Keeping the media spotlight

15 February 2010: A Swedish journalist asked me what it would take to get tourists to come to Haiti. It was a fine question, and one that betrayed the fact he arrived in this country filled with prejudices created by years of disturbing headlines and photos. He was surprised at what he found here and immediately saw the potential.

The truth is, Haiti and its people deserve a better image. This isn’t paradise and the impoverished country has huge challenges ahead, but it does work its way into your heart.

Inspiring, resilient people

By putting real faces on Haiti – there is no shortage of inspiring and resilient people – the media covering the earthquake can help undo years of damage that goes beyond simply bad PR.

I’ll call it cowboy journalism. Before the quake, reporters who landed an assignment in Haiti typically had one thing in mind: head to Cité Soleil, the notorious gang-ruled section of Port-au-Prince, to earn their war zone stripes.

Just ask the MINUSTAH – the United Nation’s peacekeeping force assigned to stabilise Haiti – how many times they have had to provide heavily armed escorts for wide-eyed reporters and camera crews determined to venture into the lion’s den.

Yes, Haiti can be a very dangerous place, thanks to years of dictatorship and a history of abuse at the hands of the world’s power brokers. It may seem bizarre to think about Haiti’s potential for tourism, but it actually used to attract vacationers in large numbers. It even had a Club Med, which pulled out 25 years ago.

Seeing the potential

There are not many decent hotels left – owners of the destroyed landmark Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince vow to rebuild. Perhaps entrepreneurs will see the potential, even luring back Haitians living abroad. This country needs a strong civil society to help build the government’s ability to take care of its people. They can only do so much living in Miami or Montreal.

As for my answer to the Swedish journalist, the ingredients are here, including a rich history and culture, but visitors need to be assured that the rule of law runs through the government and police. This isn’t about attracting tourists to Haiti. It is about making the country a place that people want to visit, and that will be good for all Haitians.

It’s a tall order but the country now has a new group of advocates: legions of journalists that have seen the true Haiti. Most, if not all, journalists I know share the common goal of wanting to make the world a better place. It sounds sappy but it’s true.

Keeping the media spotlight on the rebuilding efforts to keep all the players honest and focused could do just that.

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