the clock; in essence, to make coalition building a key objective of the transition in order to gain the legitimacy that we need to be better and stronger advocates on behalf of Haiti. 

I propose that we adopt the second option.  Although this may sound paradoxical, I believe that time is our side.  We all remember the urgency that existed immediately after the earthquake and again during the one-year anniversary.  These moments were full of enthusiasms and activities by Haitians and her friends.  As we look further back in history we can see that at key moments in Haiti’s history – post-Duvalier, post-Aristide, and now under President Martelly, there are always frantic activities that amount to mountains of sands.  As a community and as a country we are always responding to crises, which mean hurry up, wait and start over.  My view is that we need to undertake the longer-term project that results in concrete but sustainable gains. I would suggest that it is better to make incremental changes that reset the policy framework than achieve big changes that can be reversed on a whim. The dual citizenship issue is a clear illustration of a policy win that was short-lived.  The issue is not whether we won or lost but whether the governance allows for a fair adjudication of the issues.  The reinforcement of Haiti’s public institutions is elemental and a sine qua non for development.  The advances we make can be too easily lost and reversed, and the same battles often need to be re-fought.  Our strategy should combine securing change and building an enduring capacity, which continues to deliver even if the Federation is gone.  Our work needs to be transformative and multi-generational.

With this framework as a backdrop, I want to propose that the Federation adopts two programmatic pillars during the transition period: Advocacy and the Integration Haitian Living Abroad (HLA) in Haiti’s civic life.  After a careful analysis, I am proposing these two areas as a bridge to the longer-term efforts we might decide to undertake after a broader review by a larger group. 

1.     Advocacy

a.     Support the Family Reunification Program

b.     Support the passage of S.1576 - Assessing Progress in Haiti Act

c.     Partner with local and international organizations to end antihaitianismo in the DR

2.     Integration Haitian Living Abroad (HLA) in Haiti’s civic life

a.     Promote dual citizenship as a basic right for HLA

b.     Promote HLA civic engagement – initially, by making voting accessible in Haitian consulates and embassies.

c.     Encourage collaboration between and among diaspora organizations through networking events and strategic leveraging of resources

I believe these two programmes offer a platform around which we can rally our community to action.  I considered both the fractured state of our community as well as the exogenous issues we face.  For example, one area that consistently comes up in various forums and meetings is that of the diaspora’s engagement in the reconstruction process either as contractors or technical experts who could be employed by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), and Bilateral and Multilateral Organizations.  While on its face this issue would seem to be an appropriate one for the Federation to undertake, a deeper analysis reveals that it is controversial and ultimately divisive.

Indeed, many donors and investors for their own self-interests argue that the diaspora should take on these roles on as volunteers or at local rates.  Conversely, local institutions also for their own self-interests argue that in a country with over 70% unemployment, local candidates should be given preferences to these opportunities.  At the same time the former pays its own consultants international rates and the latter maintain a monopoly because the pool of skilled candidate is limited.  An objective analysis of this recommendation, which has come up often as a key priority for the diaspora will lead one to conclude that the adoption of such policy risks doing more harm than good in the long-term.

Let me underline the hard choices that I hope the Board will consider as we move into this transitory but also treacherous period for the Federation. 

We are fully aware of the criticisms that have been leveled against the Federation so it doesn’t serve any purpose to elaborate on them further in this note.  However, if we want to strengthen and expand the Federation then our actions must surpass the expectations of our friends and critics.  To that end my proposal is to use three ‘R’s” going forward: restructure, rebuild and rebrand.

1.     Restructure because there is the view that the Federation is a closed society.  To offer an alternative reading, our actions more than our words need to clearly demonstrate that the Federation is an open and democratic institution.  As a result, during the transition phase I propose that we make the Executive Director position interim.  And under those circumstances and based on the adoption of the approach I have laid out in this paper I will consider filling in that role for a limited time and specific duties in agreement with the board.  Additionally, I propose the creation of an Advisory Council (see appendix A for Terms of Reference) that will have three objectives:

a.     Develop and obtain agreement on HDF strategy and programmes

b.     Develop an outreach and fundraising plan to expand and support HDF’s programmes and operations

c.     Recruit and hire a permanent Executive Director

The Advisory Council will be representative of the major diaspora enclaves and include up to 30 members.  The participants will be appointed by the current BOD, abide by the Federation’s existing rules and will require a personal and financial commitment as per our bylaws.  The Council’s recommendations will be binding on the Federation upon a vote by the majority of members in good standing.

2.     Rebuild is to develop a process through which the Council will launch a broad outreach effort within the Haitian diaspora to engage as many individuals and organizations as possible in the movement.  It is clear to me that while there is some wealth in our community, our strength is in our numbers and concentration, particularly in the US and Canada.  The diaspora’s concentration in these two coutries that are very influential in haiti is worth more than the money.

3.     Rebrand by ensuring that the Federation is recognized as an open, democratic and committed organization that fights on behalf of all Haitians.  To illustrate the necessity of such an effort, I need only to point to the recent elections.  There were leaders in the community who claimed that the Federation was created to support former President Preval’s administration.  After the election, the Federation is now accused of being aligned and doing the bidding of President Martelly’s administration.  To the extent that there is any truth to these claims, it shows that the Federation is open and willing to talk with all parties.  However, what this raises for us is that more transparency about and better communication of our work is needed to help the diaspora better understand why it’s important for the Federation to remain an apolitical organization.  We must reaffirm our commitment to work with Haiti’s elected leaders to achieve our mission but never shy away from critiquing them when it is warranted.  Still, we need to help the Haitian community understand that the two are not incompatible.  

In summary, at the heart of the approach I have laid out above are two central points.  First, it acknowledges that while the Federation has had some success in its very short life, more needs to be done to respond to some valid criticisms, particularly in the areas of outreach and communication.  The plan I have proposed will respond directly to these criticisms and hopefully help build a broader and more inclusive grassroots support.  I also want to frame this as a response that draws a sharp contrast to the way in which our critics themselves respond to the challenges faced by our community. Therefore the second component requires that self-identified leaders and critics step up and move from words to actions.  This means that leaders will not be allowed to only engage in rhetorical debates but we will challenge them to move to action by participating in the development of the Federation’s strategy for the coming years.  Or create an alternative option that better responds to the community’s needs.  This is also about committing the resources needed to execute on that strategy.  We can no longer focus on remittances but we must align our resources to support institutions that advance our larger goals.  One such challenge is the programme to support the efforts of grassroots organizations in the Dominican Republic.  I hope the issue of stateless HLA in the DR can unite the diaspora, especially in the US and Canada.  The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton recently raised the issue of human rights of Haitians living in the DR with Dominican officials and we can help to keep that issue alive in policy circles.   This challenge should bring to stark relief the commitment of critics and the diaspora at large to act selflessly and show once again its generosity. 

The plan for moving the Haitian Diaspora Federation forward will need to evolve over time, particularly to reflect the “bottom-up” input from key stakeholders.  Lastly, I will work with the board to adopt the following critical success factors for implementation:

• Commitment to a formal annual planning process;
• Prioritization of strategic activity, even at times of operational pressure;
• Long-term commitment to the plan;
• Clear communication to all stakeholders throughout the implementation process.

I want to once again thank my colleagues for their confidence in my ability to play a small part in the evolution of the Haitian Diaspora Federation.  I don’t know if I can live up to your expectations but if we can agree on a strategy moving forward and the continued commitment of the members then we can together help HDF take the next step in its still young organizational life.

Johnny