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Show Sunday, November 6, 1994 THE DAILY HERALD, Provo, Utah, - Page AJ5 Overhauling Haitian justice, including bad judges Minorities trying to hold: Few issues will be harder to By PETER SLEVIN Knight-Ridd- t PORT-AU-PRINC- Haiti E, When President Difficulties in the Justice Ministry are also indicative of the monumental problems Aristide faces in and in some cases rebuilding the institutions needed creating to carry Haiti forward. The problems are practical and political -- Jean-Bertra- government embarks on its Ambitious overhaul of the Haitian Justice system, it will have to deal jvith corrupt judges who set their pwn prices and local sheriffs who rule with fearsome disdain. alike. As one senior American official put it Monday, Haiti's government ministries have "essentially been gutted" by the military government that toppled Aristide in September 1991. The U.S. Agency for Interna- It will have to eliminate jail conditions one U.S. military officer described as "medieval." And it will have to solve the pen and paper clip problem. Like justice itself, there are virtually none to be found in Haiti. - When Aristide's team enters the Ministry of Justice in the coming flays, it will also discover that employees have not been paid since September and large numbers have been working only sporadically all tional Development announced Monday that it will contribute $40 million toward the reconstruction of Haiti's democratic institutions in the coming year, part of a $200 million package. The money will be spent on everything from classes to computers to pens and paper clips. "What you're seeing here is a historical transformation of a society," said Mark Schneider, director of U.S. AID's Latin American department. Schneider said Haiti now has "perhaps the best chance in its history" to build democratic institu- - year. "There are so many priorities and problems, I don't know where io start," said personnel director Jacqueline 2 No theme has been more central Io Aristide's political success and return to office than his clarion call for justice for Haitians oppressed by dictatorship. Jean-Jacque- Jong-delay- han- dle. Newspapers er s. ed No fluff, just facts and issues. All I ask is that people vote their conscience after honest consideration. Whether you vote for or against me, democracy will have worked. would rather lose on the issues than I win a beauty pageant campaign. JERRY D. tions, create a society of law and justice and establish a workable economy that can spread the wealth in the poorest country in the hemisphere. Justice, in particular, has long been in short supply in Haiti. The departed military government is widely considered accountable for the death of hundreds, if not thousands, of people in political violence since 199L One of the victims was Guy the minister of justice in Aristide's government-in-waitinshot dead outside Sacre Coeur church Ma-lar- y, g, on Oct. 14, 1993. The grisly work of Haiti's security forces and their loyal civilian thugs, known as attaches, revealed the Ministry of Justice to be irrelevant at best, an accomplice at worst. No one in was prosecuted for the countless political crimes against Aristide supporters, said Fritz Victorin, chief clerk of the criminal court. He reckons there have been per- haps 150 serious criminal cases this year in the capital, a city of Port-au-Prin- about two million people, or roughly as populous as Dade County. "I don't mean those all go to court," said Victorin. He put the number reaching trial at no more than 25. Since Aug. 1, in fact, the court has considered eight cases of murder or conspiracy. Five ended in acquittal and one was postponed. One defendant was released for health reasons and one was convicted. Asked why no cases of political assault or murder had been brought against the attaches or the Haitian military, Victorin answered, "I don't know why that happened." Then he switched gears. "It is no secret that under the military government the jails are filled with people who have not been charged," Victorin said. GROVEE "There are no documents. Then one day, perhaps when the minister wants to make the guards happy, he goes to the jail and says to the prisoners, 'OK, some of you can go.'" U.S. military forces have discovered appalling conditions in Haitian jails. Prisoners have been discovered seriously malnourished and suffering from debilitating skin diseases. Often, indeed, the Haitian military has been unable to furnish any records of trial or conviction. Judges are often part of the problem. Justice Ministry officials and human rights monitors describe widespread corruption, capricious enforcement and blatant disregard of the law within the le- gal system itself. "Some judges are corrupt because that's the way they survive. Some are corrupt because they have no commitment to human rights," said Michael Levy, a human rights lawyer and Aristide adviser. "The system is not working," he continued. "If you go into the prisons now, or if something is happening in the countryside, the likelihood of a judicial representative going to find out what happened is very slim." the personnel dihas rector, spent 20 years at the justice ministry. She points out that Jean-Jacque- s, lower court judges make about $400 a month at the current exchange rate, while higher court 0 a judges make $500-$l,00- month. "Everyone thinks he's a law unto himself. If he doesn't get what he wants, he's not happy, so he's looking to win the judge's sympas. thies any way he can," said "In this type of situation, morality plays a big role." The restructuring of the justice system is as complicated as it is Jean-Jacque- own in political election Congress, Rep. Gary Franks of Connecticut, is in a close con- By CALVIN WOODWARD Associated Press Writer - WASHINGTON Against a current of sentiment, most of the 34 black Democratic incumbents in Congress veterans are cruisand freshmen alike on Nov. 8. ing to The historic gains for minorities seen in 1992, when redisricting encouraged more minority representation, won't be repeated this time. Instead, it's a matter of holding their own, with the numbers of minorities expected to stay roughly the same as now: 38 blacks in the House and one in the Senate, 14 Hispanics in the House, four Asians in the House and two in the Senate. Still, scattered opportunities exist for more ground-breakin- g in congressional and gubernatorial elections. Among them: In Idaho, Democrat Larry EchoHawk has a big lead in the race for governor. A win would make him the nation's first Indian governor. In Hawaii, Republican Patricia Saiki is in a tight race in the campaign for governor. A win would make the native Hawaiian the first minority woman governor in the United States, women's political groups say. In Oklahoma, black Republican J. C. Watts is leading in the campaign for the largely white 4th District. The former Sooners and Canadian Football League player is the first black to win statewide office in Oklahoma, as a member of the Energy and Utility Regulatory Commission. The only black Republican in anti-liber- al test against white Democrat James Maloney. Republicans are fielding 22 . black candidates in House races, up from 15 in 1992, while Democrats are running 38 for the House and two more . for the Senate. Two black mem- bers of the House were defeated in primaries this year and one gave up his seat to run for the Senate. . Most of the black Republicans are like Michele Dyson, fighting an uphill campaign oppoagainst a nent, Democratic Rep. Albert Wynn, in a district where ties to the Democratic Party remain strong and the sentiment hasn't reached a fe- ver pitch. well-financ- ' nt " voted for some spending that makes sense,'.'-- i "Yeah, I Wynn recently told a community center crowd of about 40 people, drawn from a white neighborhood of his majority1black 4th District, in the Mary land suburbs of Washingtorri"There are people who have needs." -- ' : - In districts like his, carved, r with the intent of increasing mr- f norities in the House, primaries', have often been the main challenge and the general election a breeze. . Wynn squeaked by 12 oppo- -, nents in the 1992 primary, then won 76 percent of the vote in the election. In California,. freshman Democrat Walter . " Tucker III has no Republican . opponent. ambitious. 7 FOR UTAH COUNTY COMMISSIONER REPUBLICAN SOMEONE TO VOTE FOR, NOT AGAINST THE QUALIFICATIONS Currently Sr. Environmental Engineer at Geneva Steel over Wastewater, Drinking Water, Solid Waste & Toxic Chemical Handling President, Utah County Chapter of People for the West! (grassroots group promoting multiple land use of Federal lands) ! Public Lands and Environmental Committee Member, American Mining Congress, Washington, D.C . Representative, State of Utah Toxic Chemical Advisory Panel and the State of Utah Industrial Pollution Prevention Group B.S. Degree in Geological Engineering Adjunct Professor, UVSC, Chemistry & Environmental Law Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) Master Degree in Civil Environmental Engineering Small businessman (dartboard manufacture and mineral database) Mineral Title Examiner , Mercedes Benz Engineer, j j! Draftsman & Software Analyst , . THE ISSUES .1 . N REDUCE TAXES AND FEES Eliminate County business license fees. Every business must already file with the State. Why pay twice? Eliminate the Restaurant Tax after paying current obligations. Eliminate Hotel and Motel 'Head Taxes'. Assess additional User Fees on the Fed. Government when they use '.County Services. The U.S.Government owns close to 50 of Utah County, ;doeS not pay a dime in property tax, yet continues to use our services. ..x 2. ELIMINATE NEW EPA MANDATED ENHANCED EMISSIONS TESTING WITH A REMOTE SENSING PROGRAM. ELIMINATE OXYGENATED FUELS. It "pollution has been proven that only 10 of the cars cause 95 of the because they are not functioning properly. Instead of forcing everybody's car in the County to undergo an emissions test, remote Isensing can determine exactly which cars are really emitting pollution. 3. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MUST BE OR PAID FULL-TIM- E PRO-RAT- County Commissioners make close to $50.000.00 a year, yet are only required by law to show up once per month. They may come in more than that, but no accounting of their work is required. 4. THE CONSTITUTION AND AN OUT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The Constitution of the United States is a sacred document and should be followed as it was originally intended. Stopping the Federal Government is not easy. They take our money, hold a gun to our head, and say "Do this or we won't give your money back!" They like to call it 'incentive', I think it more akin to extortion. There are ways to fight it, both am an expert on the environmental legal and political. I will do both. mandates. Each mandate has weak points and "loopholes". will exploit and use them both. J mmi ftOILJTYTO KGGESSORHE IS S3111G YOU 8"' on mm msmmm costs. YOUR . X I I Just to file for County Commissioner cost me about $250.00. When asked why, was told "If we did not have these fees, anybody could run I for office!" Where is Jefferson when we need him? No more fees. 6. UTAH LAKE IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT. specialty. I oppose large sums of taxpayer monies being If development is on dredging projects or other engineering feats. spent a worthwhile profitable enterprise, private enterprise has always proven itself more than capable. It is my NO TERM LIMITATIONS ARE NOW NECESSARY. EXTERNAL PACs OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST MONIES. 7. 8. GUN CONTROL AND SHOOTING ORDINANCES. Th restitution of the United States Gives each person a naht to bear armc it ic nn a nriuiiono nranted bv aovemment that it can take awav. with the shooting ordinance should not be repeated. PUDIIC Input must De SOUgni tram ail iniwesieu yaniea ueiuie uiansjiny any County law. The recent fiasco ' i PAID FOR BY GROVER FOR COMMISSIONER V .! I 5. OPEN UP THE POLITICAL FIELD TO ENCOURAGE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO RUN. I Because you're putting these on, Workc Compensation Fund of Llah will lake an aver- And what we're doing now for our tomers, we can do for you. age of 8" off the cost of insurance in 1995. Thanks Io effective accident prevention anil call us at aggressive cost control programs, together we've reduced accidents significantly over the pas ttwo fashion. years, and total medical costs are down Wliich translates to lower premiums overall. To cus- find out more, After all. our sale and sound thinking is good for far more than Workers Compensation Fund of Utah Snfvnml Stnind JliwLimi. . v. X I S -I- : I X! ' |
