The longest cave of the Caribbean is in Haiti
In addition to its soft sand, natural beaches, stunning landscapes, and its renowned cuisine, Haiti possesses about ten caves which attract tourists and add to the island’s charm. However, the very few are aware that the world’s first Black Republic also has the longest natural cave in the region.
Cave Marie-Jeanne is the longest natural excavation in the Caribbean. On the three levels that have been explored up to now, it includes 56 recorded chambers. It is also a real labyrinth of 4 kilometers of galleries staged on five levels.
Walls, ceilings and floors in this cave are covered with spéléothèmes (concrete limestones in caves) of every types and size, which are unique to tropical caves. Some researchers believe that the formation of this subterranean structure goes back up about 60 million years.
Situated in Port-à-Piment, a small municipality in the South of Haiti, Cave Marie Jeanne is the longest natural excavation in the Caribbean. To reach its entrance, which situated at 120 meter in altitude, one needs to climb the small hill that leads to it for about ten minutes. The entrance is bushy, hidden behind trees and stalks which seem to protect a treasure. This adds to the natural charm of the place and creates a steep contrast to what is discovered by penetrating inside.
Court Dismisses Remaining Lawsuit Against U.N. on Haiti Cholera
New York Times, AUG. 24, 2017
The last remaining class-action lawsuit against the United Nations over the cholera epidemic in Haiti was thrown out Thursday by a federal judge, who upheld the organization’s assertion of diplomatic immunity.
In an order filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Judge Sandra L. Townes said the lawsuit, which accused the United Nations of responsibility because the cholera was introduced into Haiti by infected United Nations peacekeepers from Nepal seven years ago, had been dismissed for “lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
A little more than a year ago, a federal appeals court in New York dismissed the only other class-action lawsuit seeking redress for Haitians from the United Nations over the cholera epidemic. That ruling also held that the United Nations could not be sued in United States courts.
The dismissal of the Brooklyn case appeared to dash any hope by Haitian victims of the epidemic for financial compensation from the United Nations in an American court judgment.
Nearly a million Haitians have been sickened and roughly 10,000 have died from cholera since 2010. An award of damages against the United Nations could have run into many billions of dollars.
U.N. Apologizes for Role in Haiti’s 2010 Cholera Outbreak DEC. 1, 2016
The lead lawyer for the Haitians, James F. Haggerty, expressed disappointment over the dismissal but said it was “certainly likely” he would appeal.
“We firmly believe the U.S. legal system eventually bends toward justice,” Mr. Haggerty said.
Officials from the United Nations did not comment on the dismissal. But they had previously expressed confidence that the immunity argument would prevail.
Under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, the organization is entitled to “immunity from every form of legal process” except when it has “expressly waived its immunity.”
Mr. Haggerty argued unsuccessfully that the United Nations previously had acknowledged liability for negligence by its peacekeeping operations, which he said amounted to a waiver of immunity in the cholera disaster.
Sunrise Airways will connect Florida to Haiti starting in October
Starting in October, the Haitian company Sunrise Airways will launch its direct flights to Orlando (MCO) and Miami (MIA).
The new service offered 3 times a week, marks the first flights of the carrier towards the United States and the first service without stopover connecting Orlando and Haiti. It is scheduled to begin on October 17th, 2017, subject to the approval of the government.
Sunrise Airways will launch an Airbus A320 on its new flight Orlando-Port-au-Prince. The plane will offer two classes of services: business and coach, with a maximum of 150 passengers.
"For us, as an airline company, and more importantly still for the large Haitian community living in the Orlando region, these new flights are an enormous development," declared Philippe Bayard, President of Sunrise Airways. "As an airline company based in Haiti, Sunrise is particularly proud to be the first one to bring the convenience of the service without a layover between Port-au-Prince and Orlando in the Central Florida market."
A bust of Toussaint Louverture was unveiled on Wednesday, August 23rd in Montreal
A Moment of pride occurred recently for the Haitian community of Montreal. The unveiling of the bust of Toussaints Louverture reminded everyone of the strength of the Haitian people.
This legacy in the city of Montreal symbolizes the contribution of the Haitian community for 65 years in the building of this big city. The Haitian community raised enough funds for the production of the bust. The association of taxi drivers of Montreal alone contributed a check for $ 1,000. While the base was offered by the City of Montreal, the Haitian community offered the rest. The sculptor of the piece was Dominique Dennery.
A bust of Emperor Dessalines was offered to the city of Gatineau by the Haitian Community in 2015. Dominique Dennery also designed it. She made a strong comeback, two years later, with the bust of Toussaints Louverture.
The graduation of a new class of Haitian soldiers in Ecuador
The Minister of Defense, Ambassador Hervé Denis, accompanied with his managing director, Colonel Louis Marcelin Daniel, visited Ecuador during the week of August 15th, 2017, to attend the graduation of Haitian soldiers. These servicemen were trained at a training school for soldiers in Ecuador. It constitutes the 5th class of graduating Haitian soldiers since 2012, within the framework of establishing a new national defense force for the country.
At the end of the ceremony, a working meeting took place between the Minister of Defense and his Ecuadorian Counterpart, Mister Miguel Cavajal as well as the members of the Ecuadorian army. During the meeting, Mister Denis made a presentation about the vision of the Haitian government for the new defense force as well as initiatives underway for his creation.
This meeting also was an opportunity for both parties to review the results obtained within the framework of the Agreement of Cooperation signed on September 21st, 2012, and to define new domains of cooperation. Both Secretaries expressed their satisfaction for the positive results and shared the interest of their respective government to pursue and strengthen this cooperation.
For that reason, Ecuador promised its support for the instructors' training, which will take care of the formation of soldiers on-the-spot in Haiti. Also, specialized programs will be offered for the Haitian officers who join the medical profession, engineering, agronomy and other domains considered useful to allow the new defense force to participate fully in the efforts of national development.