Alvin P. Adams (Bourik Chaje) died
Former Ambassador Alvin P. Adams., Jr., whose foreign service took him to Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and South America, died Saturday in Portland of an apparent heart attack. He was 73.
Adams helped Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide escape into exile with the Venezuelan government during a military coup in 1991.
Adams started his career during the Vietnam War as a district senior adviser for the U.S. Department of State in 1968. Friends and family said on Friday that the former ambassador was known for his wit and love of history.
"He likes his views but at the same time he was a good listener on what I had to say on various issues," said friend Hiroshi Furusawa, Consul General of Japan in Portland. "As a human being, I thought he was very considerate. I was always impressed by his knowledge."
He was special assistant to Secretaries of State Al Haig, during the Falklands war, and Henry Kissinger during his shuttle diplomacy between Egypt and Israel, Phelps said.
Presidents Ronald Regan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton appointed Adams to ambassadorships three times before the age of 50; first to Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, from 1983 to 85. He later served in Haiti from 1989 to 1992 and in Peru from 1993 to 96. He also worked as deputy director for counterterrorism in the late 1980s for the state department.
"He was a remarkable man who helped initiate elections and the democratic process in Haiti, then led U.S. efforts to assist the government of Peru in defeating the Shining Path terrorist organization and Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement," said Kent Brokenshire, a deputy Haiti special coordinator for the state department who served with Adams in both countries.
Adams arrived in Haiti at a time when the United States showed concern for human rights against the Caribbean government, according to Human Rights Watch.
"Adams and the Venezuelan ambassador waited with Aristide there for three hours, taunted all the while by hostile soldiers, until a Venezuelan plane arrived to take Aristide into exile," wrote Phelps, who is a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, in an email message. "He was awarded the State Department's Citation with Award for Valor for his work in Haiti."
Adams was born Aug. 29, 1942, in New York and graduated from Yale University in 1964. He earned a law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1967. His grandfather, Nathan L. Miller, was New York governor from 1920-22, and his father, Alvin P. Adams Sr., was an aviation executive during the early days of the industry.
Adams is survived by a son, Lex Adams of Orange County, California; his brother, Nathan Adams of Enis, Montana; his sister, Edith Kiggen; and his niece, Elizabeth Kiggen, both of New York City. His marriage to Mai-Anh Adams ended in divorce. His son Tung Thanh Adams was killed in an explosion onboard the battleship USS Iowa in 1989
Funeral arrangements are pending.
-- Tony Hernandez
US Embassy: Statement on the October 25 Elections in Haiti
On October 25 Haitians will go to the polls to vote for their next president, parliament, and municipal mayors. The responsibility for these elections lies in the hands of the Haitian people.
We believe this is an opportunity for Haitians to have a renewed voice in their governance. We encourage all actors to participate peacefully and fully in the electoral process, abide by the rule of law, and pledge to a high standard of transparency.
As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made clear in his recent visit to Port-au-Prince, electoral intimidation and violence are unacceptable. Those who organize, finance, or participate in electoral intimidation and violence should be held to account in accordance with Haitian law. The United States is taking note of parties involved in electoral violence.
The United States stands with the international community in supporting the Haitian National Police’s electoral security plan in coordination with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
Credible and peaceful elections that put in place a full and legitimate government will benefit the Haitian people and build a stronger, more sustainable democratic process.
Little Haiti will welcome the Festival of Caribbean Art
Between 23 and October 25th the cultural complex of "Little Haiti" will receive one of the biggest festivals of Caribbean art in Florida.
This third edition of this Caribbean Art Festival will gather several artists from several art forms from Central America and the Caribbean. Independent movies, music and the poetry will also be headlined throughout the event. Lesser-known artists and more famous ones will take part in this event.
The main organizers, McKoy and David Muir hope that this year’s festival will reveal the real essence of Caribbean art. Besides being a means of recreation for residents and visitors of South of the Florida, the festival is also expected to be a place of exchange for the artists.
October 17th: Anniversary of the assassination of Jean Jacques Dessalines
Numerous activities were organized in Port-au-Prince on Saturday, October 17th, in remembrance of the 209th anniversary of the assassination of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
For this occasion President Michel Martelly, accompanied by his Prime Minister and other government officials went to Pont Rouge for the inauguration of the memorial, built in honor of the founding father.
During his speech, President Martelly urged for national unity. He pointed out that it was discord which caused the murder of Dessalines. "Haitians were never able to realize the Dessalinien dream," declared the president.
Martelly took advantage of this occasion to denounce individuals who represent themselves as sons of the emperor (extremely patriotic), while they are really only trying to advance their personal agendas.
On his end, Prime Minister Evans Paul called for respect for the memory of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, while welcoming the construction of the memorial.
The head of government pointed out that Dessalines is considered the father of freedom worldwide.
According to Paul, it was Dessalines who spurred the emancipation of the Negros, thanks to his revolution.
"We are all heirs of Dessalines," Evans Paul exclaimed.
Fanm Executive Director Marleine Bastien to Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, October 16, 2015, 6 PM !
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) unanimously chose Marleine Bastien to be awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award". As Charles Fischer, Board Member of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the ACLU expressed, the award was "for the body of activism you've accomplished representing the rights of women, Haitian-Americans, people affected with HIV/AIDS, and all the other communities which have benefited from your work.|"
Two days after arriving in the U.S. in 1981, Marleine Bastien started volunteering at the Haitian Refugee Center. She was then trained and hired as a paralegal a few months later to assist Haitian refugees who were coming in by the thousands and being detained at the Krome Detention Center. Marleine's experience at the Krome Detention Center marked the beginning of years of social services, advocacy and organizing on behalf of Haitian immigrants in South Florida. After leaving the Haitian Refugee Center, Marleine spent 13 years at Jackson Memorial Hospital working as a medical social worker for HIV/AIDS, Sickle Cell Anemia, and cancer patients. There, she left her mark as a staunch advocate for patients' rights. In 2000, she left Jackson to lead FANM, a social advocacy group she co-founded with a group of women and her ex-husband in 1991. Her work, which combines social services with strong advocacy and organizing efforts on issues such as immigration, workers' rights, affordable housing, women's rights, access to health care and economic empowerment, has gained national and international recognition and accolades from Amnesty International, The U.S. Human Rights Network, Ford Foundation, The Gay and Lesbian Task Force, The Association of University Women, NAACP, and Essence Magazine who named her "One of the 35 Most Powerful Women in the World" in 2005, among others.
"I'm thankful and humbled by this recognition said Marleine. I accept it in the name of Clemencia Charles, a 59 year old client fighting eviction from her mobile home, and so many others like her who struggle daily to live a dignified life despite repeated challenges and disappointments. They give me the strength to press on, in the path for justice, equality and peace."
THE OIF (International Organization of the Francophonie), organizing the Young Journalist Award, extended its registration deadline.
Dear partners of the Young Journalist Award in Haiti,
Allow me to write you in the name of the Director of the Regional Office of the OIF for the Countries in the Caribbean (BRPC), Mister David Bongard.
As announced, since yesterday Thursday, October 15th at midnight, we have come upon the deadline to file applications for the "First Young Journalist Award in Haiti ".
However, since this morning, we have received many e-mails and phone calls stating that several candidates for the prize are still working to finalize their applications. Up to this point, we haven’t received a large number of applications.
That is why we wish to extend the deadline by two weeks to October 31st, 2015 at midnight.
Haiti Reconstruction: Inauguration of High Schools and Grammar Schools
A brand new Lycee Pétion was inaugurate last week, raising the admiration and the enthusiasm of all. Lycee Pétion had been demolished by the earthquake and was reconstruction begun a short time later.
On Thursday, President Michel Martelly, accompanied by his wife Sophia Martelly, with the Prime Minister Evans Paul and several government members, among whom was National Minister of Education, Nesmy Manigat, went to the Lycee Petion in Port-au-Prince for the inauguration of the new facilities. Former President of the Republic, Boniface Alexandre, an alumni of the Lycee Pétion was also present.
In his speech for the occasion, President Martelly declared, “Throughout its 199 years of existence, Lycee Petion was the first non-religious educational institution of the Caribbean. Just like education implies the participation of all, the management of the Lycee Petion must be inclusive. Today, I feel proud to tell the population of Bel Air, that their children will be attending the most beautiful school in Haiti.”
Following his speech, the Head of State proceeded with the distribution of digital tablets to the teachers and to some of the school’s pupils.
In the same fashion, Le Petit Seminaire College St Martial inaugurated its Primary building. The school, seriously damaged by the earthquake, had its primary school rebuilt. Work is still ongoing for the secondary school.
The Lycee Toussaing Louverture was also rebuilt. The rebuilding of the school begun in 2013 by the firm IBT Group Haïti, under the supervision of CSA GROUP, the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation, which supervised the job that was financed by 7 million dollars from PetroCaribe funds.
The high school houses 22 classrooms, the main office, an infirmary, a secretarial department, a meeting room, a library, and science laboratories among others... The Lycee Toussaint Louverture accounts for 300 pupils in the primary grades and 2,800 pupils in secondary school between the two sessions (21 classes in the morning and 22 classes in the evening).
In other news, three other schools in the municipal section of Monchil, were also inaugurated. They are: Christ-Roi in Jacmel, Deslandes and Saint Marie de Latournelle in Léogâne. All three were destroyed by the earthquake of 2010. The United Nations Program for Development (UNDP), with its partner organizations the Anglican Office for Education in Haiti (BAEH), the Finn Church Aid, the Norwegian Church Aid and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and the local authorities all participated in the inauguration
Initiated in 2014, the building of these three schools will allow approximately 1,000 children in remote areas to have access to a solid educational infrastructure at the primary school level. These three schools also contributed to the local economy during their construction, creating 1,340 jobs, including 279 for women.
Reverend Joël Racine, Representing the BAEH, said that the local population will benefit greatly from these infrastructures. He added that they must manage them well and protect them, in order for the next generations of students to take full advantage of them.