Canadian Michaëlle Jean appointed general secretary of the Francophony
The Canadian of Haitian origin, Michaëlle Jean, was appointed to the post of general secretary of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) during a closed door meeting of leaders on Sunday, November 30th in Dakar.
This 57year old ex-governor general of Canada was appointed by consensus at a vote of 53 member countries, learned Le Monde from insider sources.
"I thank the heads of state and government for the trust which they have demonstrated in appointing me general secretary of the Francophonie", declared Jean in a press release transmitted to AFP by her campaign team.
She paid tribute to her predecessor, the former president of Senegal Abdou Diouf, who will leave his functions at the end of December, having managed the OIF, the authority which includes 77 member countries, for 12 years:
"I measure the task which awaits me and I shall watch to take great care of the inheritance bequeathed us by president Diouf. I intend to meet the needs and the expectations of the State and member governments of the OIF, while giving a new boost to the Francophony."
Michaëlle Jean, who is advocating for a "modern and forward-looking Francophony," is the first woman to reach this post. She led an active campaign which aimed in particular at convincing the leaders of the African continent, where the great majority of the 274 million French speakers in the world live.
Among other candidates represented were: Henri Lopès, former prime minister of the Republic of the Congo, Jean-Claude de l' Estrac, the native of the Mauritius Island, and Pierre Buyoya, the former president of Burundi.
On Saturday, November 29th, police prevented demonstrators from arriving in front of the American Embassy
The police used teargas and their water truck last Saturday to scatter the anti-government demonstrators, who threw stones in the direction of law enforcement.
The protesters put up barricades of flaming tires near the municipality of Tabarre, which provoked a wave of panic in that sector.
It should be noted that the demonstrators, whose numbers were in the thousands, wanted to go in front of the American embassy to object to the United State’s intervention in Haiti’s internal affairs.
The Pope announces an international conference on Haiti
It will take place next January in Rome, according to Monsignor Patrick Aris, while on the airwaves of the radio station Magik 9.
"The pope has wanted for the past year to do something to bring attention towards Haiti. It is with this in mind that he had appointed the first Haitian cardinal, declared the prelate. Realizing that it was not sufficient, because it was necessary to allow Haiti to continues to move forward, Pope Francis came up with the idea for this conference to bring the decision-makers and the international investors to remember Haiti, said Mgr. Patrick Aris. He indicated that as the person in charge of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis is granting a particular importance to Haiti which is "a country of martyrs which needs its brothers, not for favors, but rather to help him to rise back up."
The conference will take place from January 10th to January 12th, 2015, confirmed Mgr. Patrick Aris. Several Haitian bishops, including Cardinal Chibly Langlois, will make the trip in Rome for the event.
The main objective of the meeting is to create awareness from the international world with regard to Haiti. The pope believes wholeheartedly that an international solidarity toward Haiti can begin from the Church.
President Martelly gives an address to the nation, and this in a climate of violence
The Head of State was not very talkative. His address to the nation lasted only a few minutes. But he let it be known that he was forming a presidential commission, similar to an advisory board, to help the country out of its crisis, the worst that it has ever known since the beginning of his mandate.
Martelly made his announcement last Friday, at the end of a day still characterized by violent demonstrations throughout the country, asking for his departure.
"The country is divided. There are many problems. The problems are complicated," declared Martelly.
Haiti has had no elections since 2011, and October 26, the date chosen to finally hold the elections, was once again pushed back by the government.
The government and the opposition are at odds about the electoral Law, which senators from the opposition refused to vote on, citing its unconstitutional character.
Instead these senators from the opposition joined the members of the opposition who once again have gone out in the streets to ask for the departure of the current government.
Last Friday, demonstrators in the city of Gonaïves asked that the senators from the opposition pass the law that would allow the elections to take place. Martelly made the same request during his address to the nation. And he reminded his listeners that his government made several proposals during the two months of exchange with the opposition.
The requests sent to the president include the departure of the Prime Minister and some members of the minister's personal staff, changes to the electoral council, and the extension of the mandate of the members of Parliament, in order to avoid a political void which would authorize the President of the Republic to govern by decree starting from January 12th, 2015.
Martelly specified that 11 members of an advisory council, appointed on November 28th, include well-known politicians and members of the private sector.
This council has 8 days to present its report to the Head of State.
Project Recho Pa-w passes the baton to the Haitian people.
At a ceremony last month with Haitian government officials, United States Ambassador Pamela White, as well as representatives of the American Agency for International Development (USAID), manufacturers of the stoves, which improved the biomass through Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and distributors of LPG met for the signing of the project Recho Pa' w which is being handed over to the Haitian people.
"Recho Pa' w" is a project promoting cooking techniques and which is financed by the American government through the USAID in Haiti, and is endowed with a 8.7 million US dollar budget
The objective, which covers the metropolitan zone, is to establish short and long term sustainable cooking solutions, which are effective and affordable in Haiti.
In her speech for the occasion, U.S. Ambassador Pamela White declared, "The American government congratulates and supports the Haitian government in its priority to attack some of the environmental problems from which its beautiful country suffers. We work with the government of Haiti to fight against the deforestation and increase the fertility of the ground. "
During the ceremony, "Recho Pa' w" program leaders congratulated their partners, all locals from public and private sectors, for working to promote clean cooking solutions that are effective and sustainable. They also distributed certificates of appreciation before passing the baton to continue the activities after January 2015.
In his speech, Michelet Fontaine, the manager of the Program "Recho Pa' w," underlined that this is the beginning of another chapter for Recho Pa' w. “We have the baton in hand to work, among other things, on the conversion of 300,000 other families from the use of the traditional stoves to stoves improved in biomass and in propane,” he said.
Bahamas minister corrects OAS chief on immigration policy
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Foreign affairs and immigration minister Fred Mitchell said on Friday that Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Inzulza, was “ill informed” when he referred to the Department of Immigration’s efforts to limit illegal migration in The Bahamas as “round ups”.
In a statement, Mitchell said a report by the Jamaican press on Thursday referred to Inzulza’s comment using “indirect speech”.
He said the report is another example of the “unfortunate and ill-informed commentary about these simple measures”.
He said he instructed Bahamas ambassador to the OAS Dr Elliston Rahming on Thursday night to immediately contact the secretary general for “urgent clarification”.
“I am to meet the secretary general in Washington shortly,” Mitchell said.
“I did not propose prior to now to make any public comment about the content of that proposed meeting because the concerns raised earlier by the secretary general had been raised with our officials.
“I am advised that the assistant secretary general was briefed fully on the policies, and by extension, the organization.
“Therefore, any suggestion of the “round up” of people should not have been expressed from that office.
“The record will also show that I have repeatedly said, we do not round up people. You round up cattle.”
Mitchell has repeatedly defended The Bahamas’ reputation over its immigration policy amid backlash from some organizations in the international community.
The policy took effect on November 1.
At least two international organizations have expressed strong concerns over the policy.
On Monday, Amnesty International alleged that the government’s policy is “leading to human rights violations” in The Bahamas.
Other critics are Florida State Representative Daphne Campbell, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center), Fred Smith, attorney and human rights activist, and Haitian ambassador to The Bahamas Antonio Rodrigue.
The RFK Center expressed alarm over the “discriminatory use of the new immigration policies in The Bahamas”.
Mitchell was expected to travel to Miami on Saturday to address what Prime Minister Perry Christie has called “misinformation” regarding the policy.
“The internationally inaccurate commentary often arises because of people in this country making wild and unfounded claims,” Mitchell said.
“There has not been a single report of abuse of any kind by any immigration officer reported to us since 1st November.”
Both the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance said they have not received any reports of human rights violations.
They expressed support for the policy.
“This is a completely open and transparent exercise,” Mitchell said.
“There has to be oversight by NGOs and there is oversight by them and by the Department of Social Services.
“The Department has a formal role. The NGOs have access to information and review upon request.
“Nothing is hidden. No particular group is the target of this exercise and people should stop spreading that falsehood.
“They should also stop using the term round-up because no such exercises have taken place.”
The new policy requires all non-Bahamians to have passports of their nationalities and evidence that they have permission to live and work in the country.
The Department of Immigration will not issue certificates of identity to non-nationals born in The Bahamas.
The exception to this is when Bahamians need emergency travel or “where in accordance with our international obligations”.
The Department of Immigration will not accept first-time applications for residence or work permits from those who have no legal status in The Bahamas.
Republished with permission of the Nassau Guardian.
Money, U.S. meddling and the Clintons
BY LAMONT MUHAMMAD
Angry protestors denounce Bill and Hillary’s adventures in Haiti
NEW YORK (FinalCall.com) - A group of Haitian nationals, supporters and organizers from the tri-state region here, according to organizers, gathered on a damp and rainy Thursday in front of the 125th Street Harlem offices of the former two-term president to ask a simple question: “Bill Clinton, where’s the money?”
“We have come to ask Bill, the special envoy and head of the Haitian Reconstruction Fund, what has been done with the $6 billion Haitian earthquake reconstruction money?” said demonstration organizer Dahoud Andre. Nearly five years after the 2010 disaster, he said, “No permanent housing has been built. People are still living in tents.”
He called current Haitian president Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly a puppet of the United States, the United Nations, France, Canada, and other White nations determined to plunder and destroy Haiti.
Demonstrators accused former Secretary of State and former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton of installing the current Haitian president. During the crisis in Egypt in 2011, the wife of the former president went to Haiti to twist the arms of the electoral counsel and ensure Martelly would become president, they said. Martelly came in third during the first round of voting, said Andre.
The Final Call made several calls to the Clinton Foundation for comment but none of the calls were returned.
Wilner Kebreau, a spokesperson for the Haitian Consulate in New York, conceded during a telephone interview that some Haitians remain homeless and living in tents as a result of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. “There were 1.5 million people who were made homeless by that earthquake,” he said. “Today, an estimated 70,000 displaced people are still waiting for permanent housing. The others have been placed in brand new homes. There have been homes that were repaired in some cases and the government is building safe apartments for others in new communities. Mortgages and rents for the homes and apartments have been paid for one year in advance by this government,” Kebreau explained.
“The opposition is using unfounded claims and slogans to attack the facts. The fact is that President Martelly was and is very popular. He had name recognition and ran a well-organized campaign. After the first round, in which Martelly came in third, the Haitian people came out to protest the election results. They smelled a rat. The results from the second round of voting, after pressure from the people, gave Martelly 70 percent support. It was a landslide in his favor. The Clintons had no part in that vote. It was the people,” he continued.
Flyers handed out at the Nov. 6 demonstration were two sided and colorful. One side was in English, the other in Haitian Creole. Both sides featured the same three photos. One titled “the degenerate in action,” showed Martelly, who gained fame as a musician, gripping his groin while scantily dressed. The other two photos were of Mr. Clinton seemingly endorsing the candidacy of Martelly and President Martelly at the U.S. State Department being praised by Hillary Clinton.
Demonstrators noted that Haiti’s president gained fame as a musician by outlandish performances which often included dressing in drag and stripping on stage. “He even mooned (showed his bottom to) a representative of the Organization of American States at the airport as he was leaving,” said Andre. The Organization of American States had gone to Haiti to negotiate the return to office of democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
“Martelly was known to support the military coup that sent Aristide into exile in 1991. He’s a degenerate crack head, not a serious politician,” Andre charged.
Kebreau countered that President Aristide needed to be removed from power. The country was plagued by kidnappings and people being killed in the streets when Aristide was president, he argued. “Those who could afford to left the country. Martelly took his family out. Now things are better. The economy is better and kidnappings are down. In fact, there was one two months ago and the police caught the perpetrator two days later,” he said.
Another criticism leveled against the Clintons and the Haitian government at the demonstration was that most of the rebuilding contracts have gone to foreign firms. One online report cited by demonstrators said less than one percent of all rebuilding contracts are with Haitian firms. Kebreau agreed.
“We don’t have one company that has the tools, the ability or the experience to rebuild Haiti. The good news is that the foreign companies that are rebuilding the country are required to hire Haitians. Haitians are now gaining the experiences they need to rebuild this country into the future,” he said.