NEW CALL FROM THE UNITED STATES IN LESS THAN A WEEK
The United States has again spoken out on the crisis that has been shaking Haiti for several weeks. This, after the violent demonstration from the opposition, last Sunday, October 27. They urge the actors concerned to act to resolve the current crisis.
The United States, in a recent note, urged Haitian political and economic leaders to work together with civil society to achieve a peaceful and democratic solution.
The United States says, “It supports the aspirations of the Haitian people for a better life. These aspirations must be achieved through an inter-Haitian, non-violent and democratic solution, which is possible through an inclusive dialogue,” preached Uncle Sam.
By the same token, the note manifested the absence of urgent measures to get the country out of this prolonged political impasse, which is increasingly worrisome and has had a negative impact on public safety, the economy, and the distribution of humanitarian aid including food aid.
Moreover, the United States condemns the acts of violence that continue to occur in Port-au-Prince and in other cities.
These shootings, killings, arson and destruction not only cause harm to Haitian citizens, but also, they increase economic and social instability and prolong the interruption of the daily activities of the Haitian people, especially, school activities.
The United States says it strongly supports the right to peacefully protests, as well as the freedom of expression. It calls for Haitian citizens to be heard peacefully and without violence.
Embassy of France condemns “violent attacks” against its premises
The French embassy denounced and condemned the acts of vandalism against its premises in the Champ-March and rejected the allegations that it has requested the arrest of some students who participated in a demonstration against President Jovenel Moïse on Friday.
Port-au-Prince, October 27, 2019. – In a press release, a copy of which was sent to the editor of Vant Bef Info (VBI), the French Embassy in Haiti rejected rumors, which it described as “malicious and totally unfounded.” These rumors alleged that it requested the arrest of some students who participated in a demonstration on Friday to demand the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse.
The French diplomatic representation also condemned the acts of violence and vandalism perpetrated against the exterior façade of the building housing the embassy in Champ-de-Mars.
However Marc Antoine Maisonneuve, one of the lawyers of the 4 students arrested at Avenue Lamartinière near the French Institute, maintained his statements that the French embassy is behind the arrest of these young people.
To be noted, the exterior façade of the French embassy was the target on Saturday of a group of protesters who wrote some inflammatory messages on the walls of the building.
Protest and burning tires at the entrance of the Canadian Embassy in Haiti
The building housing the Canadian Embassy in Haiti, located in Delmas 75, was the target of attempted arson during a demonstration to demand the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse.
Delmas, 27 October 2019. - Demonstrators set fire this Sunday to the barrier at the main entrance of the Canadian Embassy in Haiti.
Social media images show burning tires at the entrance of the Canadian diplomatic representation whose main barrier was affected by the flames.
Shortly before, the protesters had attempted to set fire to a building in Delmas 71, housing several companies including a branch of a private bank. The damage was limited due the actions of law enforcement, including fire fighters.
At least two people were shot and two others injured during this new day of mobilization to demand the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse in Delmas.
Catholics in Haiti demand president step down
22/10/2019 - 18:49
Port-au-Prince (AFP)
Thousands of Catholics demanding the resignation of Haiti's president marched through the capital Tuesday, becoming the latest group to join an outcry against him.
They gathered outside one of the main churches in Port-au-Prince and denounced President Jovenel Moise as corrupt and incompetent.
Over the past year, Haiti has sunk into political crisis amid anti-corruption protests demanding Moise's resignation.
"Jovenel, make a wise decision and resign. What are you president of? There is nothing in this country. No food, no hospitals, no schools," said protester Fausta Maisonneuve, who held a rosary in her hand.
Since coming to power in February 2017, Moise has had to face the anger of an opposition movement that refuses to recognize his victory in an election widely seen as dubious.
Anger mounted in late August due to a national fuel shortage, and protests turned violent.
In recent weeks, various professional or social groups have taken to the streets against the president one by one, such as university students and artists.
The Catholics that came out Tuesday were mainly young people who prayed aloud as they walked.
"We see that the president cannot run the country. He is incompetent. He must resign because the social situation has become critical and deplorable," said Osma Joseph, who studies education.
© 2019 AFP
Aftershock of Haiti protests: Best Western shutting down, other hotels temporarily closing
OCTOBER 22, 2019 07:04 PM, UPDATED OCTOBER 22, 2019
After Haiti’s cataclysmic 2010 earthquake, the country rebuilt schools, churches and its tourism brand. Airlines expanded service and luxury brand hotels, boasting vibrant Haitian works of art, opened while others expanded.
But more than a year of recurring fuel shortages, violent protests and currency devaluation is starting to take its toll as the owners of the Best Western Premier, the first U.S.-branded hotel to return to Haiti in 15 years, announced its permanent closure at the end of this month.
The surprise announcement comes on the heels of some temporary hotel closures and staff layoffs in tourism and other sectors as conditions in the country worsen. Haiti is facing a looming constitutional crisis, four unsuccessful attempts to confirm a new government, a deteriorating security environment and a sixth week of protests over demands that President Jovenel Moïse step down.
Christopher Handal, the president of Carabimmo SA, said the decision to close and terminate its franchise with Best Western International was “a financially wise decision” that took a lot of courage.
“It saddens all of us to see that we have to send almost 100 people home. However, we could not hold on any longer,” Handal said about the hotel located in the upscale suburb of Petionville. “Since July 2018, we have been struggling to stay open due to so many riots going on, on almost a weekly or monthly basis. When the USA put the travel [warnings] to level 4, it also discouraged all tourists, any foreigner or diaspora, to travel to Haiti.”
Meanwhile, a contract war between the presidential palace and three private power providers — triggered by the Moïse administration’s sudden demand for payments and threats by a presidential adviser that contracts can be canceled and companies nationalized — risks plunging Haiti not just further into blackout, but exacerbating the crisis.
“The incapacity of the political leaders to solve the political crisis is greatly affecting the new fiscal year that started this month, and could affect the economic growth for 2020,” Pharel said. He noted that the last five years of political instability have “reduced the growth to less than 2 percent, which is too weak to reduce poverty in the population.”
Designer Pascale Theard, who worked with more than 250 artisans and artists to design everything in the hotel including the sheets, called what’s happening “a terrible economic tsunami,” that will lead to other businesses closing.
“In September we did only 10 percent of our local sales and this month it is going to be zero,” she said, referring to her own business, which sells handmade leather purses and sandals. “The Best Western, from my experience, was a little example of how great things happen when we, as Haitians, dream together, get together and build together.”
While Haiti’s economic malaise preceded Moise’s Feb. 7, 2017, inauguration, it has deepened during his 32 months in office through a series of economic missteps.
First, there was the August 2017 decision to “de-dollarize” the Haitian economy by forbidding the use of the U.S. dollar and making the gourde, the domestic currency, the only official currency in transactions. The decision was eventually reversed, but not before the gourde further depreciated against a strong U.S. dollar.
Then came the administration’s decision in July 2018 to increase fuel pump prices by removing subsidies. Days of violent civil unrest accompanied by rioting, pillaging and the cancellation of international flights quickly ensued. At one point, a crowd of protesters even tried to gain access to the Best Western. When they couldn’t get through the front door, they set a car parked out front on fire.
The widespread protests were soon followed by more mass demonstrations in October and November, and a nearly two week lockdown of the capital in February. The lockdown led to “Do Not Travel” warnings from Canada and the U.S., an Expedia block on hotel and airline reservations and a reduction of flights.
And just as tourism appeared to be making a comeback after an uptick in summer travel, Spirit Airlines quietly canceled its Cap-Haitien service 14 months after announcing its expansion to the city amid great fanfare, and American Airlines announced a reduction to its daily Haiti service.
“I really hope that one lesson that is learned by all Haitians today by this closure is that the country cannot go on living in such a manner,“ Handal said.
Steve Mc Intosh, a hotelier in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, said the crisis “is the worst I’ve seen in Haiti in a while.”
Last week, he announced a temporary closure of one of his two hotels, the Mont Joli. Considered a landmark, the 42-room hotel, which sits on a mountaintop overlooking the historical city, first opened its doors in 1954.
“I have to tell you we’ve been closed for a few months now. We have no clients coming to the hotel,” Mc Intosh said. “Our average occupancy rate is around 62 percent or 70 percent, and we have seen it for the past few months go down to 30 percent, 20 percent and for about a month now we have been at zero percent occupancy.”
Compounding the hotel’s economic woes, Mc Intosh said, has been the inability to get diesel over the past three weeks. Forced to ration fuel, some hotels have been turning away guests because they don’t want to turn on generators and operate at a loss.
Meanwhile, there is no propane available for cooking anywhere in the city and a lot of businesses have had to put their staff on unpaid leave.
“They don’t have any food, any water, any propane gas, so the people are getting angrier and angrier every day,” Mc Intosh said. “People are really angry and frightened.”
Mc Intosh said his decision to close the Mont Joli came after a crowd showed up at the hotel and someone threatened his security guard with a machete. Prior to that, protesters had destroyed all of the windows in the restaurant at his other property, the Roi Christophe, which is located next to a police headquarters and jail.
Two weeks after the restaurant incident, protesters covered the parking lot with charred glass bottles. The final straw, Mc Intosh said, was last week’s machete incident.
“We have protests happening almost every day,” he said.
The repeated protests, which have turned violent at times, are creating what some believe is the second biggest shock after the quake.
Bertrand Buteau, whose family owns the Satama hotel in Cap-Haitien and three others in Port-au-Prince, said the Satama remains open “even though we don’t have customers.” His brother Richard, who runs the Karibe in Petionville, said their other properties are also functioning but with a reduced staff.
“Some hotels in the provinces have been suffering a lot from the effects of the road blockages ... and are closing down temporarily until things get back to normal,” Richard Buteau, a former president of the Haiti Tourism Association, said.
Businessman Fred Beliard said the occupancy at two of his properties in Cap-Haitien is less than 10 percent while his Habitation Jouissant, located not far from the Mont Joli, is temporarily closed due to the crisis.
Along the coast, the all-inclusive Royal Decameron Indigo Beach Resort & Spaon the Côte des Arcadins in Montrouis says it’s still open although it has reduced the staff by half and only nine of the 400 rooms are occupied due to roadblocks cutting the hotel off from both Cap-Haitien and Port-au-Prince.
“We have been here since 2015 and we are doing everything to make it work,” said Fernando Gracia, the property’s general manager for operations. “We are doing everything to stay and help the community and tourism in Haiti.”