Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 3 décembre 2014

 Canadian Michaëlle Jean appointed general secretary of the Francophony

The Canadian of Haitian origin, Michaëlle Jean, was appointed to the post of general secretary of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) during a closed door meeting of leaders on Sunday, November 30th in Dakar.

This 57year old ex-governor general of Canada was appointed by consensus at a vote of 53 member countries, learned Le Monde from insider sources.

"I thank the heads of state and government for the trust which they have demonstrated in appointing me general secretary of the Francophonie", declared Jean in a press release transmitted to AFP by her campaign team.

She paid tribute to her predecessor, the former president of Senegal Abdou Diouf, who will leave his functions at the end of December, having managed the OIF, the authority which includes 77 member countries, for 12 years:

"I measure the task which awaits me and I shall watch to take great care of the inheritance bequeathed us by president Diouf. I intend to meet the needs and the expectations of the State and member governments of the OIF, while giving a new boost to the Francophony."

Michaëlle Jean, who is advocating for a "modern and forward-looking Francophony," is the first woman to reach this post. She led an active campaign which aimed in particular at convincing the leaders of the African continent, where the great majority of the 274 million French speakers in the world live.

Among other candidates represented were: Henri Lopès, former prime minister of the Republic of the Congo, Jean-Claude de l' Estrac, the native of the Mauritius Island, and Pierre Buyoya, the former president of Burundi.

On Saturday, November 29^th, police prevented demonstrators from arriving in front of the American Embassy

The police used teargas and their water truck last Saturday to scatter the anti-government demonstrators, who threw stones in the direction of law enforcement.

The protesters put up barricades of flaming tires near the municipality of Tabarre, which provoked a wave of panic in that sector.

It should be noted that the demonstrators, whose numbers were in the thousands, wanted to go in front of the American embassy to object to the United State’s intervention in Haiti’s internal affairs.

The Pope announces an international conference on Haiti

It will take place next January in Rome, according to Monsignor Patrick Aris, while on the airwaves of the radio station Magik 9.

"The pope has wanted for the past year to do something to bring attention towards Haiti. It is with this in mind that he had appointed the first Haitian cardinal, declared the prelate. Realizing that it was not sufficient, because it was necessary to allow Haiti to continues to move forward, Pope Francis came up with the idea for this conference to bring the decision-makers and the international investors to remember Haiti, said Mgr. Patrick Aris. He indicated that as the person in charge of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis is granting a particular importance to Haiti which is "a country of martyrs which needs its brothers, not for favors, but rather to help him to rise back up."

The conference will take place from January 10th to January 12th, 2015, confirmed Mgr. Patrick Aris. Several Haitian bishops, including Cardinal Chibly Langlois, will make the trip in Rome for the event.

The main objective of the meeting is to create awareness from the international world with regard to Haiti. The pope believes wholeheartedly that an international solidarity toward Haiti can begin from the Church.

President Martelly gives an address to the nation, and this in a climate of violence

The Head of State was not very talkative. His address to the nation lasted only a few minutes. But he let it be known that he was forming a presidential commission, similar to an advisory board, to help the country out of its crisis, the worst that it has ever known since the beginning of his mandate.

Martelly made his announcement last Friday, at the end of a day still characterized by violent demonstrations throughout the country, asking for his departure.

"The country is divided. There are many problems. The problems are complicated," declared Martelly.

Haiti has had no elections since 2011, and October 26, the date chosen to finally hold the elections, was once again pushed back by the government.

The government and the opposition are at odds about the electoral Law, which senators from the opposition refused to vote on, citing its unconstitutional character.

Instead these senators from the opposition joined the members of the opposition who once again have gone out in the streets to ask for the departure of the current government.

Last Friday, demonstrators in the city of Gonaïves asked that the senators from the opposition pass the law that would allow the elections to take place. Martelly made the same request during his address to the nation. And he reminded his listeners that his government made several proposals during the two months of exchange with the opposition.

The requests sent to the president include the departure of the Prime Minister and some members of the minister's personal staff, changes to the electoral council, and the extension of the mandate of the members of Parliament, in order to avoid a political void which would authorize the President of the Republic to govern by decree starting from January 12th, 2015.

Martelly specified that 11 members of an advisory council, appointed on November 28^th, include well-known politicians and members of the private sector.

This council has 8 days to present its report to the Head of State.

Project Recho Pa-w passes the baton to the Haitian people.

At a ceremony last month with Haitian government officials, United States Ambassador Pamela White, as well as representatives of the American Agency for International Development (USAID), manufacturers of the stoves, which improved the biomass through Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and distributors of LPG met for the signing of the project Recho Pa' w which is being handed over to the Haitian people.

"Recho Pa' w" is a project promoting cooking techniques and which is financed by the American government through the USAID in Haiti, and is endowed with a 8.7 million US dollar budget

The objective, which covers the metropolitan zone, is to establish short and long term sustainable cooking solutions, which are effective and affordable in Haiti.

In her speech for the occasion, U.S. Ambassador Pamela White declared, "The American government congratulates and supports the Haitian government in its priority to attack some of the environmental problems from which its beautiful country suffers. We work with the government of Haiti to fight against the deforestation and increase the fertility of the ground. "

During the ceremony, "Recho Pa' w" program leaders congratulated their partners, all locals from public and private sectors, for working to promote clean cooking solutions that are effective and sustainable. They also distributed certificates of appreciation before passing the baton to continue the activities after January 2015.

In his speech, Michelet Fontaine, the manager of the Program "Recho Pa' w," underlined that this is the beginning of another chapter for Recho Pa' w. “We have the baton in hand to work, among other things, on the conversion of 300,000 other families from the use of the traditional stoves to stoves improved in biomass and in propane,” he said.

Bahamas minister corrects OAS chief on immigration policy

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Foreign affairs and immigration minister Fred Mitchell said on Friday that Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jose Miguel Inzulza, was “ill informed” when he referred to the Department of Immigration’s efforts to limit illegal migration in The Bahamas as “round ups”.

In a statement, Mitchell said a report by the Jamaican press on Thursday referred to Inzulza’s comment using “indirect speech”.

He said the report is another example of the “unfortunate and ill-informed commentary about these simple measures”.

He said he instructed Bahamas ambassador to the OAS Dr Elliston Rahming on Thursday night to immediately contact the secretary general for “urgent clarification”.

“I am to meet the secretary general in Washington shortly,” Mitchell said.

“I did not propose prior to now to make any public comment about the content of that proposed meeting because the concerns raised earlier by the secretary general had been raised with our officials.

“I am advised that the assistant secretary general was briefed fully on the policies, and by extension, the organization.

“Therefore, any suggestion of the “round up” of people should not have been expressed from that office.

“The record will also show that I have repeatedly said, we do not round up people. You round up cattle.”

Mitchell has repeatedly defended The Bahamas’ reputation over its immigration policy amid backlash from some organizations in the international community.

The policy took effect on November 1.

At least two international organizations have expressed strong concerns over the policy.

On Monday, Amnesty International alleged that the government’s policy is “leading to human rights violations” in The Bahamas.

Other critics are Florida State Representative Daphne Campbell, the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights (RFK Center), Fred Smith, attorney and human rights activist, and Haitian ambassador to The Bahamas Antonio Rodrigue.

The RFK Center expressed alarm over the “discriminatory use of the new immigration policies in The Bahamas”.

Mitchell was expected to travel to Miami on Saturday to address what Prime Minister Perry Christie has called “misinformation” regarding the policy.

“The internationally inaccurate commentary often arises because of people in this country making wild and unfounded claims,” Mitchell said.

“There has not been a single report of abuse of any kind by any immigration officer reported to us since 1st November.”

Both the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance said they have not received any reports of human rights violations.

They expressed support for the policy.

“This is a completely open and transparent exercise,” Mitchell said.

“There has to be oversight by NGOs and there is oversight by them and by the Department of Social Services.

“The Department has a formal role. The NGOs have access to information and review upon request.

“Nothing is hidden. No particular group is the target of this exercise and people should stop spreading that falsehood.

“They should also stop using the term round-up because no such exercises have taken place.”

The new policy requires all non-Bahamians to have passports of their nationalities and evidence that they have permission to live and work in the country.

The Department of Immigration will not issue certificates of identity to non-nationals born in The Bahamas.

The exception to this is when Bahamians need emergency travel or “where in accordance with our international obligations”.

The Department of Immigration will not accept first-time applications for residence or work permits from those who have no legal status in The Bahamas.

Republished with permission of the Nassau Guardian.

Money, U.S. meddling and the Clintons

BY LAMONT MUHAMMAD

Angry protestors denounce Bill and Hillary’s adventures in Haiti

NEW YORK (FinalCall.com) - A group of Haitian nationals, supporters and organizers from the tri-state region here, according to organizers, gathered on a damp and rainy Thursday in front of the 125th Street Harlem offices of the former two-term president to ask a simple question: “Bill Clinton, where’s the money?”

“We have come to ask Bill, the special envoy and head of the Haitian Reconstruction Fund, what has been done with the $6 billion Haitian earthquake reconstruction money?” said demonstration organizer Dahoud Andre. Nearly five years after the 2010 disaster, he said, “No permanent housing has been built. People are still living in tents.”

He called current Haitian president Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly a puppet of the United States, the United Nations, France, Canada, and other White nations determined to plunder and destroy Haiti.

Demonstrators accused former Secretary of State and former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton of installing the current Haitian president. During the crisis in Egypt in 2011, the wife of the former president went to Haiti to twist the arms of the electoral counsel and ensure Martelly would become president, they said. Martelly came in third during the first round of voting, said Andre.

The Final Call made several calls to the Clinton Foundation for comment but none of the calls were returned.

Wilner Kebreau, a spokesperson for the Haitian Consulate in New York, conceded during a telephone interview that some Haitians remain homeless and living in tents as a result of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. “There were 1.5 million people who were made homeless by that earthquake,” he said. “Today, an estimated 70,000 displaced people are still waiting for permanent housing. The others have been placed in brand new homes. There have been homes that were repaired in some cases and the government is building safe apartments for others in new communities. Mortgages and rents for the homes and apartments have been paid for one year in advance by this government,” Kebreau explained.

“The opposition is using unfounded claims and slogans to attack the facts. The fact is that President Martelly was and is very popular. He had name recognition and ran a well-organized campaign. After the first round, in which Martelly came in third, the Haitian people came out to protest the election results. They smelled a rat. The results from the second round of voting, after pressure from the people, gave Martelly 70 percent support. It was a landslide in his favor. The Clintons had no part in that vote. It was the people,” he continued.

Flyers handed out at the Nov. 6 demonstration were two sided and colorful. One side was in English, the other in Haitian Creole. Both sides featured the same three photos. One titled “the degenerate in action,” showed Martelly, who gained fame as a musician, gripping his groin while scantily dressed. The other two photos were of Mr. Clinton seemingly endorsing the candidacy of Martelly and President Martelly at the U.S. State Department being praised by Hillary Clinton.

Demonstrators noted that Haiti’s president gained fame as a musician by outlandish performances which often included dressing in drag and stripping on stage. “He even mooned (showed his bottom to) a representative of the Organization of American States at the airport as he was leaving,” said Andre. The Organization of American States had gone to Haiti to negotiate the return to office of democratically-elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

“Martelly was known to support the military coup that sent Aristide into exile in 1991. He’s a degenerate crack head, not a serious politician,” Andre charged.

Kebreau countered that President Aristide needed to be removed from power. The country was plagued by kidnappings and people being killed in the streets when Aristide was president, he argued. “Those who could afford to left the country. Martelly took his family out. Now things are better. The economy is better and kidnappings are down. In fact, there was one two months ago and the police caught the perpetrator two days later,” he said.

Another criticism leveled against the Clintons and the Haitian government at the demonstration was that most of the rebuilding contracts have gone to foreign firms. One online report cited by demonstrators said less than one percent of all rebuilding contracts are with Haitian firms.  Kebreau agreed.

“We don’t have one company that has the tools, the ability or the experience to rebuild Haiti.  The good news is that the foreign companies that are rebuilding the country are required to hire Haitians. Haitians are now gaining the experiences they need to rebuild this country into the future,” he said.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 9 décembre 2014

 Statement Regarding

Ambassador White’s Meeting with the Group of Opposition Parties, Tuesday, December 2

            On December 2, U.S. Ambassador Pamela White met with representatives from major Opposition parties at Fusion headquarters on Christ-Roi in downtown Port-au-Prince.

            The Ambassador wishes to thank the nine opposition representatives who attended the meeting, which lasted for more than an hour.  Ambassador White was extremely impressed with their analysis of the current political situation, dedication to Haiti's future and willingness to truly negotiate for the betterment of their country.  She left the meeting optimistic that a way forward can be found.

            The Ambassador looks forward to further meetings with a broad variety of political organizations and to continue providing strong U.S. support for a Haitian-led solution to the range of current political issues.

Anti-Government Protesters carry Poutine pictures

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDEC. 5, 2014, 6:21 P.M. E.S.T.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Thousands of people marched through Haiti's capital Friday demanding that long-delayed elections be held and calling for the president and prime minister to resign.

Protesters in Port-au-Prince burned tires and threw rocks at police, who responded with tear gas. No deaths or major injuries were reported.

It was Haiti's third anti-government protest in about a month and the first one in recent years to push through the security perimeter at the National Palace.

Some protesters carried pictures of Russian President Vladimir Putin asking him for help. They accused the U.S. of supporting Haiti's current leaders although Washington has pushed Haiti's government to hold the elections.

President Michel Martelly was supposed to call elections in 2011 for a majority of Senate seats, the entire Chamber of Deputies and local offices. But both he and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe have accused six legislators of blocking the vote by preventing a quorum to approve an electoral law.

The six senators have said the legislation is unconstitutional and favors the government.

Michel Martelly signs his autobiography

On Friday evening at the Karibe Convention Center, President Martelly caused a surprise by having a book signing of his autobiography "Michel Martelly" whose publication was unknown by everyone until that day. The book itself was also a surprise, because few Haitian politicians in office have written one before him. Generally, we know nothing of their life, of their past or of the path which they traveled before reaching the office which they occupy.

That night, many people came to  buy the publication (2,500 Gdes- $50) and have it autographed- including members of the diplomatic corps, ministers, senators, members of parliament, personalities of the music world and medical world, the business communities and numerous friends.

Once they bought their copy, readers needed to stay in line to arrive at the podium and obtain a dedication from the president, who was seated beside his wife Sophia who wrote the foreword.

During a break, the Head of State used the opportunity to thank his wife his and four children, the numerous personalities present, as well as friends who came for the evening. He particularly thanked  Pierre-Raymond Dumas, who edited the first draft, and Ghislaine Rocourt-Deeb, who edited the final draft of the autobiography.

Everyone expected to discover details about the real life of the President, but there are many who wondered, not having read the book yet, if this autobiography will reveal the dark side of this artist, whose fate led him to the highest elected office in Haiti.

Caution if you go or live in Haiti, recommends the American government to its citizens

The American Government called upon American citizens traveling to or living in Haiti to exercise caution. The warning, which replaces one from March 12th, 2014, especially emphasized the lack of adequate emergency medical installations, the risks of thefts and, the unpredictability of spontaneous public protests.

The American government encouraged travelers to Haiti to use organizations which have  solid evacuation plans and options for medical support in position.

"The infrastructure in place in Haiti to manage emergencies remains in poor condition. The medical establishment, including ambulance services, are particularly inadequate. Some American citizens injured in accidents, and others with grave health problems, were incapable of finding necessary medical care in Haiti and had to get organized and pay for their medical evacuation in the United States. We strongly encourage visitors  Haiti to obtain evacuation insurance, advised the United States.

On the other hand, the American government acknowledged that kidnappings have experienced a significant decline.

The last warning also urged American citizens to remain aware of the possibility of aggravated theft, in particular in the region of Port-au-Prince, especially when leaving the airport. From May till October, 2014, there were 64 cases of American citizens having been victims of theft after leaving the airport.

"The Mission of stabilization of the United Nations in Haiti (Minustah) stays in Haiti to support the activities of the National police force of Haiti ( PNH). The PNH, with the Minustah’s assistance, is responsible for maintaining law and order and providing assistance. However, given the possibility and the unpredictability of the spontaneous public protests, their ability to help the American citizens during disorders is very limited. The evacuations facilitated by the American government, such as the evacuation that took place in Haiti in 2010, occur only when no safe commercial alternative exists," concluded the note.

Luc Mervil, accused of sexual offenses, didn’t appear before a judge

The Canadian singer of Haitian origin, Luck Mervil, whose real name is Lucknerson, was called to appear in court on Wednesday, December 3rd, to answer to charges of sexual assault and sexual misconduct on a teenager.

The case was opened in October, but the act was committed in 1996 over a period of 6 months. At the time of the attacks the victim was a minor and Mervil was 29 years old.

The singer Luck Mervil is also a comedian. He had a part in the successful play “Notre-Dame-de-Paris” and has worked actively to rebuild the country. Mervil is president of the foundation "Vilaj Vilaj" whose objective is to build a village in Payen to benefit the victims of the earthquake of January 12, 2010.

Two big Haitian writers in Miami Book Fair

Two major writers of Haitian literature were present at the Miami Book Fair on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014. Frank Etienne and Edwige Danticat represented Haiti at the biggest book fair in the United States, which took place from November 16^th to the 23^rd.

Miami Book Fair International has been organized at Miami-Dade College since 1984. It attracts thousands of people from around the world. Haiti was well and truly represented in this year’s edition of the Fair through two internationally renowned authors - one representing the explosive literature of the inside of the Island (Frank Etienne), the other one representing the vibrating literature of the Diaspora (Edwige Danticat).

Bill Clinton invites the Dominican Republic and Haiti to settle their conflict peacefully

Former American president Bill Clinton urged the Dominican Republic and Haiti to overcome the tensions generated by the 168-13 ruling of the Dominican Constitutional court, which made stateless thousands of Dominicans of Haitian origin.

In an interview granted to CNN in Spanish, Clinton declared that if the current tensions continue, they will affect the development of both countries. The former American president recalled that the Dominican Republic offered its assistance when Haiti was struck by the earthquake of 2010, which caused more than 300.000 deaths. Clinton stated that after the earthquake, both countries worked as a family to overcome problems. The judgment of the Dominican Constitutional Court has created many problems between the two countries, underlined the former president. "I think that both governments now have to solve these problems, and I encourage them to do so," said Clinton. According to Clinton, Haitians admire the development the Dominican Republic has attained during the last few years, and they are even trying to follow in their footsteps, in particular in the tourism sector.”

12 American Congressmen writes to the Dominican President

12 congressmen Americans warned in a letter to the Dominican president, Danilo Medina, against the application of the decision of the Dominican Constitutional court.

The decision susceptible to make stateless Dominicans of Haitian ancestries is "arbitrary" and "discriminatory", wrote the American members of the House of Representatives.

The right for nationality is the foundation of the other human rights. Without nationality, we have no access to healthcare, education, employment nor the possibility to exercise of certain political rights, stated these congressmen who recognize the right of a sovereign country to have its laws on naturalization. These domestic laws have to be shape to meet international conventions against discrimination, they call reminded.

Congressmen Joseph p. Kennedy, Frederica Wilson, Karen Bass, Friend Bera, Michael Capuano, Steve Cohen, John Conyers Jr, Danny K. Davis, Theodore E. Deutch, Marcia L.Fudge, Joe Garcia, Alcee L.Hastings all signed the letter.

The Survivors of the wreck will be repatriated on Tuesday, December 3rd

The Haitian survivors of the sailboat wreck that occurred two weeks ago were scheduled to return to Haiti, on Tuesday. During this short journey, around thirty Haitians died and 110 others were helped in time by the U.S. Coastguards.

These migrants were scheduled to return to the country aboard a plane which also transported other Haitian migrants who had followed the same path to reach the Bahamas. The sailboat which transported these Haitians had a wreck off Staniel Cay on Monday, November 25th in the evening.

Art Basel Miami

The contemporary art fair Art Basel was going full swing last weekend at the heart of Miami. 304 galleries coming from more than thirty countries including Haiti, exhibited high quality modern and contemporary works including paintings, sculptures, installations, photos, printed matters, videos and multimedia.

A significant number of Haitian artists attend this year’s show including, Philippe Dodard, Jean-Claude Legagneur, Albert Desmangles, Alexandra Barbot, Dominique Ambroise, Elizabeth Guérin, Alpi, Ernst Sylla, Fred Thomas, Fritz Millevoix, Jacques Garcon, Kristo, Raphaelle Castera, Robert Sylvain, Sophia Lacroix, Asser Saint Val, Harold Claudio and Jason Fleurant. Art galleries said sales were exceptionally strong this year at every level. The visitors to the exhibitions indicated to HPN that the quality of the Haitian works was exceptional.

 François Guillaume II, the consul general of Haiti in Miami deeply encouraged the members of the Haitian Diaspora, in particular in Florida to take part in this big cultural event to celebrate the diversity through the art, music and culture. Art Basel, draws about 70,000 visitors, 4,000 artists, 70 museums representatives from all over the world, 2 billion potential transactions and 304 hand-picked galleries from all over the world, that show on two floors thousands works of modern and contemporary art, from the beginning of the 20^th century till today.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 16 décembre 2014

A new air line will serve the Port-au-Prince airport

Inter Caribbean Airways announced the beginning of its new services without layover to and from Kingston, Jamaica and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to Port-au-Prince.

Inter Caribbean Airways was scheduled to begin its regular services on December 13th, between the Norman Manley International Airport of Kingston and Port-au-Prince, as well as from Port-au-Prince to the international airport of Santo Domingo, in only one hour.

In cooperation with Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, Minister of Tourism and Creative Industries, to increase the flights and build Haiti as a pleasure destination, these new services will widen the travel options for visitors from nearby islands interested in traveling to Haiti.

Sale and the reservations of tickets from intercaribbean.com can be made at airports and travel agencies.

Thomas Shannon in Haiti

The State Department Advisor, Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon, took a trip to Haiti from December 10 – 12, 2014 at the request of Secretary of State of the United States, John Kerry.

According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, Shannon met with President Michel Martelly, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, representatives of the Parliament, leaders of political parties of the opposition, and members of the international community.

Shannon was impressed by the progress realized since his last visit, and was particularly happy to notice advances in political dialogue managed by Haitians.

Shannon was anxious to thank all those who took time to speak to him, and appreciate their commitment to the future of Haiti, according to the press release.

"The United States continues to support an inter-Haitian solution with the aim of holding fair elections which will put the country on a path to democracy, stability, and sustainable economic growth," the release added.

Secretary of State John Kerry visit Peru and Colombia.

Secretary of State John Kerry did not end up going to Haiti. On a tour to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Summit of the Americas, he ended up in Peru and in Colombia.

The visit of the Secretary of State to Haiti had never been announced officially. It has been postponed to a later date.

The message of President Martely to the nation

"I agree with the report. I agree with its recommendations."

These words ended the era of Laurent Lamothe - the Prime Minister, whose resignation the advisory committee’s report recommended. "The only thing which seems complicated to me is following the timetable," continued Martelly.

This message from the Head of State to the nation was aired on Friday, December 12^th, on TNH, the country’s National Television.

Two days later, on December 14th, the Prime Minister presented his resignation

It was two o'clock in the morning when the television viewers, who had waited since 8 in the evening, following a scrolling on the TNH screen, finally saw an appearance from Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe.

Bowing to pressure, Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned Saturday, paving the way for a new government to lead the country into long overdue legislative and local elections.

Lamothe announced his resignation in a speech that was recorded shortly after 11 p.m., but did not air until almost 2 a.m. Sunday because of technical difficulties, “Despite all of these accomplishments, if this is what can truly unblock the political crisis, I’ve decided,” he said, “to hand President Martelly my resignation and that of the entire government.”

TheLamothe government resignation came on yet another day of tense anti-government protests, which also spread to the cities of Cap-Haitien and Gonaives. In Port-au-Prince, protesters accused police of killing an unarmed demonstrator who had a visible bullet wound in his chest.

During the demonstration, people strongly condemned former U.S. President and U.N. Haiti Envoy Bill Clinton for his recent defense of Lamothe in a Miami Herald interview.

“Bill Clinton says that this is ‘the most consistent and decisive government’ he has ever worked with, yet you have thousands of Haitians in the streets, who are hungry and protesting because they are not happy with the situation,” Assad said. “Yet he’s clapping, ‘Bravo.’ Economic interests are at play here, not Haitian interests. We are defending Haiti’s interests.”

Negotiations on a new prime minister and government more reflective of the political parties in parliament, per the commission’s recommendations, are expected to begin on Monday. Historically these have been protracted political battles in Haiti, where the departure of a prime minister in the past has sometimes left a months-long political void and created further instability, to the frustration of the international community.

Former U.S. President and Haiti Envoy Bill Clinton defends Prime Minister Lamothe

The push to remove Haitian Prime Minister Lamothe could erase the gains Haiti has made in the last four years, former President Bill Clinton said Thursday in an exclusive interview with the Miami Herald.

“He’s done a really good job,” Clinton said on the margins of his one-day Future of the Americas summit at the University of Miami. “The one thing that Haiti doesn’t want to get out of this process is looking like ‘Ok, we had four great years, we were growing like crazy so you think we’ll throw it all away and go back to the old ways. It won’t be good for the country. ”

Clinton, who served as U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti after the country’s devastating Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake, is the most prominent person yet to weigh in on a series of far-reaching recommendations by a Haitian presidential commission calling for the resignations of Lamothe and other key government appointees, including members of the provisional electoral council, to ease rising political tensions in Haiti.

The commission, made up of 11 respected members of Haitian society and appointed by President Michel Martelly, released their recommendations this week. Martelly is expected to address the nation on Friday about whether he will fire Lamothe, his friend and confidante.

“No experience I’ve ever had in Haiti has been free of political complications; it’s a complicated country,” Clinton said, turning his attention to Lamothe, who became prime minister in May 2012.

“This is the most consistent and decisive government I’ve ever worked with across a broad range of issues. And I think if you look at the sheer volume of investments they’ve attracted, everything from hotels to clean energy to healthcare, you have to ask yourself, ‘Why is this being done?’ ” he added.

Lamothe supporters say he’s the target of special interest groups who don’t take kindly to his going after major drug traffickers.

“He has never been part of the problem and will always be part of the solution,” Lamothe’s spokesman Michel Brunache told the Herald.

Opponents, however, disagree, saying Lamothe has not run a tight financial ship. They say he and Martelly have intentionally delayed elections to allow Martelly to rule by decree starting in January, easing Lamothe’s expected presidential bid.

Clinton said Lamothe’s political fate isn’t up to him. But if he were the one making a decision, Clinton said, he would do it “in a way that would keep the doors to Haiti open and keep people wanting to be part of Haiti’s future.”

“They have to realize that the trust of other people, the support of other people and the involvement of other people is not a limitless commodity that is immune to what happens there,” he said. “We’ve gone through several governments, several incarnations. I’ve seen some changes happen, some I agreed with, some I disagreed with. But after every one, you could still see a path forward to build a country.”

A presidential commission calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and his government

An 11-member Haiti presidential commission charged with helping stave off a deepening political crisis is calling for sweeping changes, including the resignation of Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and his government, the head of the country’s supreme court and members of the body charged with organizing delayed elections, according to a copy of the report obtained by the Miami Herald.

The commission also is asking for the release of several people who have been arbitrarily arrested and deemed by human rights groups as political prisoners as part of what it is calling, “calming measures” intended to show the will of Haiti’s leaders to reduce the tensions dividing the country.

The opposition also has a role to play, the commission said. The report calls for a truce by the opposition, whose political parties have amplified their street demonstrations in recent weeks with appeals for Lamothe and President Michel Martelly to resign. The truce is necessary to achieve a political agreement for Haiti’s long-delayed local and legislative elections to occur, members agreed.

“The Commission believes that to avoid a worsening of the current situation, ‘the most credible solution to the crisis’ should allow a return in a reasonable time, to constitutional normalcy and well-functioning institutions democratic and republican,” the 10-page report states.

The far-reaching recommendations, signed by all 11 members and handed to Martelly late Monday, comes amid intensified anti-government street protests demonstrating Haitians’ growing discontent, a depreciation of the local currency and concerns by the international community that all of Haiti’s democratic gains in recent years could quickly erode.

Announced by Martelly on Nov. 28 at the end of a day of violent street protests, the commission was charged with looking at five issues that arose during more than two months of talks that Martelly held with political parties and civil society.

“My gosh,” Martelly said during the brief Nov. 28 nationwide address after naming the commission, “the country is divided. The problems are many. The problems are complicated.”

Martelly and the opposition have been at a stalemate over an electoral law with six opposition senators blocking the vote on constitutional grounds and a lack of confidence in the provisional electoral council (CEP), which is charged with staging the vote. The lack of a law has further delayed the local and legislative elections, which should have taken place in 2011.

Both sides have accused the other of not wanting elections to take place. “It has been 254 days since the Senate held a quorum,” Martelly tweeted Monday night, “vote the electoral law.”

One thing the report does not recommend is an extension of the terms of parliament, which means that absent a compromise, Martelly will rule by decree beginning Jan.12 until elections can take place. But the commission is asking Martelly to commit not to rule by decree except for the issuing of the electoral law.

“The President of the Republic,” the report says, should “acknowledge that the country is experiencing a serious situation that requires acts of patriotic grandeur, inviting even his political opponents to join the executive, and formally committing to take no decree except those linked to elections during the parliamentary vacuum period.”

On Monday, commission member and former senator Gabriel Fortune told a morning radio talk show that the commission’s role is to create the political space for negotiations to take place.

Martelly will officially receive the report during a 4 p.m. ceremony Tuesday on the grounds of the National Palace. It remains unclear if he will heed any or all of the commission’s many recommendations, including working with the political parties to form a more representative government.

The commission wrote that in meeting with Lamothe, he said he would resign should Martelly ask him to do so.

A close friend ofMartellywho helped bankroll his 2010 presidential campaign,Lamothebecame prime minister in May 2012. But his jet setting, rising profile and schedule, which reflects a Hillary Clinton-like method of raising a future presidential candidate’s profile without officially announcing for office, has enraged opposition groups.

“The commission offers a way out of the crisis if Michel Martelly accepts all of its recommendations; but then we will deal with new complicated negotiations about the new electoral council, the new prime minister and the new head of the Supreme Court,” said Robert Fatton, a Haiti expert at the University of Virginia who has been following the crisis. “The commission’s work is a first and perhaps major step in defusing the crisis, but there is no guarantee that the conflicting sectors will ultimately reach a compromise.

“There is room for major miscalculations, but the commission gives some hope that things may not fall apart,” he added. “Finally, it remains to be seen what will be the role of the international community, mainly the U.S. and Brazil in helping Haitians find a Haitian solution to their immediate problems. Here, too, miscalculations can have very negative consequences.”

Both the U.S. and Brazil have been increasingly concerned about the deteriorating situation in Haiti, where there is talk about a visit by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday. Martelly has officially asked for a postponement of the visit, which has yet to be confirmed.

During the past eight days, commission members examined all issues that have been feeding the crisis, including the lack of confidence in the country’s Supreme Court after several questionable appointments to the bench, including that of the head judge, and in the Haitian National Police.

“The perception of politicization of the Haitian National Police (HNP) creates distrust and doubts about the possibility of holding the country democratic elections free, fair and inclusive,” the report said.

Haiti, the report said, “is facing an economic and structural crisis.”

That solution, outlined in the report, aims to serve several objectives, members agreed: to establish a permanent dialogue between the three branches of government, particularly between the executive and the legislature; allow for a historic compromise between political forces; the formation of a consensus government with the political parties, particularly those represented in parliament; the creation of a climate for holding inclusive, credible and fair elections and restoring public confidence in the judiciary and the police force.

“The deterioration of the political and social environment requires several calming measures and recovery before Christmas,” the report said. “It is therefore imperative to find a political compromise before Jan. 12.”

The report also calls on the public and opposition parties to do their part, including ending calls for Martelly’s resignation.

“Respect the constitutional legitimacy of the President of the Republic,” the report said, while calling on the opposition to accept Martelly’s invitation to negotiate without preconditions.

The Haitian people, the commission said, must “recognize that the situation is serious and that everyone must make his contribution to building a more just and equitable society.”

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 23 décembre 2014

Haiti gets more IMF money

WASHINGTON (CMC) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says it has approved US$2.4 million for Haiti after the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country successfully completed its final review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme.

The IMF said the new disbursement brings to US$60 million the amount of funds provided to Haiti under the facility that was first approved in July this year.

Haiti: IDB Grants $36 Million for Haitian Tourism Development

Haiti’s burgeoning tourism industry received a significant boost this week via approval of a $36 million grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The grant will support initiatives to “foster tourism around Haitian historic, cultural and natural resources” on the country’s southern coast, said IDB officials in a statement.

The grant will also create tourism employment for Haiti’s low-income residents, said officials. “Given its inviting beaches, rich tropical landscape, unique cultural history as the world’s first black republic, and its proximity to the United States, Haiti has much to offer tourists,” said IDB.

“But they’re not likely to flock there until they perceive the environment is clean, excursion leaders are well-trained and equipped with safe equipment and vessels, and security is not a concern.”

The grant will enable Haiti’s government to implement “a well-planned tourism program featuring a combination of infrastructure development, job training and government capacity building,” officials said.

Haiti faces well-documented economic challenges, notes IDB. “More than 80 percent of rural inhabitants scrape by as subsistence farmers and just 60 percent work in the formal job sector,” said officials. Moreover, the country struggles to “combat the effects of climate change and other natural disasters, environmental degradation from deforestation, overfishing, and improper disposal of solid waste,” said IDB.

As a result, environmental cleanup will account for 71 percent of grant expenditures, IDB officials. E grant will also fund rehabilitation of historic sites and construction of artisan markets and other cultural spaces.

In addition, 12 percent of grant funds will fund the training of hospitality, excursion, and entertainment workers and local tourism authority development.

While Haiti’s southern coast features potentially popular area including the beachfront towns of Port Salut and Aquin, these districts offer few hotels for contemporary leisure travelers , while some have beaches that are “heavily eroded,” according to IDB. The group estimates that only 10 percent of Haiti’s southern coast historic sites and protected areas offer adequate tourist facilities.

Meanwhile the ministry of tourism’s effort to rebuild Haiti’s leisure visitor arrivals is reporting some early success. Tourist arrivals Haiti increased 21.1 percent increase in 2014, according to the ministry’s third-quarter data.

The country has hosted 362,890 overnight visitors to date in 2014 versus 299,686 in 2013. The increased 2014 totals follow Haiti’s 20.3 percent arrivals increase in 2013. Haiti has also hosted 477,128 cruise passengers at its Labadee cruise port to date in 2014.

A government study reports most tourists spends an average of three days in Haiti and spend $160 per day. Overnight visitors contributed $174.2 million to Haiti’s economy.

New housing solution for Haiti’s seminarians

Tom Tracy

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti

Jean Moise Zetrenne still remembers that horrible afternoon in January of 2010 when life radically changed for the Catholic seminarians of Haiti, and in many ways is only just starting to improve.

“I was in a prayer moment in a philosophy class when the earth started to shake,” said Zetrenne,” now a third-year theology student studying for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince.

“I didn't know what it was but we heard a lot of noise outside, and I didn’t have time to run outside so sat down in a chair; four of us were lost because there was a part of the seminary that fell down.”

Several other seminarians in Haiti, he said, were left amputees but have since gone on to priestly ordination.

In the week before Christmas, Zetrenne was among 140 other theology seminarians studying for the church in Haiti who -- along with another 140 minor seminarians at another location -- have for five years been living in ad hoc housing arrangements and in some cases emergency tents provided by U.S. donations.

The tent dormitories are now empty after a new two-story, yellow and lime-green building a forty minutes-drive out of the city of Port-au-Prince became the provisional campus for the Notre Dame Grand Seminary, the major seminary for the 140 seminarians studying for Haiti.

That building, originally constructed with the support of unrestricted parish collections within the Archdiocese of Miami in the months following the magnitude 7 earthquake, had been conceived as a medical clinic or possible guest/mission house for visiting U.S. volunteers.

Msgr. Jean Pierre, pastor of St. James Parish in North Miami, was instrumental in leading the local fundraising and had been frequently shuttled between Miami and Haiti following the earthquake. He envisioned a new mission center complex with a medical clinic in his native Haiti that would be a special outreach project of the Miami community.

Nationally, Catholics contributed some $100 million to the Haiti relief effort, with 70 percent of that designated for immediate humanitarian needs and in concert with Catholic Relief Services, while the rest ($30 million) was designated for church and pastoral needs -- a number which was even then was seen as a shortfall and unrealistic for church rebuilding in Haiti.

While the full and exact extent of the damage is not known, the Haitian government estimates 230,000 people were killed in the 2010 catastrophe, 300,000 were injured and 2 million were displaced.

Archbishop John Favalora, head of the archdiocese at that time, supported the idea that some $1 million of unrestricted funds and Miami parish collections after the quake would best be used for church reconstruction projects such as Msgr. Pierre’s proposed building; some of those funds allowed for smaller grants to each of the dioceses of Haiti.

But more recently the local church in Haiti saw another urgent need: for better seminarian housing which was has been a lingering problem. And so on Nov. 7 the theology students moved in to the new building, allowing younger philosophy students to abandon the dormitory tents and move into other housing structures at the minor seminary, itself a temporary situation.

At the Miami-funded campus, new mattresses, still in their wrappers, lined an upstairs hallway at the center, which features a chapel, dining room, kitchen ample classrooms, student and faculty residential space and a garden.

“We like it, because before we were in a difficult situation and I think now we will be able to study better, to sleep better and to become priests for the people of God,” Zetreene said of the new seminary space. “We thank everybody for this and we will pray for them.”

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski came here to celebrate Mass in the chapel on Dec. 16, the final week before the Christmas holiday break, and to talk further with faculty and administration about how the new facility was serving the seminarians.

The Miami archbishop, who traveled with Trinitarian Father Juan Molina, director of the U.S. bishops’ Office for the Church in Latin America, said he was happy that a new building, which began as a Miami project but was finished with some $800,000 of local church funds, has found a good purpose.

“The building had not been designed to be a seminary but I think the hand of God was in whoever made that design because it fits the purpose of a seminary very well,” the archbishop said.

As the five-years anniversary of the Haiti earthquake approaches, Archbishop Wenski noted there is wide recognition in the church globally that new energy and focus need to be put back on the church infrastructural rebuilding efforts in Haiti. And that the overall funds have fallen short of the task.

To that ends the Vatican is sponsoring a one-day international conference in Rome Jan. 10 in concert with the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the Vatican's office for distributing and encouraging Catholic charitable giving, and many of the key reconstruction international partners including key representatives of the U.S. bishops.

Michel Martelly played a role in the release of Alan Gross

The Miami Herald Jacqueline Charles

Haitian President Michel Martelly declined Wednesday to reveal details of his intervention with Cuban leader Raúl Castro on behalf of the United States for the release of USAID subcontractor Alan Gross.

But he said no one knew when he left Haiti with an adviser and his oldest son, Olivier, in early 2013 what he was up to. He had been asked to intervene by Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who thought his relationship with Cuba and the U.S. could be of use.

On Tuesday, Cuba released Gross and the U.S. and Cuba announced sweeping efforts toward normalizing relations that have been frozen for more than a half-century.

After Martelly discussed the Gross case with Cuban officials, Vice President Joe Biden later called to thank him on behalf of the United States, he said.

“Haiti is proud to have played a role in what happened today,” Martelly told the Miami Herald in an interview, preferring to give all the credit to Nelson. “It’s making it better for people on both sides.”

During his visits to Cuba, Martelly said he ‎saw how “heavy other investments were by other countries, and the United States, which is just 45 minutes away from Cuba, was losing opportunity in business investments.”

Martelly said he always spoke to people, whether it was presidents or ambassadors about bettering relations between Cuba and the U.S.

“I’m happy today that this was a success, and about the little role I was able to play,” he said.

The Cuban people, he said, “have definitely suffered from that embargo. We had an embargo for three years, and up to this day, we have not recovered.

“I wish for the embargo to be over for Cuba, and all I can do is wish success to both countries in having better relations.”

Martelly said in today’s global environment, it’s important for countries to accept differences, and to dialogue.

Health Minister Named as Haiti's New Interim Prime Minister

Haitian Health Minister Florence Duperval Guillaume was named interim prime minister on Sunday to replace Laurent Lamothe, who resigned a week ago following several weeks of protests.

The announcement is part of an effort to resolve a mounting political crisis over long-delayed elections. Under Haiti's constitution, Guillaume can hold the interim position for up to 30 days before a permanent choice is nominated for approval by parliament.

Lamothe was forced to resign after President Michel Martelly accepted the recommendations of a special commission appointed to defuse the crisis, including calling for the prime minister to go.

It also came after international warnings from the United States and the United Nations that the impoverished Caribbean nation was on the brink of political chaos again.

Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, is still recovering from an earthquake five years ago that levelled much of the capital, Port-au-Prince. In recent weeks, demonstrators in several cities have accused the government of corruption.

If elections are not held before Jan. 12, the fifth anniversary of the earthquake, parliament will shut down, leaving the country without a functioning government until presidential elections in late 2015.

A career health worker whose official title is minister of public health and population, she is seen as close to Haiti's First Lady Sophia Martelly, and has overseen efforts to rebuild the country's fragile medical services, including by starting new hospitals and handling a cholera epidemic and long-running HIV-AIDS treatment.

Named health minister in 2011, she is widely respected by international aid agencies. She previously was deputy chief of management science for Health in Haiti, an organization working with government and private groups across a wide range of medical problems.

She told a Harvard Kennedy School forum last year that her biggest challenge is reaching the 40 percent of Haitians not covered by basic health care, according to the official Harvard Gazette.

Martelly still has to find a permanent replacement for prime minister, who must be approved by parliament before it expires. Former Interior Minister Jocelerme Privert, former Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and current Finance Minister Marie-Carmelle Jean-Marie‎ are mentioned as possible candidates.

New York: a man shoots down two policemen then commits suicide

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A man shot down on Saturday two policemen in New York before committing suicide, announced the head of the city’s police department. A message left by the gunman on the Internet evoked an act of vengeance for the death of an unarmed black man during an incident this summer with the New York law enforcement.

The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, a 28-year-old black man, fired a semiautomatic pistol at both policemen as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn, said William Bratton, accompanied with Mayor Bill de Blasio, during a press conference.

He then rushed into a subway station, where he shot himself in the head.

The two deceased policemen were called Rafael Ramos, age 40, and Wenjian Liu, 32 years old.

Before going to Brooklyn, Ismaaiyl Brinsley had shot and seriously injured his girlfriend, in Baltimore, Maryland, said William Bratton.

American media showed a message broadcasted on Saturday on Instagram and emanating apparently from the suspect, who uttered insults against the police: "I give wings to the pigs today. They take one of ours (...) Let us take two of theirs."

This message is accompanied with hashtags evoking Eric Garner and Michael Brown, the two black men who died this year in incidents involving white policemen, the first one in New York, and the second to Ferguson in the Missouri.

In both cases, Grand Juries decided not to charge the policemen.

These decisions provoked demonstrations in New York and in other cities of the United States to denounce the treatment of Blacks by the police and the apparent impunity enjoyed by law enforcement.

Suspended North Miami Mayor Convicted Of Mortgage Fraud

December 16, 2014

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A jury has convicted suspended North Miami Mayor Lucie Tondreau guilty on all counts of federal mortgage fraud.

Prosecutors say Tondreau and others conspired before she became mayor to defraud lenders using straw buyers, who obtained inflated loans for 20 properties. The scheme allegedly involved recruiting buyers through a radio program catering to Haitian-American listeners.

Tondreau’s business partner, Karl Oreste, previously pleaded guilty in the case.

Tondreau faces up to 30 years in prison during sentencing which is set for March 20th.