Arrest in Haiti of a man wanted for murder in Boyton Beach

Boyton Beach (CBS MIAMI) – A man wanted in a Boyton Beach murder case is back in the United States after escaped to Haiti. U.S. Marshals and Haitian National Police took Caslyn Darinus 23, into custody on December 12th.

A warrant had been issues for his arrest back in August following the robbery and murder of 46 year old Walson Alcide. Authorities found Alcide dead inside a Boyton Beach home located at 3211 N Seacrest Boulevard.

Following the murder, police say, Darimus made his way to New York and later to Haiti. He was extradited from Haiti to Florida last Friday. Once he arrived, he was booked into Palm Beach County jail. He is now facing charges for first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, home invasion robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Another person was also charged in the case. Junior Volcy, 33 with first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, home invasion robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm.

 

 

Roger Biamby

The US Congress Needs to Hear From the Haitian Diaspora Now! Stop US Support for Violent and Corrupt Elections in Haiti! 

As the evidence of problems with Haiti’s elections mounts, the Haitian Diaspora in the United States has a unique opportunity to convince the U.S. Government to insist on the fair elections that Haitian voters deserve.  Please call your Representative in Congress on Wednesday, December 23, and urge them to tell the State Department to stop supporting the fiasco.

Take Action   Calling is easy!

1. Dial the Capitol Switchboard – 202-224- 3121. Ask to be connected with your Representative’s office.  (Click here to find your Representative by name or zip-code).

2. You will be connected with Your Representative’s receptionist. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles international issues.

 3. Whether you speak to the staffer in person, or just leave a message on his/her voicemail, here’s what you can say:

“My name is ___________ and I am a constituent from __(your city)___.  I am calling to ask that Representative ___________ urge the State Department to stop supporting the corrupt and violent elections in Haiti. Going forward with the final round on December 27 without an independent investigation of the fraud and other problems so far will undermine Haiti’s democracy and risk chaos in the country.”

You can use your own words if you prefer, but remember to keep it brief. Do not worry that you are not prepared for a long discussion about the elections. The staff member will just take your message without asking for more details.

If for any reason the receptionist can’t connect you with the staff person who handles Haiti, you can just ask the receptionist to take down your message and relay it to both the staff person and to your Representative.

4. Be sure to thank everyone for their time.

Please call on Wednesday December 23 and tell your friends and family to call too, and share this with others.  Let’s show how powerful our united voices can be!  Thank you for taking a minute and making this important call.

ECOSOC United Nations Economic and Social Council: Security Council Press Statement on Haiti Elections

The following Security Council press statement was issued by Council President Samantha Power:

The members of the Security Council stressed the importance of holding peaceful and credible elections as a critical element of Haiti's ongoing development, and trust that, with the support of the international community, the Haitian people will build upon the first two rounds of Haitian elections on 9 August and 25 October, and be able to bring the electoral process to a successful conclusion in the upcoming final round.

The members of the Security Council expressed their strong commitment to supporting free and fair elections and called on all political forces to work through the electoral process to ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the outcome of the election.

The members of the Security Council called on all candidates, political parties, and political actors to publicly commit to the electoral process and timely Government formation in accordance with the constitutional timeframe, including the inauguration of a new president by 7 February 2016.

The members of the Security Council acknowledged the steps taken by Haitian institutions to take corrective measures to address irregularities and improve the upcoming round of elections, and encouraged continuing attention to transparency.

The members of the Security Council took note of the creation of a Commission of Evaluation in Haiti and expressed support for initiatives to increase the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

The members of the Security Council called upon all candidates, their supporters, political parties and other political actors to remain calm, refrain from violence or other provocations and resolve any electoral disputes through established legal mechanisms and to preserve the stability achieved in recent years with the support of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

The members of the Security Council called upon the Haitian authorities to ensure a calm and peaceful environment, and urged MINUSTAH to continue to extend its critical support in this regard.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the continued efforts of the United Nations, other multilateral agencies and United Nations Member States in supporting Haiti's critical needs.

The members of the Security Council will continue to follow the situation on the ground in Haiti.

 

Martelly defends elections

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – President Michel Martelly is defending much-criticized elections in divided Haiti and asserts that the opposition has spread unsubstantiated allegations about widespread electoral fraud purely to strengthen its position.

During an interview with The Associated Press, Martelly said he believed that disputed official results showing the government-backed candidate topped October's first round presidential vote was a genuine reflection of voters' will.

"We feel confident enough that what happened the first time will happen again because it's the vote of the people," the outgoing president said Monday on the grounds where the domed National Palace once stood before it pancaked in Haiti's 2010 earthquake.

Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council reported that Jovenel Moise of Martelly's well-financed Tet Kale party received nearly 33 percent of the votes cast on Oct. 25 in a packed field of 54 presidential candidates. Official results have the agricultural entrepreneur, a political newcomer hand-picked by Martelly, getting 117,602 more votes than second-place finisher Jude Celestin, a former state construction chief who was the government-backed candidate in the last election cycle.

Growing allegations of electoral fraud have brought sometimes violent street protests and so many accusations from civil society, religious and opposition groups that Haiti's Dec. 27 runoffs were postponed Monday.

For now, no immediate resolution to Haiti's electoral tensions is in sight. Officials say a new election date won't be announced until a special commission created by presidential decree can review the electoral process and make recommendations. A five-member commission was installed Tuesday night.

Martelly suggested that critics have wildly exaggerated the extent of irregularities on Oct. 25. On the whole, he said, balloting was remarkably "free and fair" in a country where elections have never been easy and are often marred by violence, intimidation and other irregularities.

He noted that after polls closed, international electoral missions and local groups hailed it as an apparent success. That contrasted sharply with an earlier legislative round in August that suffered from violent disturbances and other irregularities, even though international monitors said they were not serious enough to disrupt the legitimacy of the overall vote.

Martelly said the opposition was so troubled by Moise' status as the top finisher that leading figures started denouncing the elections as a mockery of democracy. Celestin has called the first-round results a "ridiculous farce."

"It looked like the potential winner was not what the opposition expected, so the same minute, the same night, they started building that perception" of fraud, Martelly said.

Opposition factions and some observer groups suspect fraudsters used some of the roughly 900,000 accreditations issued for political party representatives to facilitate multiple voting. There are also accusations that electoral council officials accepted bribes to secure spots in runoffs, among other allegations.

The various accusations have raised so many suspicions here and abroad that Martelly, under pressure, announced the creation of the evaluation commission. The idea was dismissed as merely a "cosmetic solution" by the opposition, but Martelly says his priority is a credible final round that will be recognized as legitimate.

In a Tuesday statement, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over Haiti's electoral crisis and called for intensified dialogue "to ensure the transfer of power through elections" within the constitutional time frame.

Martelly, who was prohibited from running for a consecutive term, is due to leave office Feb. 7.

This year's balloting for nearly all of Haiti's public offices have been the first elections under Martelly's tenure. Despite pressure from the U.N., U.S. and others, previous efforts to hold legislative and local votes were snarled by bitter infighting between the executive and legislative branches.

Although Celestin's opposition alliance has called for resignations at the electoral council and judicial investigations, Martelly said the council, known as the CEP, has proven itself "strong enough and independent enough." He noted that the body was loudly praised as independent when it rejected first lady Sophia Martelly's bid to run for a Senate seat.

People said "that this was the best CEP, particularly at the time that they kicked my wife out of the race," he said.

Martelly said his main remaining task is handing over the reins to a legitimate government. He said he is seeking compromises with Celestin's camp, senators and the electoral council to ensure runoffs occur soon, but charged that some opposition factions are trying to derail elections so a transitional government would have to be put in place.

"They believe this is the only way they can get in power and also the only way they can organize elections for themselves," he said.

 

Three young people murdered in a bus on the road of Jacmel

According to Commissioner Frantz Lerebours, spokesman of the National police force of Haiti (PNH) last Tuesday evening, December 22nd, at 8 pm, three young men were murdered on the road to Jacmel, in the locality of Fondwa, while they were inside a public transportation vehicle servicing the Jacmel-Port-au-Prince route.

The information released by the Police suggests that the murderer just like victims was among the passengers on the bus in question. However the murderer was able to escape.

All the passengers of the vehicle were questioned at the local police station of the PNH in order to shed some light on this triple murder, which in many ways resembles an execution indicated commissioner Lerebours.

 

 

Ban Ki Moon expressed his concerns regarding the elections in Haiti

The general Secretary of the United Nations is advocating for more intense dialogues to ensure the transfer of power takes place through elections following the constitutional deadlines in order to maintain stability and protect the democratic process.

Since taking office on January 1st, 2007 Ban Ki Moon visited Haiti on July 14th, 2014 when he spent 48 hours.

The eighth general Secretary of the organization of United Nations said he is worried by the increasing political uncertainty in Haiti

He called upon both candidates qualified for the second round to cooperate with institutions concerned in order to advance the process.