Haitian prosecutor’s office investigates officials accused of corruption

Port-au-Prince, Aug 30 (Prensa Latina) The capital’s government commissioner, Jacques Lafontaine, announced today that the files of former officials suspected of corruption indicated in a government report are being investigated.

These are the cases of Magreth Fortune and Serge Merger, former directors of the State Lotteries, as well as the former head of the Industrial Development Fund, Edgard Judy.

These officials were mentioned in a report submitted last week by the Unit for the Fight Against Corruption (ULCC), according to which the state was charged 500 million gourds (just over $4 million) for acts of embezzlement, illegal acquisitions, mismanagement of public property. ) was damaged. Abuse of authority and other offenses in cases such as the police, local councils, educational centers and even judicial institutions.

In Fortune’s case, ULCC indicated that a concession contract under his management generated losses equivalent to 269 million gourds (about $2 million), in addition to the embezzlement of 40 million 940 thousand gourds allegedly in association with his brother. (about $350,000) did. ,

The agency also found irregularities in the administration of Leon Charles, the former Director General of Police, who left 18 million gourds (over 153 thousand dollars) short of payments to soldiers who had already retired or laid off in three months.

However, Lafontaine indicated that the file in Charles’ case is on hold “because there is not enough material to process it,” he assured at a press conference on Tuesday.

The prosecutor also said that the prosecution of former deputies who did not declare their assets would be done before the reform court.

According to the ULCC investigation, 50 of 44 deputies of the legislature “deliberately” chose not to declare their assets, which according to the entity is a serious offense.

jcm/ane

The World’s 50 Most Beautiful Countries (You Won’t Believe Where The U.S. Ranked)

Laura Begley Bloom06:00am EST

Who doesn’t look at travel photos on Instagram and fantasize about visiting the most beautiful country in the world? But what defines beauty? A new study from the website money.co.uk aims to rank the 50 most beautiful countries in the world by analyzing the amount of natural wonders in each location, from coral reefs and tropical rainforests to volcanoes, glaciers and more. 

“While beauty is ultimately subjective, it’s clear that these countries have a lot to offer visitors, whether you prefer adventuring in the mountains or relaxing by the coast,” says Sal Haqqi, personal finance editor at money.co.uk. 

Coming in at the top of the list as the most beautiful place on earth is Indonesia, which has a natural beauty score of 7.77 out of 10. Indonesia is home to more than 17,000 islands. “And just off the shores of these islands, you’ll find over 31,000 square miles of coral reef, teeming with life, much of which can be explored from the popular province of Bali,” says Haqqi. 

 

A view of Raja Ampat island in Indonesia, which was named the world's most beautiful place.

getty

Some of the other natural attractions that helped propel Indonesia to the top of the list include Komodo National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Sumatra (which is covered with tropical forests) and Kalimantan (home to an orangutan reserve).

Second on the list of the world’s most beautiful places: New Zealand, which has a natural beauty score of 7.27 out of 10 and is known for its mountain peaks, rolling hills and a number of glaciers and active volcanoes. It’s no surprise that so many movies—including The Lord of the Rings—have been filmed here.

Next up is Colombia, which scores 7.16 out of 10 on the natural beauty scale. Like Indonesia and New Zealand, Colombia has a long coastline. It also has varied landscapes, from the Amazon to the Andes. 

Despite its long Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, as well as its myriad natural attractions and national parks ranging from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, the United States didn’t make it into the top 10. With a score of 6.04 out of 10, the country ranks number 12. Countries besting the U.S. range from Mexico (at number 5) to France (at number 8). 

Read on for the list of the 50 most beautiful countries in the world. How many have you visited?

National Center of Haitian Apostolate

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (Sept 4, 2022)

Wisdom 9, 13-18b; Ps 90; Phil 9-10, 12-17; Luke 14, 25-33

 

https://youtu.be/kDRu12cpJZU

Msgr. Pierre André Pierre

 

We are being reminded today that if we want to be Jesus’ disciples, we will need to be radically detached from all our possessions. He must have the First Place in our lives. The disciple of Jesus needs to know from the start that he is called to a great mission. He cannot be half-hearted, a joker or a liar. He is called to carry a Cross. Yet, no need to be frightened!

For, fullness of life and joy are Jesus’ promise to his followers. Nothing can be preferable to his offer. Two short stories or parables provide brighter colors to the teaching:

a)     A man who builds a tower should not start his work unless he possesses all the money needed to complete the job. Hence, when receiving communion, we commit ourselves to follow Jesus all the Way. Communion is a lie when we hypocritically persist walking in our sinful ways.

b)    A king cannot go to war against an enemy who possesses an army twice as large as his own. From the first day we must possess God’s Grace, the needed power to defeat the enemy.

Likewise, we should not accept baptism or communion when we are not determined to give up sin in all its forms. Too many Christians are half-way Christians. Our Church history is replete with martyrs who preferred to die rather than deny their faith. We are challenged to imitate them.

Jesus calls us to be born again, to reject sin even when it requires costly sacrifices. We are called to be heroes, to participate in the birth of a new mankind. That task is not easy. Our Church history shines with model men and women who have consented to great sacrifices for the sake of the Kingdom. Peace of mind on earth and Heavenly glory are the rewards reserved for the faithful disciple. You too, strive to be, right now, a genuine, courageous yet joyful witness of Jesus!