Several municipalities had their carnival this past weekend
Besides the City of Jacmel, the municipalities of Pétion-Ville, Carrefour, Croix-des-Bouquets and Gonaïves also had their carnivals last weekend, on February 17th
18th and 19th.
President Jovenel Moïse opted, for the “City of Independence.” He was scheduled to attend the first edition of the Gonaives Carnival, whose theme was “Ann' fè Gonayiv reviv" or “Let’s bring Gonaive back!”
Well-known bands such as Djakout 1 and Barikad Crew were expected to take part in these festivities.
For the occasion, the Gonaive City Hall announced that schools would be closed last Friday, February 17th and Monday, February 20th. The business and public sectors were scheduled to work half a day on the 17th but a regular day on the 20th.
Preparations for the Carnival of Les Cayes are underway
The preparations about 60 percent completed for the carnival in the southern city. No less than 115 street stands will be built along the parade route. The Coordination Committee assures that everything will be ready in time. Spaces are being outfitted for floats; the second entrance to Gelée will be asphalted up to about 80 percent, and the second main street will be rehabilitated. Finally, minor repairs will also be done to the airport road.
About ten musical groups are expected to participate, but the list has not been yet finalized. Boukman, Djakout 1, Rockfam and T-Vice have already confirmed their participation in the National Carnival of 2017.
Jean Gabriel Fortuné, the Mayor of the City of Les Cayes, underlined that a positive impact has already been noticed, because 90 percent of all the building materials purchased in preparation for the carnival, have been bought in the Department of the South and not in the Capital.
Staying ahead of the Kompa-tition? - The Haitian dance craze that could take the skiing world by storm
First there was the Time Warp. Then came the Macarena. More recently we boogied to Gangnam Style. But now, a new dance craze could take the world of skiing by storm... the Kompa!
On the face of it, Jean-Pierre Roy - president of the Haitian Ski Federation - is the most unlikely skier since famed Violinist Vanessa-Mae took to the slopes at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
But the 53-year-old grandfather is one of the more interesting characters on the circuit, with Marcel Hirscher and Lindsey Vonn among his plethora of fans.
Roy's dream is to grow Haiti's three-strong ski team, but there is another ambition he is keen to achieve.
Speaking with the Olympic Channel in St Moritz, where he is competing in his third World Championships, Roy showed that his snakelike hips and handy footwork are not just being put to good work on the slopes, as he displayed the Kompa, a dance which has origins in Haiti dating back to the 1950s.
Over to you, Jean-Pierre...
Roy has just 12 months to teach athletes his moves before the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, where the Kompa-tition is sure to be strong.
41 brothels and hotels have been shut down in Port-au-Prince
Government Commissioner Danton Léger Leger who heads Prosecutor's Office of Port-au-Prince, is pursuing his campaign to lock down brothels and hotels which are not up to code and do not respect the conditions and criteria to function, among them are the possession of a business license, and a visible and explicit commercial plate on the establishment, indicating its activity.
Let us recall that since a 48 hour-ultimatum was launched by Senator Jean Renel Sénatus also known as "Zokiki" in association with Police Commissioner Danton, on January 26th., forty-one (41) establishments have been shut down since then, 30 of which were closed between February 1st and 5th.
http: // www.haitilibre.com/article-20034-haiti-current events-zapping-politique.html
Police Commissioner Danton explained that if and when these establishments become up to code, the Public Prosecutor's Office may revisit its decision and allow them to reopen. On the other hand, he threatened to continue to pursue the owners of all such businesses which are not operating in accordance with the law, or which refuse to conform to it.
Furthermore, he underlined that establishments where minors were engaged in prostitution, are being watched closely, and he warns that severe measures will be taken against the owners and the customers of these establishments.
Finally, he indicated that within the framework of these operations, even upscale hotels will be the target of investigations to ensure that there is no adult nor juvenile prostitution in their establishments, and that the law is applied with the same rigor.
Haiti Wants to Benefit from Morocco’s Electric Production Expertise
By Morocco World News -
February 10, 2017 , 9:39 am
Rabat – Haitian foreign minister Pierrot Delienne voiced the wish of his country to benefit from the Moroccan expertise in relation with electric production, said a statement by the house of representatives.
The Republic of Haiti aims to boost its production capacity by 60 megawatts within 5 years, said Delienne in a meeting with speaker of the house of representatives Habid El Malki following the inauguration ceremony of Haiti’s new president Jovenel Moise, said a statement on Friday.
Delienne highlighted his country’s asset of freedom of religion as it includes 17 imams, 37 mosques and 45 Koranic schools, recalling Morocco’s role in this area through an active spiritual diplomacy which enabled many imams, notably from sub-Saharan Africa, to be trained in Morocco.
During a meeting of El Malki with his Haitian peer, the Moroccan official highlighted the importance of a sustained parliamentary cooperation between the two countries through reviving the Haiti friendship group set up at the house of representatives, and the need for a Morocco Friendship group at the Haitian chamber of deputies.
Haiti has been included as pit stop on the International Big Tour of 2017
Last Wednesday, the office of the International Organization of Francophonie officially launched the "Big Tour 2017: A Journey of Francophonie." This consist of a journey on 5 continents that will take place throughout 2017 on 100 stages, about 20 of which are in France. This journey, gathers hundreds of big cultural events that illustrate the vitality and the modernity of cultural Francophonie worldwide.
The Big Tour will make stopover in Haiti for “Encounters of the World’s Music” from June 16th till June 25th, 2017. This will bring together in Port-au-Prince, Haitian musicians, artists from the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, the America and Africa. In addition to promoting current music inspired by traditional heritage, these meetings also try to facilitate access to the international market to music from throughout the world, especially the Caribbean
Also, in the same context, the “Quatre Chemins Festival” will take place in Port-au-Prince from November 21st till December 3rd, 2017. For the past 14 years, it has given Haitian artists the opportunity to perform with foreign artists (from France, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal and others ...) in front of an audience of several thousands of people. On the program will be dances, theater, poetry and street performances.
The festival wants to use art to educate, by organizing workshops for children on risk management and natural disasters.
Let us recall that the Big Tour 2017 is placed under the High patronage of the President of France, François Hollande, and is sponsored by Jean-Marie Le Guen, the French Secretary of State in charge of Development and Francophonie. It was initiated by Le Guen’s predecessor, André Vallini, along with Michaëlle Jean, the former Governor of Canada, who is now General Secretary of the Francophonie.
Haiti’s “Certificate of Discharge” is in headlines
Last Thursday, the organization "Mouvman Esclaves Revoltés" (SEA) denounced what it called the political use of privileges by senators to withhold certificates of discharge from former government employees who served the country.
According to the Haitian Constitution, all former government workers, who were responsible for state funds, must obtain a certificate of discharge from the Parliament, if they wish to be considered for government offices once again. Obtaining this certificate from the Haitian Parliament can be a lengthy undertaking, which sometimes involves paying large sums of money to expedite process.
The president of SEA Jean Wilgins Charles considers the procedure of releasing the certificate of discharge to be far too politicized. He believes it allows senators to abuse their privileges, and has the consequence of preventing certain competent individuals from participating in the country’s development again.
Jean Wilgins Charles considers this to be an indecent attempts to keep some on the fringe, while making it more likely that one of their own will be named as Haiti’s next prime minister.
The president of the organization "Mouvman Esclaves Revoltés" stressed that the next head of government should be a defender of the interests of the poorest and not a representative of a sector within public office.”