Theodore Achilles, former minister under Duvalier

Once occupying the post of President Jean-Claude Duvalier's Minister of State, Achilles was, like many others when the reign of the Duvalier's ended, forced to leave Haiti and settle elsewhere. It would take twenty years for him to return to his country of birth, a visit he was most keen to denounce as one of a political motive.

Theodore Achilles accepted that within the span of years between February of 1986, when he left, and June 2007, when he returned, fresh blood, new ideas and personalities had become the leaders and policy makers. He went as far as to say they would be, 'Able to do better'.

So, what was the reason for his visit then, if not to stir the political waters with his return? While some of it was to experience again the delights of Haiti he'd had to relinquish years before, spending time in the country, taking tours and reminiscing were secondary to his main task.

The former head of the Social Affairs, Labor and Justice and Education departments of the government was in town attending a book fair in the capacity of his new career as an editor and author. Theodore Achilles has also worked as a publisher, publishing the author Georges Anglade.

His Haitian itinerary was quite full as, on one of his first days he attended the election of the president of the Bar of Lawyers and also gave talks at various tertiary institutions on the matters of national origin and dual citizenship.

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