Pwomès se dèt.

The literal English translation would be: “Promise is debt.”

The community mindset is largely accepted in Haiti. People enjoy serving others and sharing things they have. Some people even promise some kind of service to others or some sort of things that they know they will have.

Once they are promised something, people expect to receive what they were promised. The expectation is the same as a payment or a salary. If they do not receive it, some will ask for it, but some will just take you as a deceiver and not tell you anything.

Haitians say this proverb to remind people to be faithful and keep their word. It is not a good image for us not to do what we promise to do. The proverb is also a warning to those who like to talk without thinking, to promise without considering their availability, means, or the possibility for that to actually happen. It is better to do something without a prior promise than to not do something that was promised.

We should remind ourselves that we have to do/give anything we promise. And any time someone promises to do something for you, or promise to give you something, when the time arrives and he/she does not keep his/her word, go ask it to him/her reminding him/her that

“Pwomès se dèt”