By Adam Kramer
The Haitian-American Republican Coalition might be new and not in the political mainstream, but Queens Haitians came out in force to honor two longtime borough politicians at the group’s gala reception and awards dinner Sunday night in Cambria Heights.
The political organization, which was founded during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s improbable run for Gracie Mansion, honored state Sens. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and Serphin Maltese (R-Middle Village).
“The purpose of this dinner is to help you meet, greet and honor great community leaders,” said Rolaine Antoine, vice president of the organization and Republican candidate for the state Assembly. “We want to make it so each and every one of you can make a marked difference in your community.”
She said The Haitian-American Republican Coalition was formed to provide an avenue through which Haitian Americans can become involved in politics. The organization, she said, ultimately wants to develop into the city’s first Haitian Republican Club.
Haitians have long been taken for granted by the Democrats, Antoine said. The community needs to learn about political issues affecting them, and the “Republicans provide for a positive change for the community,” she said.
Antoine called for getting the streets and lights fixed, increasing the police presence, unblocking the sewers, improving the educational system and supporting the borough’s senior citizen population.
“The most important issue is to repair the quality of life in our community,” she said. “I have seen the best and the worst. We need a positive change.”
In November, Antoine, a Queens Village resident, plans to try to unseat longtime state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village), who has served the diverse communities of Queens Village, Cambria Heights and parts of Bellerose for the past 15 years.
“I don’t want to make a multitude of promises,” she said. “But I will make promises I can keep. We need a sound educational system and teach the community where they can go with a problem.”
State Assemblyman John Faso (R-Albany), who is running for state comptroller, said the Democrats in the Assembly have taken their vote and southeast Queens’ vote as a given.
“But we, the Republicans, have ignored you,” he said. “But that is changing. It is so important that we have advocates in the Assembly fighting for accountability, schools and taxes.”
The values prevalent in the Haitian community hold the same importance to the Republican Party, he said. “You,” he told the crowd, “are concerned about your children, worship our god, concerned with prosperity and believe in America.”
This group is very important to all of the members of the Republican party, Padavan said. “The Democratic Party has taken them for granted.”
He said the GOP needs to make immigrant groups understand that the Republican Party’s core values and goals are similar to those of the Haitian population in Queens.
“It is a historically evolutionary process of immigrants coming to the Republican Party,” Padavan said. “Somehow they have the impression that it was the Democratic Party that served them, when that is simply not the case.”
Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.
