Deadly attack on Haiti police headquarters as tensions escalate
PORT-AU-PRINCE| BY JOSEPH GUYLER DELVA
Gunmen stormed a police headquarters in southern Haiti on Monday (16th) leaving at least six killed in a shootout and a related accident in an apparent uprising attempt days after the volatile country missed a deadline to sign in a new president.
The police chief for Haiti's southern region, Luc Pierre, said gunmen in military fatigues attacked at night in the coastal city of Les Cayes. They seized automatic weapons and killed a policeman before officers shot one of them dead.
"Gunmen in military fatigue attacked police headquarters around 2:30 a.m., they beat several police officers and took away a number of weapons," Pierre said, adding that several policemen had been wounded, one seriously.
Under a political agreement struck in February after the impoverished Caribbean nation failed to hold a runoff election, a provisional president was chosen on condition he held the delayed vote in April and hand over power by May 14.
Both deadlines were missed, and an election will only be held after a commission evaluates fraud allegations in the first round, a process likely to take weeks despite U.S. and U.N. pressure.
Suspicions about Monday's attack turned to Guy Philippe, a former coup leader wanted by U.S. authorities on cocaine trafficking charges, who this year threatened an uprising against any interim government.
Philippe denied on Monday any involvement in the attack.
One of the gunmen who was captured, Remy Teleus, told reporters that he was among more than 50 men mobilized by Philippe to take over police headquarters and the southern region.
"I was not among those who stormed the police headquarters, but I am part of a group commissioned by Guy Philippe to take over police headquarters," Teleus said, adding that the plan had not been to kill police but that the situation turned ugly.
Philippe, who is running for senate, called for peaceful protests to pressure interim President Jocelerme Privert to complete the botched elections.
Four of the gunmen died when their vehicle crashed as they were fleeing. Others wounded in the accident were arrested.
Supporters of former President Michel Joseph Martelly, who left office without an elected successor in February, have demonstrated to demand a speedy runoff.
They took to the streets on Monday to call for the departure of Privert, who they accuse of foot dragging. A few protesters threw stones and broke windows at a radio station offices.
(Editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Toni Reinhold)
The African Union has 54 member states. Actually, make that 55: Next month, Haiti will officially become a member.
Yep, Haiti — in the Caribbean — will become part of Africa. It will be the first non-African country to join the AU bloc.
Culturally, though, a lot of people feel like the two are already joined.
“Haiti always calls itself ... a little piece of Africa in the Caribbean, so I think it’s only fitting that now they made it official,” said Garry Pierre-Pierre, publisher of the Brooklyn-basedHaitian Times.
“We share so much of the African culture from religious practices to the way we interact,” said Pierre-Pierre. “When I lived [in West Africa], it reminded me so much of Haiti, it was uncanny.”
The primary benefit for Haiti in joining the AU will be the economic ties.
“Haiti wants to develop a lot of industries, tourism one of them,” said Pierre-Pierre, a former New York Times reporter. “I think there are a lot of opportunities for commerce, for raw materials that are plentiful in Africa.”
It works both ways.
“As Africa develops industries it will be looking for markets, and Haiti will be one of them,” said Pierre-Pierre.
Beyond the economic ties that bind, joining the AU is for most Haitians a symbolic step — the unionhas been discussed for several years. Pierre-Pierre thinks that in 20 years, Haitians will look back on the decision and say, “What a brilliant move this was. What took it so long?”
Haitian Flag Day Celebrated in South Florida
Miami-Dade College and the Meek Entrepreneurial Education Center are celebrating Haitian Flag Day with two ceremonies Wednesday (May 18th) and Thursday.
The ceremonies are taking place at MDC's North Campus at 11380 Northwest 27th Avenue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and at the MEEC at 6300 Northwest 7th Avenue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday.
"MDC proudly acknowledges the legacies and contributions so many Haitian Americans have made to our community," MDC North Campus President Dr. Malou Harrison said in a statement. "As we commemorate Haitian Flag Day, we hail the people of the Republic of Haiti and the diaspora for the global reach of their contributions."
Haiti - Delivery of the first urban solar power plant
GENINOV Group, a Canadian consulting engineering firm, with a subsidiary established in Haiti since 2009, has delivered to the Cellule Energie of the Ministry of Transport (MTPTC), his first complete solar system with a capacity of 100 kW to permanently illuminate the various places of Champ de Mars. The realization of this integrated high-tech system designed by GENINOV involves several renowned local and international actors. This pilot project was funded by the World Bank, which supports the actions of the Cellule Energie and Electricity of Haiti (EdH) to provide sustainable solutions to the major energy challenges of Haiti.
Enersa, specialized in the design and implementation of photovoltaic infrastructur served as the right arm in the building and installation of the required infrastructure. The solar panels provided by Yingli and other electrical accessories are secured on the roof of Ciné Triomphe with the help of specialized partners such as Greentec and Electrotech. The photovoltaic component consists of 336 modules of 305 Weach, providing a total power of 102.5 kW, which will reduce the carbon footprint on the environment by 120 tonnes annually.
The solar panels are coupled to a containerized Intensium® Max 20E energy storage system, the latest generation of lithium-ion batteries powered by Saft, a world renowned company in design and manufacture of high technology batteries for industry . This facility will store the energy collected by the solar panels during periods of sunshine to power the entire Champ deMars the day and night. The autonomy offered by this assembly is estimated at 38 hours.
The power conversion system (DRI-100) was provided by Princeton Power Systems, a US based company with global stature, specializing in the design and manufacture of technology products for energy storage and microgrid operations. Princeton Power Systems is represented in Haiti by Home Control, a GENINOV’s partner in the research and testing of alternative solutions. The integrated monitoring system EMOS (energy monitoring and operating system) provided also by Princeton allows to constantly monitor and control the installation and perform remote interventions in order to maintain a stable, optimal and efficient supply.