By: Italia Vague
Through self inflicted and natural crisis, we have seen too many organizations invade our shores with empty promises and false hope. Those Non Government Organizations (NGO's) come under different forms and labels. From your bible stumping religious groups to so called justice missions, they come from all over the world bringing with them their views of democracy and of course their appetite for power.
It would be unfair to say they are all bad. Groups like the French NGO "Medecins sans frontiers" are commendable for the assistance they provided after the devastating earthquake of 2010.
On the other hand, there are the predators who prey on our young people. Last January Larry Michael Bollinger, 68, of Gastonia, was jailed for engaging in illicit sexual conduct while on mission trips in Haiti. According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, Bollinger travelled regularly to Haiti because of his involvement with the Lazarus Project, a charity that supports two charitable organizations in the country, the Hope House and The Village of Hope School. Bollinger pleaded guilty to charges of sexual molestation on four young Haitian girls aged 11 to 16. Court records indicate that one of the victims said Bollinger offered to pay her food and money in exchange for sexual acts.
Last week, Haitian Police arrested 62-year-old Michael Karl Geilenfeld, an American citizen who operated The St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Delmas on charges of indecent assault and criminal conspiracy.
Now comes the case of International organizations that want to interfere in our legal system. The Martelly/Lamothe administration has made no bones about its commitment to rid Haiti of killers, drug traffickers and kidnappers. These people have been on the run and have not been at peace since the duo Martelly-Lamothe came to power. Again, NGO's are interfering and have become pro bono defenders of drug dealers. The south coast of Haiti has become a no man's land with Jamaican, Colombian and other South American drug operatives using the area as launching pad for their drug trade and at the same time enlist the help of citizens including law enforcement officers to accomplish their task.
It is no secret that this administration has launched an all out war against drug traffickers especially in the south. By turning the island of Ile a Vache into a tropical paradise, it's obvious the drug dealers will lose an important and strategic landing and launching site. They have teamed up with corrupt politicians in the area to finance demonstrations against the tourism project in a desperate attempt to keep their hold on the island.
The Jamaican cartel hired Maltunès Jean Lamy, a former police officer who went AWOL from his post at a sub station in Port-au-Prince in order to do the Jamaican's dirty job.
Lamy's work for the drug traffickers was not limited to providing intelligence and protection. He also was involved with a group that tried to discourage police presence on the island.
Sources close to the investigation have confirmed that Lamy was arrested for the murder of Saint-Cyr Peramel in the Delmas 2 neighborhood. Critics and detractors have long tried to politicize Lamy's detention. These are those same critics who have done all they could to sabotage the government's efforts to improve the business environment and attract investments needed to make this island paradise, one of the best tourist destinations in the Caribbean.
To add salt to injury, some French organizations are now trying to paint Lamy as an angel. As a long time resident of the south, it makes me wonder about their motivation. Is there a French connection trying to control our shores by protecting drug dealers?
It's time for these so called human rights organizations to come clean and let us know whom they are working for. The Haitian government has put forth tremendous efforts to change the image of our country. Infrastructure works abound, tourism has known unprecedented increase, investors are responding to the call that Haiti is open for business. Let's keep drug dealers and murderers behind bars where they belong.
