Ban Ki-moon (Tell Us Who); New Secretary General comes to the Caribbean

If you say Ban Ki-moon in Haitian Creole, it translates as "Tell us who." You know, the bright lights are on and the interrogators are just about to smack you again, "Ban Ki-moon!!!"

Ban Ki-moon paid us (Haiti) a visit. He leaves Thursday. It's been a "feel good" visit. Haiti has calmed down. The violence has subsided and people (troops) aren't getting killed in shootouts. A couple of businessmen have been arrested in the last couple of weeks for corruption, which is a sign that the government means business, and in a gesture that shows they too have a pulse, the Parliament fired the Minister of Culture, probably because he was a bit cocky and didn't "share". Checks and balances.

In any case, the Secretary General paid us a visit and Haitian President Preval asked him to renew the UN mandate for another year and in so asking, proposed that the UN Mission "reinvent" itself. He asked that the mission concentrate on improving the judicial system AND he asked that the mission help with Haiti's non-existent infrastructure (Nation building).

Basically he asked that the guns be replaced with tractors.

These are all good transition steps but if they're not followed up with long term job creating investments, it will all sour. Job creation in Haiti is good for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and especially Florida.

Why, you ask, are things so good in Haiti and so bad in Iraq? Well, "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH" (Jack Nicholson, "A Few Good Men")