Haitian geographer George Anglade, who died during the 12 January earthquake, had a passion for literature and for all things Haitian.  He used to say that the 4 million strong diaspora was a pillar of the country, contributing some 2 billion dollars yearly in remittances. Today, many say the diaspora should play a leading role in the reconstruction of the country.

It's a view shared by Haiti's Minister in charge of Haitians abroad, Edwin Paraison, who believes Haitian expatriates play an indispensable role in the reconstruction of this shattered country.

Until his nomination a year ago, Paraison was a vicar in the Haitian Anglican church. He is a strong advocate for bringing together Haitians with the skills, knowledge, expertise and financial know how for the reconstruction effort.

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Over the past six months, Paraison has travelled the world to meet expatriate communities and potential Haitian investors to convince them to take a more active role in reconstruction efforts.

Clarence Renois from Haiti Press Network met with him as he was about to embark on a tour of European countries where he was to meet and hopefully convince Haitians, especially professionals, of the urgency of returning to help their home country.

Among Renois' first questions was whether or not diaspora representatives would have a voice in the government's decision making process.

Edwin Paraison: The diaspora already has a place within the Government of the Republic of Haiti and my role as a minister is to engage in a constructive dialogue with the 4 million Haitians abroad. Furthermore, the diaspora will be represented within the International Reconstruction Committee, which has been set up to coordinate and manage the reconstruction of Haiti. Although the diaspora representative will not have a voting right, it will have one representative. This proves, if need be, the government's political will to anchor members of the Haitian diaspora in the reconstruction process. Of course, now we need to decide who will represent the diaspora and this will be done through a consultative process.

Clarens Renois: Realistically, what role could Haitian expatriates play? How important is their participation?

Edwin Pasraison:  The diaspora really wants to take an active part in the programme of reconstruction, on two levels at least. Experienced managers could come back with the support of the private sector or of international organizations. Their expertise and local knowledge would also be an asset to companies and agencies operating in Haiti. Secondly, many Haitians abroad have expressed their desire to return home as part of philanthropic activities. Finally, there are many Haitian entrepreneurs who would like to set up businesses locally and we will, help them to do so by making their return possible. We are planning to work closely with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the IOM on pilot projects to facilitate the return of qualified Haitians. Despite the huge degree of solidarity shown by expatriate Haitians, especially among the young, they remain prudent. We therefore need to put in place concrete measures that will reassure them so that we can all benefit from their skills and knowledge.

Clarens Renois: What is the true economic weight of the diaspora? 

Edwin Paraison: It's difficult to say right now but its economic clout is bound to increase. Before the 12 January quake, some 4 million Haitians sent back more than 2 billion US dollars per year, which was used by families to purchase goods. The truth is that most of the money is not put to productive investments. We therefore need to find ways to encourage direct investments from Haitian entrepreneurs abroad. We need to reach out to them because to 2 billion US dollars sent back every year represents less than 15% of the total financial assets abroad. The human and financial assets of the diaspora must therefore be put to good use in the reconstruction efforts.

Furthermore, according to the Interamerican Development Bank, 83 % of all qualified Haitians have left the country. After the quake that killed some 300,000 people, we believe some 20,000 professionals left the country as part of family reunification programmes put in place by some developed countries.  The recent Organization of American States meeting, which recently took place in Washington, has allowed the Haitian diaspora to establish the foundation of its participation in the reconstruction of the country. This and pledges made by the international community to make more than 10 billion US dollars available for the reconstruction will help Haiti, which remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.