Minister of Foreign Affairs!  An unendorsed conditional proffer

In the mean time, my relations with John Joseph Joel grew stronger.  We often met at the Head Quarter to exchange ideas on several topics especially on possible Operation Hope projects mainly in Cite Soleil where I had the opportunity to meet his wonderful wife, children and family members.  We spent many great times on the water front, swimming, eating sea food and a variety of great dishes prepared by our welcome committee, as we discuss his political future and mine as a possible nominee for the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs for which I was not too sure of.  He continues to persuade me to accept his proposition which was in essence well received according to him by some other key members of the government and especially the South Department Senator Yvon Buissereth whom also became a good friend of mine. 

  

John showed immense interest in Operation Hope and the possibility to become on his request a founding member.  In core, he helped in the last stride to secure our legal status published in “Le Moniteur”, Haiti’s official Government publication in February2007.  It was not too long before he began to explain to me the advantages that we can enjoy as owners and or founding members of a NGO.  He and the president he explained have major plans to raise funds that could really advance the cause of this organization.  Instead of a founding member, I proposed to nominate him as a member of the Administrative Counsel to which he unenthusiastically agreed.  In the interim, President Préval designated Jacques Edouard Alexis as his Prime Minister who was ratified by the Parliament without major obstacles.   Soon afterwards, the selection and nomination of Cabinet members began.   John arranged a meeting between President René Préval and I where we met briefly in New York and where I was introduced for the first time to the Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph.  I found the John apparently became more involved politically and will not meet with me as often as we used to, something I clearly understood but was perplexed as far as why I never got any feedback on his original proposal.  I left it as that, since I was not too politically predisposed.  I only hoped that John and I will meet one day to shed some light on the matter if warranted.  My friend, John Joseph Joel was later contentiously elected Senator of the West Department in November 2009.