GOOD NEWS HAITI

Haiti still has enormous beauty to offer

2011-04-02T13:05:00.001-04:00

Tell people you are planning on Haiti. Tell them, and wait for the raised eyebrows, the skewed glances, the incredulous questions. Anyone who says that Haiti tourism is a thriving industry is a liar. It's not much of a secret – pick up your nearest Caribbean travel guide. See if it lists Haiti. Sure, it"ll have Haiti's neighbor to the east, the ever growing Dominican Republic, but Haiti? Probably not. They would have you believe that no one wants to visit the island. Haiti has a reputation, after all.
A reputation for danger and instability. And while the turbulent history of Haiti doesn't lend itself well to apologists, the country itself has long been given a bad rap. While crime, environmental problems and urban decay definitely have a home here, it's neither more or less sketchy than many places in the world. And if anyone tries to talk you out of visiting Haiti, politely ignore them, as Haiti culture makes the island one of the most complex and fascinating locations in all of the Caribbean.
In fact, Haiti tourism was a bustling industry just 25 years ago. The untamed scenery and exotic locale were legendary, attracting movie stars and business moguls from all over the world. Notoriety came in the form of Haiti's national religion of voodoo, but it was soon replaced by a different, more ominous marking – dictatorships, drug trafficking, widespread poverty and violence, all of which seriously wounded Haiti tourism. And despite the return of democracy to the island in the 21st century, the island is still in the process of recovery.
But that is neither here nor there, as the island still has enormous beauty to offer. Factor in that the government and people of Haiti are trying their best to restore the island into a tourist haven, and you have all the makings for a sublime trip to an island rediscovering itself. The palm trees and gingerbread houses of Jacmel make the city one of the most beautiful locations in all of the Caribbean. The fading white of the buildings and voodoo artwork give the city an exoticism that reminds one of why this used to be one of the top tourist spots in the entire Caribbean.
The vibrant Haiti culture is most alive in its religion, music and food. Though the official religion of the country is Catholicism, a throwback to when the French ran the island, it is their continuing practice of voodoo that gives the culture of Haiti its exotic appeal. Though the French tried in vain to keep control of the island, Haiti became the second nation in the Americas (after the United States) to achieve independence. The most prominent remainder from French culture is the food, which borrows equally from creole, traditional African dishes and the spices of Latin America. The music of Haiti is significantly different from the rest of the Caribbean – kampa and zouk are the most popular forms here, and have more in common with jazz than the island beats found in places such as Cuba and Trinidad.
Despite the messy history of Haiti, the country is indeed becoming more tourist-friendly. Fear mongering and trumped-up State Department warnings are the only reminders of what Haiti used to be. Luckily, the people of Haiti are more concerned with what the island is turning into: one of the best kept secrets and one of the great examples of political and economic renewal in all of the world.

WWW.destination360.com

Tide football player of Alabama University visit Haiti

2011-04-02T12:30:00.001-04:00

Barrett Jones organized a group of 13 students to go to Haiti during spring break. The three Tide football players included Barrett Jones, Harrison Jones and Hardie Buck.
Rex and Leslie Jones along with their sons (Barrett 20, Harrison 18 and Walker 16) led the group.

Leslie Jones shared the information:

"Barrett Jones, Harrison Jones and Walker Jones invited some of their high school friends also, so it was 24 students and 11 adults.

"Leigh and Sarah Gilmore, who run Cross Country and Track, were in the group along with Lissa Handley Tyson, Bear Bryant's great-granddaughter. Barrett knows these people through Campus Crusade and FCA.

"The trip was through Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN. Bellevue has partnered with SMI Haiti to send groups to Haiti on a regular basis. SMI is a ministry that has been active in Haiti for 14 years. Go to SMIHaiti.org for more info on the organization. Frank Williams, the President of SMI Haiti, met the group in Haiti and stayed with them the whole time.

"The group stayed at a SMI mission house in Guitton which is about 1.5 hrs from Port au Prince. They worked with a school and orphanage in St. Ard about 15 minutes from Guitton.

SMI and Bellevue Baptist are building a new school in St Ard to replace one that was damaged in the earthquake. Right now the students are meeting in a tent.
The team painted classrooms and bars on windows.

"One of Barrett's favorite accomplishments was that they built a basketball court. They put together the goals, installed them and painted lines on a concrete slab. There was a huge basketball game, USA vs Haiti, the last day. The whole school was dismissed to watch. USA won by a lot even though the Haitians were very athletic.

"Earlier in the week, there was a huge USA vs Haiti soccer game with their high school players and members of the mission team. Most of the guys on the trip were great high school athletes and thought they would be pretty competitive. Barrett gave a great pre-game speech and told his team, "We didn't come to Haiti to lose!" USA lost 5-2. Barrett and Harrison scored the only goals. The team felt pretty good about it until they learned that it was the sophomore soccer team not the varsity that they had played. Haitians are very good soccer players.

"The team also went to a small village north of Guitton in the mountains to visit a school. A lot of these kids had never seen Americans. The team passed out candy, toys and a bag with enough rice and beans to feed 14 people. The kids were so grateful and happy!

"Another day, the team fed the kids a big plate of rice and beans at the school in St Ard. The Haitian children were so careful not to drop one bite and if they didn't finish, they carefully took it home with them.

"It was a great trip, and no one on the mission team was ready to leave!"

RETRO OF SATURDAY

2011-04-02T03:07:00.005-04:00

A.K.I.K.O. BY THE GODDESS OF HAITIAN MUSIC

Emeline Michel is widely known as "The reigning queen of Haitian music, the new goddess of Creole music"

Her first experience in music was singing gospel music at her local church.

She is a very captivating performer, versatile vocalist, accomplished dancer, songwriter and producer

Short documentary about Francois Duvalier Papa Doc

2011-04-02T00:14:00.002-04:00

François Duvalier was the president of Haiti from 1957 until his death. Trained as a physician and known to his people as "Papa Doc," Duvalier ruled his country as no other Haitian chief executive had, using violence and phony elections to hold down any opposition.

Early life

François Duvalier was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 14, 1907. His family belonged to the middle class. His grandfather had been a tailor, and his father was a school-teacher and municipal court judge. Duvalier believed that his people's African traditions should be preserved and protected from the influence of European countries. He was one of the founders of the Haitian intellectual Griot movement of the 1930s, whose members celebrated their African roots and even the practice of voodoo (a religion involving communication with spirits) as important elements of Haitian culture. Duvalier graduated in 1934 from the Haitian National University Medical School. In 1939 he married Simone Ovide, a nurse, and they had three daughters and a son.
Duvalier was active in sanitary programs initiated in Haiti by the U.S. army during World War II (1939–45) to prevent yaws, a contagious tropical disease. In 1944–45 he studied at the University of Michigan. After returning to Haiti, he became minister of health and labor in the government of President Dumarsais Estimé, who had once taught Duvalier in high school. After opposing the takeover of the government by Paul Magloire in 1950, Duvalier returned to the practice of medicine, especially the campaigns to prevent yaws and other diseases. In 1954 he abandoned medicine and went into hiding in the Haitian countryside. In 1956 the Magloire government forgave all of its political opponents. Duvalier immediately emerged from hiding and declared his candidacy for the next elections.

Rise to power

Duvalier had a solid base of support in the countryside, and his campaign was similar to those of the other candidates in that they all promised to rebuild the country and give it a new start. Duvalier, however, made various deals with one or more of the other candidates, won the army over to his side, and finally defeated Louis Déjoie, his main opponent, in what turned out to be the quietest and most honest election in Haiti's history.
In spite of this favorable start, Duvalier's government was burdened with many problems. The defeated candidates refused to cooperate with him and, from hiding, encouraged acts of violence and disobedience against the new president. After Fidel Castro (1927–) came to power in Cuba, that country began to harbor Haitian refugees who had escaped the increasingly harsh conditions of the Duvalier government. In addition, General Rafael Trujillo (1891–1961), dictator (military ruler) of the Dominican Republic and enemy of Castro, feared a Cuban invasion through Haiti, and this concern led to Dominican interference in Haitian affairs.

Abuse of power

It was during this period that Duvalier created an organization directly responsible to him, the Tontons Macoutes (also known as "Bogeymen"), the Haitian version of a secret police. Through the late 1950s to the middle 1960s this force continued to grow and was responsible for terrorizing and assassinating anyone thought to be an opponent of Duvalier. In the 1961 elections Duvalier altered the ballots to have his name placed at the top. Afterward he announced that his victory gave him another six years in office. In the words of the New York Times of May 13, 1961, "Latin America has witnessed many fraudulent (fake) elections … but none will have been more outrageous than the one which has just taken place in Haiti."
After the 1961 elections the American government made it clear that the United States disputed the truth of the results and that Duvalier's legal term should end in 1963. During 1962 the American Agency for International Development (AID) mission was withdrawn from Haiti, and by April 1963 an American fleet moved into position close to Port-au-Prince. On May 15, to show its disapproval of Duvalier's continued presence, the United States suspended diplomatic relations with Haiti, refusing to engage it in discussions of international matters. At the same time, relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic were getting worse, and Duvalier's main enemy, Dominican President Juan Bosch, was threatening to invade Haiti.

François Duvalier.
Reproduced by permission of

Archive Photos, Inc.

Even the Organization of the American States (OAS) became involved, sending a fact-finding mission to Haiti. However, Duvalier remained firmly in control, the Dominicans backed down, and Haiti went back to business as usual.

President for life

After the election of 1961 and the continuation of Duvalier's rule in 1963, many observers felt it was only a matter of time before Duvalier moved to have himself installed as permanent Haitian president. On April 1, 1964, that was exactly what happened. The Legislative Chamber, which did whatever Duvalier wanted, rewrote the 1957 constitution, making a point of changing Article 197 so that Duvalier could be declared president for life. A "vote" on the new constitution was held, and on June 22, 1964, Duvalier was officially named president for life.
After that time Haitian political life was a little calmer. Having taken over his country and holding off the United States, the OAS, and the Dominican Republic in the process, Duvalier was in complete control. During the 1960s he survived several damaging hurricanes and numerous attempts to overthrow him. A small, gray-haired man, Duvalier began suffering from heart disease and other health problems. In January 1971 he directed the National Assembly to change the constitution to allow his son, Jean Claude Duvalier (1951–), to succeed him. Duvalier died on April 21, 1971, and his son immediately took over.

For More Information

Harmonik/Alison Hinds La Nuit Des Jeunes 2011

2011-04-01T16:03:00.000-04:00

Shakira Helps Rebuild Haiti School

2011-04-01T12:50:00.000-04:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti April 1, 2011, 06:19 am ET

Colombian singer Shakira danced with students in Haiti on Thursday as she celebrated the renovation of a historic Catholic girls school damaged in the country's devastating 2010 earthquake.

With her song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" playing over loudspeakers, the Grammy-winning, hip-shaking pop star grooved with students from the Elie Dubois high school in downtown Port-au-Prince.

Her Barefoot Foundation, which helps child victims of violence and disasters, and the Inter-American Development Bank each donated $400,000 to restore the high school.

"I'm convinced that the key to a dignified future for Haiti is through education," said Shakira, 34, wearing a black T-shirt and matching jeans.

The nine-classroom, 250-student school was built in 1913, and was the first in Haiti to provide vocational training for girls, officials said. Construction is expected to begin in two months and will take up to 14 months to complete. Organizers have yet to put out bids.

Those involved attribute the cost to the expensive nature of building materials in the capital.

"Everything has to be imported," said Eric Cesal, an architect and program manager for Architecture for Humanity, an aid group that planned the school's restoration.

Youngsters were excited to meet Shakira and hear about their new school.

"It's so nice that we have a star coming and that she's coming to help the school," said Joselourdes Jean-Paul, a 19-year-old student. "With the new school, we're going to learn more and learn better."

From www.NPR.org

Did you know that the lead singer of Arcade Fire is the daughter of Haitian immigrants ???

2011-03-31T17:19:00.001-04:00

What an unbelievable gesture! This band deserves all the accolades they've received this year!
Arcade Fire performed an intimate, surprise show for fans in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti on Tuesday night, on top of raising over $1 million for post-earthquake relief for the devastated country!
Sources claim the band, whose singer, Régine Chassagne, is the daughter of Haitian immigrants, performed their own hits Keep the Car Running, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), and Haiti, as well as covers of CreedenceClearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, and Cyndi Lauper tracks!
Truly amazing! We're sure this meant the WORLD to not only their fans down there, but the entire community!
You guys should be EXTREMELY proud of all of your efforts! We certainly
perezhilton.com

Régine Chassagne is a Canadian of Haitian ancestry who was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and grew up in St-Lambert, a suburb south of Montreal. Her parents emigrated from Haiti during the dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier, which is alluded to in the Arcade Fire song "Haiti", in which she sings, Mes cousins jamais nés hantent les nuits de Duvalier ("My unborn cousins haunt Duvalier's nights").
Wiki

Arcade Fire rocking hotel Oloffson in Haiti video

2011-03-31T15:15:00.001-04:00

Arcade Fire may have stolen the spotlight at year's Grammys (and most recently, Canada's Juno Awards), but the indie rockers have never forgotten their roots.

On Tuesday (Mar. 29), the band played a brief secret show in Haiti -- a country near to the members' hearts, given their charitable contributions to Earthquake relief there as well as singer Régine Chassagne's Haitian ancestry.

In the intimate, impromptu performance at Port-au-Prince's Hotel Oloffson, Arcade Fire ripped into a wide variety of covers, reportedly including:Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop The Rain," and the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time." Of course, the Canadian group also played favorites from its three albums, including the Chassagne-led "Haiti" from the band's 2004 debut. Watch the rousing performance below.

Video: Arcade Fire Performs "Haiti" at Port-au-Prince Secret Show

Charlie Sheen WINNING in Haiti

2011-03-31T15:04:00.000-04:00

So, you’re Sean Penn. And your passion is Haiti. And you want to do whatever it takes to raise money for charities in Haiti. What do you do? Well, you put aside your dignity and you jump on the Charlie Sheen Train Wreck WINNING Bandwagon to capitalize on making money by glorifying a lifestyle that shouldn’t be glorified. Did we learn nothing from the Kid Rock experiment, people? Ah, sigh. But there is some good (by which we mean non-repulsive) news in this story.

So, apparently what happened was that Sean Penn and Charlie Sheen, for what reason we can’t discern, both visited Haiti together this month. It would seem that visit had quite the impact on the cold, hard, heart of Sheen, and now, on the advice of Penn, he’s bringing his “Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option” tour to Haiti. We guess in good news all of the proceeds from the show will go to charities in Haiti.

Luci Plavent

Ticket 500ème volume

2011-03-31T09:54:00.001-04:00

Haïti: Ticket la seule publication bihebdomadaire qui suit et rapporte l'actualité culturelle et la vie de nos stars de toutes les disciplines, a sorti ce mercredi son 500e numéro. De 2002 à nos jours, que de chemin parcouru, que d'émotion. A la une du Nouvelliste, des unes du magazine sont reproduites depuis lundi. Ah ! Nos artistes, leur talent, leurs frasques, leurs ambitions, leurs bilans. Tout est dans Ticket.

Les artistes sont à la mode ces jours-ci. Les membres d'Arcade Fire, récipiendaires du Grammy Award du meilleur album aux Etats-Unis en 2011, dominent la musique mondiale. Les membres du groupe versent aussi de l'humanitaire. Le fait que la fondatrice, Régine Chassagne, soit d'origine haïtienne les a poussés sur nos terres. Mardi soir, à l'hôtel Oloffson, le groupe canadien Arcade Fire a donné un concert survolté avant de prendre la route ce mercredi pour aller à Cange, visiter un projet de santé.

Shakira, la grande star colombienne qui avait enflammé le monde avec Hips don't lie, sera dans nos murs ce jeudi pour visiter les ruines de l'Institution Elie Dubois dévastée par le séisme. Elle remettra un chèque de 800 000 dollars qui servira à la reconstruction de cette vénérable maison qui date du début du 20e siècle et qui a toujours rempli avec honneur ses fonctions. Shakira, depuis sa collaboration avec Wyclef, nous la considérons comme l'une des nôtres.

Il faudra profiter de la visite de Shakira pour lui demander comment va Wyclef ?

Depuis sa blessure, personne ne sait trop bien comment se porte notre superstar. Rares sont ceux qui savent aussi toute la vérité sur cette nuit du samedi qui a précédé les élections du dimanche 20 mars quand un éclat de verre (selon la police) ou une balle perdue (selon ses proches) a rencontré sa main. Wyclef a installé le star-system à l'haïtienne sur les plus hautes marches de la célébrité. Il a lancé la mode des artistes qui briguent la présidence de la République.

Luck Mervil lui est dans de beaux draps. Un cousin à lui, directeur général de son association Vilaj Vilaj, a commis l'erreur de confondre son compte en banque avec celui de l'association. Mervil se confond en excuses, mais cela le met sous les feux de projecteurs qui ne sont pas les spotlights les plus recherchés par les stars qui veulent aller loin. Les généreux donateurs vont-ils continuer à faire confiance à celui qui cherche à collecter 25 millions de dollars pour construire des maisons et monter un village ?

Les artistes en s'impliquant dans le social, en mettant leur popularité au service de causes qui nous touchent, sont devenus des candidats hors normes de toutes les courses. Ils nous donnent du plaisir, mais nous rappellent aussi qu'ils sont des hommes qui commettent aussi des erreurs qui nous font alors baisser la tête : que c'est triste d'être déçu par l'attitude de quelqu'un qu'on admire.

En cette semaine du 500e numéro de TICKET, les artistes sont à la mode. Sur l'autel de la passion que nous leur vouons, tout est démesuré : les attentes comme les déceptions.

Frantz Duval
duval@lenouvelliste.com

De quoi le 4 avril sera-t-il fait?

2011-03-31T09:26:00.001-04:00

Les Haïtiens doivent encore attendre 6 jours à compter de ce mardi pour connaitre les résultats préliminaires des élections présidentielles et législatives du 20 mars dernier, la date du 4 avril ayant été desormais retenue par le conseil électoral provisoire à cette fin.

Les deux candidats à la présidence, le chanteur Michel Martelly, sous la bannière de la plateforme Repons Peyizan et Mirlande Manigat (professeure d’université) du Rassemblement des Democrates Nationaux Progressistes, se sont disputés le second tour des élections , il y a aujourd'hui 10 jours .

Chacun des 2 groupes politiques opposés ont pleinement profité de cette trop longue période post 2ème tour pour continuer leur lutte comme si une nouvelle campagne avait débuté après le scrutin, celle-ci pour influencer et faire pression sur ceux d'ici ou d'ailleurs qui, croit-on, à tort ou à raison, donnent la victoire, la victoire sortant si peu souvent des urnes .

On assiste donc à des sorties en série des équipes de campagne et des supporteurs qui, à chaque intervention, revendiquent la victoire de leur camp, en brandissant des chiffres venus on ne sait d’où.

Les responsables de la plateforme Repons Peyizan n’on pas attendu 24 heures après le vote pour crier victoire, aidés en ce sens par des secteurs de la presse locale et dominicaine et par quelqu'ancien ambassadeur domnicain en Haïti, citant des pourcentages non étayés.

Le camp adverse, non plus à court d'arguments, ne se laissant pas réduire au silence, brandit alors une depêche de CNN, retrouvée nulle part, pour appuyer son cri de victoire. Et dans une conférence de presse organisée peu après, il enchaîne que, sur la base des procès verbaux recueillis, sa championne est en meilleure position que son rival avec au moins 4 départements déjà gagnés.

Agacés par cette sortie qui a semblé faire mouche, les pro-Martelly bien engagés dans la bataille des perceptions, font vite de rétorquer en qualifiant les affirmations de leurs adversaires, de simples manœuvres politiciennes de gens affolés par la défaite.

Mais, prévenir vaut mieux que guérir, le camp Manigat, sans attendre la période des contestations, repasse à la charge et remet au CEP un mémoire sur les diférentes régions où les partisans de son adversaire auraient commis des fraudes massives et de graves irrégularités.

Et puis.... c'est le report de la date initialement prévue pour annoncer les résultats préliminaires, en raisoson de l'ampleur des fraudes. Ce n'est plus le 31 mars, mais le 4 avri.

Entre temps, sur le net, les échanges vont jusqu'à l'injure et l'insulte, comme si ça pouvait changer quelque chose.

La population ne saura peut-être pas dans quelle mesure cette guerre de « résultats et d'échanges fielleux » influencera les résultats qui seront proclamés par le CEP, puisque la presse menacée de sanctions quelques heures après la fermeture des bureaux de vote, s’est autocensurée.

Le directeur du CEP, Pierre Louis Opont, a dans la soirée électorale, demandé aux médias de surseoir à la publication de la tendance des votes pour éviter, a-t-il prétexté, des dérapages.

Et puis place nette aux spéculations, aux trahisons et aux coups bas. Et depuis, chaque jour qui se lève est en faveur d'un candidat ou d'une candidate.

Les regards sont également rivés sur le centre de tabulation, car, quoiqu'on dise c'est lui qui est supposé remettre au Conseil électoral provisoire les résultats à communiquer.

Le porte-parole du CEP, M Richardson DUMESLE assure que tout s'y passe bien et que les opérations de traitement des procès-verbaux s'y déroulent avec professionnalisme et transparence.

Cependant, certaines déclarations tendent à jeter des doutes sur la bonne santé des opérations. Des observateurs n’auraient pas accès à toutes les données, à en croire le directeur exécutif du Conseil National d’Observation qui s’en est plaint à plusieurs reprises.

Un responsable du Centre d'Education, de Recherches et d'Actions en sciences sociales et pénales (CERES), Wilson Bertrand, est allé dans le même sens, faisant savoir que certaines données du centre de tabulation sont inaccessibles aux observateurs locaux, insinuant presque, que ces derniers qui déambulent à longueur de journée au centre de tabulation, ne seraient que de simples figurants incapables d'influencer, d'imposer ou d'empêcher quoique ce soit.

Y aurait-il des zones d'ombres, des zones à cacher?

Autre sujet de préoccupations: jusqu’à ce lundi, environ 5% de procès verbaux n’étaient toujours pas arrivés au centre de tabulation. Ces bulletins, seraient-ils retenus en chemin ou la route entre les centres de votes concernés et le centre de tabulation serait-elle à ce point longue pour que, partis le 20 ou le 21 mars, ces fameux procès-verbaux ne soient toujours pas arrivés à destination?.

En fin de compte, est-ce qu'il y aura un perdant ou une perdante le 4 avril, car tous les procès-verbaux et les arguments brandis par les deux camps, n'ont donné que des gagnants. la crédibilité? du CEP arrivera-t-elle à convaincre du contraire? Ce CEP qui lors du premier tour de la presidentielle avait publié un résultat le 7 décembre 2010pour en publier un 2ème totalement différent le 3 fevrier 2011.

Et toute cette tension et cette peur de ce futur proche sont conditionnées par le temps mis par le CEP pour publier les résultats, l'interdiction faite par le CEP de publier les tendances du vote et la gestion, dès le début du processus par le CEP, la communauté internationale et le gouvernement haïtien

On a bien raison de retenir son souffle et d'être persuadé que la police nationale et la MINUSTAH auront du pain sur la planche.

Mais quoi qu'il advienne le 4 avril, le 16 avril 2011 ou plus tard, on ne sera pas sorti de l'auberge, le processus électoral ayant été vicié à la base.
AHP

Cuban Doctors Lower Cholera Lethality Rate in Haiti

2011-03-31T09:05:00.001-04:00

Havana, Cuba, Mar 30.- Cuban doctors working in Haiti have been able to bring cholera lethality down to 0.37 with no deaths from the disease reported in more than two months.

As a result of preventive measures adopted by the Cuban Medical Brigade, who have assisted more than 76,600 people suffering from cholera in the neighboring country so far, the number of cases has been gradually reduced, Granma newspaper reported, noting that on March 26, only 40 new cases were reported,said Granma.

According to Gonzalo Estevez, the second in charge of the brigade, said Cuban specialists are leading control actions even in the farthest communities of the country, where they test the water for cholera and talk to locals on how to prevent the disease.

Estevez Torres told Granma said in the event of new outbreaks of cholera the brigade implements local measures to prevent the transmission of the disease.

The Cuban doctors are distributed in 156 health centers across the nation, 67 of which are part of a joint program with Venezuela.

The work of the Cuban medical brigade in Haiti has been commended by local authorities and leaders of other nations, as well as by international organizations.

In a report by Prensa Latina dated March 18, Haiti’s ex-President Jean Bertrand Aristide was quoted as saying in Spanish: “Who knows how many people could have died without their [Cuban doctor’s] help!” “May their light reach others!” Bertrand Aristide made the statement upon returning to Haiti from after been on exile in South Africa for several years.(ACN)

Arcade Fire Cover Rolling Stones At Surprise Haiti Gig

2011-03-31T08:48:00.001-04:00

Arcade Fire played a surprise 45-minute show at Haiti’s Hotel Oloffson, located on the island’s capital Port-Au-Prince on Tuesday night (March 29th), reports Rolling Stone.
The publication claims the Canadian-based band played a set consisting of four covers – Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s ‘Who’ll Stop The Rain‘, The Rolling Stones‘ ‘The Last Time‘, Blondie‘s ‘The Tide Is High‘ and Cyndi Lauper‘s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun‘ – alongside a selection of their own favourites including ‘Keep The Car Running‘ and ‘Power Out‘.
Arcade Fire have strong links to Haiti thanks to principal member Régine Chassagne, who’s parents emigrated from Haiti to Canada, and have been working hard to raise money for the Haitian Earthquake Relief initiative throughout their touring schedule’s of 2010 and 2011.
Reports suggest the gig was filmed with intention of being included on a forthcoming DVD.
Setlist:
‘Who’ll Stop The Rain’

‘Keep The Car Running’

‘The Last Time’

‘Crucified Again’

‘Ocean Of Noise’

‘The Tide Is High’

‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’

‘Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)’

‘Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)’

‘Rebellion (Lies)’

‘Haiti’

$50,000 missing from Haitian reconstruction charity

2011-03-30T17:41:00.001-04:00

MONTREAL – Singer and Haitian activist Luck Mervil is on the defensive after $50,000 went missing from a fund earmarked for homes in the quake-ravaged country.
The Vilaj Vilaj project is supposed to convert shipping containers into houses in and around Port-au-Prince, which was heavily damaged in the January 2010 quake that killed 250,000 people.
Mervil put his career on hold to raise thousands of dollars to buy land for the pre-fab homes. Instead the donations wound up in the personal bank account of Mervil’s cousin, who also happens to be the director of the charity.
He told QMI Agency this week that the cousin, Parnell Pierre, came to him in January to tell him the money was unaccounted for.
“It’s obvious that it was a mistake on his part to put the money in his account,” said Mervil, who has so far refused to fire his cousin. “We were in an emergency situation.”
Mervil says Pierre made a “serious mistake” but he denies any suggestions of fraud.
“If you’re looking for a fraud story, you’re knocking on the wrong door,” Mervil said. “I’ll look into what happened with Mr. Pierre. If there are accusations to make, we’ll do it.”
Mervil’s refusal to get rid of Pierre irked Vilaj Vilaj board members and led at least one volunteer to quit the project.
Mervil could not provide details about his charity’s finances, claiming an audit has not yet been completed. A published report says Vilaj Vilaj owes money to several firms including a $10,000 bill from the designer of the charity’s website.
Mervil says the donations represented only a fraction of the money spent on the charity.
“We raised $50 000 but we also spent $150,000 from our own pockets,” he said.
“We believe in this project.”
Mervil said it will take an additional $25 million to build 5,000 pre-fab homes in Haiti.
From Torontosun.com

Jazz Fest to Honor Haiti's Musical and Tragic Relationship With New Orleans

2011-03-30T17:06:00.001-04:00

When the bands RAM Haiti and Boukman Eksperyans played at the 1994 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival as part of the spring event's spotlight on Haitian arts and cultures that year, the shared aspects of the two places were hard to miss for the visiting musicians. The generations-ago influx of Afro-Caribbean traditions via the slave trade and, in particular, diaspora following the Haitian slave rebellion linked the locales by history and culture: the Vodou ceremonies and drumming that became jazz in New Orleans' Congo Square, the carnival parades, the architecture, the food. Oh yes, the food.

"Hot spices, rice and beans, a lot of similarities," says RAM Haiti founder and leader Richard A. Morse.

"We have a lot in common," says Boukman co-founder Theodore "Lolo" Beaubrun. "The food, a lot of things. New Orleans is like a Caribbean city."

They'll get to have the food again when their bands play Jazz Fest again this year as part of another spotlight on Haitian music. RAM and Boukman -- both prominent in the "mizik rasin" roots-music movement -- along with erstwhile presidential candidate Wyclef Jean, Tabou Combo, Emeline Michel and an array of parades, workshops, exhibits and art vendors will be featured during the festival that takes place over the last weekend in April and first weekend in May.

This all happens in the context of a bill that ranges from such headliners as Jimmy Buffett, Arcade Fire, the Strokes, Kid Rock and Bon Jovi, top names in jazz (Ron Carter, Terence Blanchard) and blues (Bobby "Blue" Bland, Charlie Musselwhite) and a full spectrum of artists from New Orleans (Dr. John, Allen Toussaint).

The connection is clear from the Haitians' music, as is evident in the below video for RAM's official 2009 Kanaval song. It's the kind of thing the group has been doing since the mid-'90s in weekly gigs in Port-au-Prince at the historic Hotel Oloffson, which Morse manages and has turned into a vital cultural center (and was also featured in Graham Greene's 'The Comedians').

The relationship can also be heard in Boukman's exuberant 'Ke'-M Pa Sote [I'm Not Afraid],' a prime example of the groundbreaking brand of Vodou rock that has kept the group at the forefront of Haitian music since the '80s, the African roots undiminished by the ages.

But this time there's something else shared by the two places: recent devastations. New Orleans has suffered from Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill, and Haiti -- beset through the years with natural disasters, oppressive governments and, directly tied to both, crushing poverty -- was hit by a massive earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010. With all that in mind, the level of Haitian presence at Jazz Fest will be unprecedented, well beyond the '94 lineup. Anchoring the spectacle will be a Haitian village pavilion with a variety of performances, panels and a special exhibit built around the music and film archives from ethnographer Alan Lomax's stays there in the 1930s (the release of which in 2009 was the subject of an Around the World column at the time).

"For me, it all goes back to a Cyril Neville song and that's the one thing that keeps coming to my mind," says Quint Davis, Jazz Fest founder and CEO of Festival Productions. "The song is 'That's My Blood Down There.' That says it all. On the one hand, doing Haiti any time would have been totally appropriate for us. New Orleans is the only city in North America that practiced Vodou. The rhythms that came from Africa through Haiti to Congo Square created jazz, and all the human connections. So, everything the festival is about in general -- the heritage of jazz as uniquely played out in New Orleans and everything our international mission is about, getting these artists and having rara parades and getting those musicians together with local artists."

"And then comes the earthquake," he continues. "Who else in America has had their city destroyed? What other society in America had their world destroyed, completely destroyed and had to rebuild every part of their infrastructure and society and buildings and phones and utilities and educational and legal systems -- everything? Us. We know firsthand in ways no one else knows what they're going through."

When Davis started investigating the potential of a Haitian emphasis this year, one of the first people he contacted was Jimmy Buffett, who had been hands-on in the aid and recovery efforts after the quake with cash contributions, airlifts of goods and personnel via his private plane and the availability of leaders within his business empire. Chief among the latter is Donna Smith, aka Sunshine, the founder of Buffett's Margaritaville eateries chain. The musician hooked Davis up with Smith and, in August, he and Jazz Fest international arts producer Valerie Guillet headed to Haiti. The news crews had moved on and Haiti was no longer in the headlines, but the struggles remained as great as they were in the days after the quake -- something Davis knew from the New Orleans experience. The mission was clear, just as Jazz Fest's post-Katrina role was.

"We're not the builders of roads," he says. "We're the culture -- the music, the art, the food. So we brought Jazz Fest back that first year, our opportunity to shine a light in the darkness from a cultural view to show this is what we are and why it's worth fighting for. That applied perfectly to Haiti. Here's a place with all this unbelievably rich culture. For these reasons, we as the producers went to the [New Orleans Jazz & Heritage] Foundation and proposed that we dedicate the festival to Haiti and do with Haiti what we did before. We proposed putting a sizable bit of money, six figures, into the budget."

From there, all the pieces started to come together quickly. The Green Family Fund, which had been instrumental in underwriting the release of the Lomax music and film and had created a venture to present the material in those same Haitian villages where he filmed, stepped up to make the presentation of it at Jazz Fest. Haitian art collector Jacques Bartoli and longtime Jazz Fest art vendor Marie Josie Poux took the lead in tapping the community of Haitian artists and craftspeople to participate. Brand Aid, an organization that connects traditional artists with retailers worldwide, also came onboard. New Orleans Saints football star Jonathan Vilma, whose parents were born in Haiti, also joined this team as an extension of his intensive efforts in Haiti to build and rebuild schools as a key part of post-quake recovery.

And, of course, there were the musicians, with Emeline Michel and RAM's Morse enlisted to take leadership roles.

"Richard Morse not only helped on the musical side, but in general on the whole understanding of the culture, implementing the culture, getting things right, if you will," Davis says. "RAM's going to play a lot of functions in the festival. They're going to rara parade, perform onstage and do the educational workshops in the schools. And it's the RAM drummers doing all the drumming in the pavilion. All those aspects are coming out of Richard's work creating RAM itself. RAM does these kinds of things down there, weekly dance lessons. It's about consciously promoting work in the culture."

Michel, who has been overseeing a lot of cultural events at New York's Lincoln Center, is something of the "Miriam Makeba of Haiti -- a great musician but also a leader," Davis says. Among the performances she'll be doing will be a collaboration with New Orleans clarinetist/scholar Dr. Michael White to explore the links between Creole song and the fabric of traditional jazz. Michel was also instrumental in bringing in many of the other Haitian artists.

Morse sees this as a two-way dialogue. "New Orleans is becoming more aware of Haiti, but because of the way news and events happen here, Haiti is not becoming more aware of New Orleans," he says, noting that Miami in recent decades has become more the center of Haitian culture in the US. "Jazz Fest is a great opportunity to make people aware of the history. There are no real roots and culture in Miami that have to do with Haiti except for very recently. I'm hoping there will be publicity, hope they'll reach out to the Haitian people in New York and Miami and Boston to come to Jazz Fest. People will show up in the French Quarter and say, 'I'm home!'"

During the festival, Morse will certainly feel at home. "I'll be there about 10 days. My drummers will be drumming in some ceremonies, there will be rara parades, workshops. I'm really looking forward to it. So many people in the band -- about 16 people onstage -- that we can do all kinds of stuff."

In the end, Davis hopes, Jazz Fest can do for Haiti after the quake what it did for its home city after the flood.

"Our mission, our role, is to showcase the bright light that art and culture plays in society and in souls," he says. "That's what brought us back."

But for all the grand intentions, there will also be plenty of in-the-moment pleasures. "When these bands get up and play, we got it," Davis says. "We're going to be dancing."

Shakira in Haiti tomorrow

2011-03-30T16:20:00.001-04:00

Wednesday night, Shakira, the Colombian singer, will perform featured alongside many artists to the Olympic Stadium Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo as part of the Pop Festival.

Thursday around noon, the interpreter of "Hips Don't Lie" will travel to Haiti accompanied by businessman George Nader, Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and the journalist Colombian Julio Sánchez Cristo.

The famous singer, who has already made a trip to Haiti after the earthquake to assess the situation in person, will submit, on behalf of her foundation Pies Descalzos, [which funds school construction in several countries of Latin America], a gift of $ 800,000 for the construction of a school in Haiti.

HL/ HaïtiLibre

Le discours de Mirlande Manigat était fade et ça nous a hérissé le poil quand elle a dit qu’elle était prête à travailler avec Aristide, houlala ! »

2011-03-30T10:59:00.000-04:00

EuropeLa députée Michèle Striffler a surveillé les élections en Haïti

« Les élections en Haïti se sont bien passées. II n’y a pas eu de violences, contrairement à ce qu’on a pu lire » : aux premières loges, la députée européenne mulhousienne (PPE) Michèle Striffler était bien placée pour le savoir.

Envoyée par le Parlement européen avec deux autres députés, un Espagnol et une Bulgare, en mission d’observation électorale à Port-au-Prince, elle a fait dimanche dernier l’ouverture « du fameux bureau de vote du lycée ». Et de raconter : « A 6 h du matin, les grilles étaient fermées, mais c’est normal là-bas. Au bout de deux heures d’attente, ça rouspétait, ça criait. On s’est dit que ça devenait chaud. Le bureau de vote n’était pas ouvert car le matériel n’était pas arrivé, ce qu’on a expliqué aux électeurs. Les jeunes se sont mis à danser, à chanter. C’était génial : grâce à eux, la tension a baissé au son de ‘‘Quoiqu’il arrive, on votera pour Micky !’’ »

Micky, c’est Michel Martelli, l’un des deux candidats à ce second tour. « C’est un monsieur charmant de 50 ans, pas du tout comme on se l’imaginait, posé, très fin, très intelligent… » Avant les élections, Michèle Striffler a en effet rencontré les deux candidats restants, avec des préjugés avoués. « J’étais partie avec plein d’a priori, avec une tendance à mettre en avant la femme, généralement plus responsable dans les pays en voie de développement. » Des a priori que la députée a vite remballés : « Le discours de Mirlande Manigat était fade et ça nous a hérissé le poil quand elle a dit qu’elle était prête à travailler avec Aristide, houlala ! »

Esprit plus positif

Michel Martelli a manifestement mieux réussi sa communication en direction de la Communauté européenne : « C’est quelqu’un qui veut tout faire pour reconstruire son pays, qui a quelque chose à se prouver. Ce qui est intéressant, c’est qu’il est persuadé que c’est avec les jeunes qu’on va reconstruire. »

Pour sa 2 ^e visite en Haïti depuis le tremblement de terre, Michèle Striffler constate des progrès. Moins de tentes, un état d’esprit plus positif. Elle se désole néanmoins de voir que la prison construite par la Minustah (Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti), soit inoccupée depuis six mois ou que le projet de déchetterie financé par l’Espagne soit abandonné. « Il faut qu’on arrive à mettre en place une clause de conditionnalité à nos aides. Cela peut être compris comme de l’ingérence, mais nous devrions avoir un pouvoir exécutif » , estime-t-elle.

Beaucoup de bons souvenirs au final… même si Air France a oublié sa valise à Paris, l’obligeant à porter les mêmes vêtements pendant quatre jours.

le 27/03/2011 à 00:00 par Olivier Chapelle

" RENE GARCIA PREVAL JUST WON THE MANFOUBEN AWARDS"

2011-03-30T09:22:00.000-04:00

We are not going to miss Preval . In 2006 the people decided again to vote Preval not because he was a good president but because they did not trust nobody else . There was Becker , Evens Paul , a Manigat as usual , and many more like Simeus who were trying to get a piece of the cake. But the people decided again to go with Preval because he is one of the rare president if not the only one who did his five years term with " no coup d'etat" , or civil war . The Haitian people are not used to that . I m not going to say that Preval is a thief even though he tried to steal the 2010 election to his baby Jude . But during his first term he came with his famous quote to show or " I DON'T CARE " he was for the Haitian people . " NAGE POUN SOTI " (swim to save your life ) meaning that he could not do anything for the people when the economy went down and when the Haitian people were hungry . When the people were telling him about the price of the rice that was to high , he answered : " hey people , I paid it the same price " we knew that Preval but you were making presidential money . Or again when the people were mad and they said they were going to take the street against the government , he answered : " Come get me , I will take the street with you " , mocking the people .

Today I decided to give to Preval the Manfouben awards just because I think he is a MANFOUBEN

proof

ti rene dress code was suits : they sell them anba lavil for cheap

proof : ti rene wait for your turn

MANFOUBEN=NEGLIGENT . and because of his poor answer after the earthquake of 2010 .

and because of many and many more stuff not mentioning the alcohol part because it is his private life . I WANT TO SAY MR PREVAL , TIME FOR YOU TO GO AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO MISS YOU .

'Friendship Games' to bring Haitian and Dominican youth together

2011-03-30T08:17:00.000-04:00

'The State of the World's Children 2011 – Adolescence: An Age of Opportunity,' UNICEF’s new flagship report, focuses on the development and rights of more than a billion children aged 10 to 19 worldwide. This series of stories, essays and multimedia features seeks to accelerate and elevate adolescents' fight against poverty, inequality and gender discrimination.

By Thomas Nybo

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, 29 March 2011 – Soccer is being used as a way to foster friendship and understanding between children in the neighbouring countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

VIDEO: UNICEF's Thomas Nybo reports on a 'friendship games' sporting event organized to bridge the divide between Haitian and Dominican youth. Watch in RealPlayer

The UNICEF-supported event – organized by the Haitian and Dominican Olympic Committees – will take place this June in two cities on both sides of the border. During the games, fans will be allowed to travel freely between the two countries.

UNICEF adolescent consultant Gilbert Buteau says it’s an opportunity for both sets of youth to realize they share many similarities and “can actually be friends and enjoy, pretty much, the same things.”

Children train in Port-au-Prince for 'The Friendship Games', a series of cross-border sporting events that will take place this June between Haitian and Dominican children.

“Even if there are some barriers, like the language,” he says, “the love for some sports is pretty much the same on both sides of the border."

A big turnout

The games will involve as many as 500 young athletes. Everyone – spectators and athletes alike – will also be offered workshops in HIV/AIDS, child-protection issues and health awareness, with particular emphasis on preventing the spread of cholera.

Mr. Buteau says he expects a big turnout, with up to 20,000 people attending to participate or watch. It is anticipated at least half of them will be under the age of 18.

Pierre Ernst, 11, has been playing soccer for the past five years. He's never travelled beyond Port-au-Prince, and is looking forward to representing his country.

"I'm excited to play with the Dominicans, to show what Haitians are capable of and to show the whole country how much we can accomplish," he says during a break between practice matches in a field on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.

Mr. Buteau adds that given the sometimes tumultuous history between the two neighbours, ‘The Friendship Games’ offers a new approach.

'The Friendship Games' aim to foster friendship and understanding between Haitians and Dominicans. Here, youths practise in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

“The idea is that there needs to be somehow an event bringing people together, especially the youth and the children,” he says. “What better way than sport?"

Bridging the divide

Even though Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same island, language and formidable cultural barriers persist. ‘The Friendship Games’ have been designed with the aim of helping bridge that divide, says Ricardo Noelizaire of the Haitian Olympic Committee.

"What people should understand about ‘The Friendship Games’ is that it is a very small way to change the people's mentality," Mr. Noelizaire says.

It is hoped that improving relations through such methods will help the two countries better tackle shared problems such as child trafficking and the plight of ‘restaveks’– children who are sent away to be domestic servants for host families.

"Dialogue sometimes is very difficult,” Mr. Noelizaire adds. “But through the games, watching kids from the Haitian side and the Dominican side hug each other, help each other to stand up, understand each other, eat together – this is the future of this island."

It is part of ‘The Friendship Games’, which also includes cross-border events in volleyball, basketball, judo, chess and other activities

Some 20,000 jobs to be created at new industrial park in Haiti

2011-03-29T20:49:00.001-04:00

U.S., Haiti team up with Korean garment firm to create 20,000 jobs and country’s first fabric mill.

Standing in the middle of the dirt-poor rural village on a cool afternoon, the neatly dressed Korean garment tycoon surveyed the rugged mountaintops and surrounding bean fields as he tried to envision the future a year from now.
But it wasn’t until Kim Woong Ki stared into the curious faces surrounding him that the chairman of Korea’s leading manufacturer and exporter of textiles and clothing, realized the real value of his $78 million business investment decision.
“I didn’t really set out to bring people hope,’’ Kim said, as he rode away from the village on Haiti’s northern coast halfway between the cities of Cap-Haitien and Ouanaminthe. “Coming here, seeing the site and walking among the people, I realized that what I’m going to do here in creating the factory and the jobs, is give people hope.’’

A major supplier to U.S. retailers Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s and GAP, Sae-A is expanding its garment-making operations to Haiti as the anchor tenant in a new 617-acre industrial park being created in the country’s underdeveloped northern region. For the first time, Haiti’s 2 million-a-week T-shirt-stitching industry will also include the country’s only knit and dyeing mill with Sae-A pumping 6,000 tons of ground water a day for its export operations.
“For the first time ever, apparel sewn in Haiti will be using fabric made in Haiti,’’ said Kim, whose company already has operations in Guatemala and Nicaragua.
With the company gearing up to recruit Haitian managers as early as next month for a planned March 2012 opening, the deal is already having a multiplier effect. Local hotel and restaurant owners are optimistic, as are potential workers like 23-year-old Luckner Peter, about the possibility of 20,000 new jobs in the area. Luckner was among dozens of young men hired by the government at 50 cents a hole to help install a fence around the property.
“This is going to change our community,’’ said Louicot Alexandre, president of the chamber of commerce for Northeast Haiti, a region of about 300,000 residents. “This shows that Haiti is prepared to do business with the world, and it’s OK to do business with Haiti.’’
Valued at about $300 million, the job-creation package is one of Haiti’s biggest foreign investments. U.S. officials call it an “unprecedented collaboration’’ between the Haitian and U.S. governments, and the Inter-American Development Bank. So much is at stake that some Haiti observers mused that it was perhaps one of the reasons for the United States’ heavy involvement in the Nov. 28 presidential election debacle. Twice before, Kim had tried to invest in Haiti. Each time, his decision was thwarted. There was political turmoil in 1994 after he signed a memorandum of understanding and then the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake shortly after another trip.
“We have in our business proposal a huge chapter called hurdles and obstacles,’’ said Lon Garwood, advisor to Kim. “Our initial business proposal didn’t look like a business proposal. It looked like why we can’t do business in Haiti.’’
But that was before the U.S. government stepped in, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s personal plea on behalf of Haiti during a Korea visit.

      With the Haitian government donating the land and compensating farmers, the U.S. plans to build 5,000 houses, a 25-megawatt electricity grid for the park and surrounding area, and a waste and water treatment plant as part of its $124 million contribution. The Inter-American Development Bank is contributing over $100 million for construction of buildings and roads.
“These kinds of investment deals are incredibly hard,’’ said Cheryl Mills, Clinton’s chief of staff, who has been credited with leading the effort for more than a year to bring together all sides including Haiti’s private sector. “They take prolonged coordination and consultation, and accommodation and negotiation. But ultimately what they really take is an audacious amount of faith.’’
It is this faith, the U.S. and others are banking on as they seek to revive Haiti’s post-earthquake shattered economy by helping the nation’s garment industry take better advantage of U.S.-Congress approved duty-free trade legislation. Once boasting 100,000 jobs, the industry has just 28,000. About 9,000 of those were created because of the removal of tariffs.
Last May, a sympathetic Congress extended the trade benefits to 2020.
Now Haiti’s private sector is hoping to attract 60,000 new jobs with the industrial park in the north. They are also eyeing another park in the south, just outside of the quake-ravaged capital of Port-au-Prince.
“We are no longer talking just about garment assembly. We are talking about a true textile industry short of planting cotton. That is what is being developed,’’ said Georges Sassine, who is also responsible for implementing the U.S. Congress-approved duty-free legislation benefiting the garment industry.
Sae-A’s revenues are more than doubled Haiti’s garment industry’s $512 million exports for 2009. In addition to Haitian managers, the company has committed to pay line workers at least four times Haiti’s average $640 GDP per capita. The facility itself will boast a cooling system, recreational facilities and a football field. With the construction bid package currently being prepared to go out next month, the first phase has already been laid out. Sae-A’s operations will occupy 126 of 185 acres, said Mark D’Sa, a Miami-based executive with GAP who has been on loan with the State Department to help Haiti better take advantage of trade legislation.
D’Sa said other potential clients include a furniture maker and two other apparel companies. Not far from the site, and separate from the industrial park, the Dominican government is planning to build a university.
Still, the deal has detractors with some protesting using farmland for what some are calling “sweatshops.’’ Government officials say the land belongs to the state and compensation packages are being worked out for farmers who have been illegally living off it.
“We have sought investments outside of Port-au-Prince for years,’’ said Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive. “In Haiti, the real tough infrastructure investments in energy, ports, and industrial zones have largely been avoided. It’s these investments that will generate the productive base of which Haiti can grow and prosper economically.’’

          By jacqueline Charles of Miami Herald

NOT A GOOD NEWS , STEPHEN HENDER FROM BOSTON IS MISSING

2011-03-29T20:06:00.001-04:00

That guy is missing in the Boston area , he is a well known parking manager and a very nice guy . He is a diabetic and in very need of INSULIN so if you can help by any way to find him , HELPPPPP!!!

Les chanceliers dominicain et colombien attendus à Port-au-Prince

2011-03-29T19:42:00.001-04:00

Motif officiel de la visite : planification d’une réunion du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies sur l’aide aux victimes du séisme/Les chanceliers rencontreront séparément les 2 candidats à la présidence

Les chanceliers dominicain et colombien Carlos Morales Troncoso et Maria Angela Holguin, sont attendus mercredi à Port-au-Prince où ils doivent avoir des discussions avec le président René Préval et le premier ministre Jean Max Bellerive autour d’une réunion du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies sur l’aide aux victimes du tremblement de terre du 12 janvier 2010. Ladite réunion doit être dirigée par le président colombien Juan Manuel Santos, annonce le quotidien dominicain Listin Diario.
Les deux chanceliers doivent profiter de l’occasion pour rencontrer séparément les deux candidats à la présidence, Mirlande Hyppolite Manigat (RDNP) et Michel Joseph Martelly (Repons Peyizan). Le journal dominicain ne précise pas le menu des discussions séparées qu’ils auront avec les deux candidats à la veille de la publication des résultats préliminaires du deuxième tour des élections législatives et présidentielles.
La publication de ces résultats suscite des appréhensions dans divers milieux en raison des éventuels troubles politiques et sociaux qui pourraient en découler, compte tenu de la polarisation marquée des forces politiques regroupées autour des candidats à la présidence et aux législatives. Des rumeurs sur la manipulation éventuelle de l’expression populaire au profit de l’un des deux candidats à la présidence alimentent ces appréhensions. [jmd/Radio Kiskeya]

Preval a perdu INITE

2011-03-29T19:35:00.001-04:00

«Non seulement il a perdu le contrôle de sa plateforme politique, le président René Préval, en fin de mandat est également largué par ses collaborateurs à INITE, a dénoncé le sénateur Jean-Hector Anacacis qui dit rester toujours fidèle au chef de l'Etat. « Président Préval, c'est le passé. Il ne lui reste qu'à passer l'écharpe présidentielle au prochain président. Ses amis l'ont abandonné alors qu'il est en difficulté », a-t-il déclaré, lundi, à l'émission Panel Magik sur radio Magik 9. Le parlementaire prévoit des jours de grandes difficultés pour le prochain locataire du Palais national.

Haïti: « L'INITE se trouve dans une situation difficile, a déclaré le sénateur Jean-Hector Anacacis. Cette organisation politique a trop de chefs, trop de maîtres. Le président de la République ne représente plus rien à INITE, a-t-il avancé comme pour dire que le chef de l'Etat ne contrôle plus la plateforme politique qu'il a lui-même fondée. René Préval étant un président sortant, il est lâché par ses anciens collaborateurs politiques qui s'alignent maintenant sur le prochain président pressenti, a-t-il dit sans citer de nom. »

La plateforme INITE a été formée sur base d'embauchage. Ses membres n'ont eu aucune conviction politique, de l'avis de Jean-Hector Anacacis « INITE va imploser et sa structure éclatera en plusieurs fragments. Le sénateur Kelly aura sa branche, le sénateur Lambert sa part, le ministre Jasmin une branche, le ministre Paul Denis une autre branche, le Premier ministre M. Bellerive sa part, le président M. Préval sa branche et Jude Célestin sa part », a prédit l'ancien candidat à la présidence.

Selon lui, les 100 premiers jours du prochain président de la République seront caractérisés par un bouleversement total. « C'est pour la première fois qu'on aura un président qui n'a aucun représentant au Parlement. Des parlementaires seront achetés ou soudoyés pour la cause du nouveau chef de l'Etat », a dit M. Anacacis. Ce qui amènera à l'éclatement de la plateforme présidentielle INITE.

Par ailleurs, Jean-Hector Anacacis fait des prévisions très sombres pour le pays. « La cohabitation sera difficile entre le prochain président et son chef de gouvernement », prévoit-il. Le prochain chef de gouvernement devra être quelqu'un qui connaît ses dossiers, souple et il ne doit pas être arrogant, de l'avis de M. Anacacis.

Selon l'ancien candidat à la présidence, ni Manigat ni Martelly ne va améliorer la situation de la population. « En promettant de la nourriture, de l'éducation... à tout le monde, je ne crois pas qu'ils pourront tenir leurs promesses », a-t-il renchéri. Continuer >

Pendant la période de la campagne du second tour, le parlementaire avait gardé un profil bas. « J'ai une conviction et une idéologie, c'est la raison pour laquelle je n'ai supporté aucun des deux candidats à la présidence, a-t-il expliqué. J'avais, par sagesse politique, pris de la distance pour mieux cerner la situation. Et, c'est cette distance qui m'a permis de comprendre que même ceux qui savent lire se trouvaient dans l'incapacité de produire une réflexion objective à partir des éléments d'analyse. Il fallait être pour Madame Manigat ou pour ''Tet kale''. Je n'étais ni pour l'un ni l'autre... »

Pour lui, après le scrutin du 20 mars dernier, le peuple a pris sa décision à travers les urnes. « Devant le fait accompli, je me suis toujours arrangé pour fonctionner », a-t-il avancé. Avec Manigat ou Martelly, il trouvera, en tout cas, une façon de s'accommoder, a-t-il dit implicitement.

Il a tenté d'établir une certaine différence entre les discours de campagne des deux prétendants à la magistrature suprême. « J'ai écouté les deux candidats à la présidence. L'un avait un discours cultivé, alors que l'autre avait des biais populistes dans le sien. Mais le discours politique est un discours de peuple. Vous pouvez toujours réfléchir en gens cultivés, mais il faut atteindre la population dans son discours », a-t-il dit.

Dans un autre registre, l'ancien candidat à la présidence a critiqué le comportement du CEP qui interdit aux journalistes de publier des résultats après le scrutin. « C'est très malheureux qu'après 24 ans d'existence de la Constitution, la presse soit censurée par le Conseil électoral provisoire (CEP) », a-t-il dénoncé. M. Anacacis a rejeté d'un revers de main les arguments avancés par l'institution électorale, selon lesquels, les résultats publiés par certains médias après le vote n'étaient pas représentatifs de la réalité que cela pourrait prêter à confusion. « ''Mesye ann bay bagay la jan-l ye a''. Chacun avait ses préférences », a-t-il ajouté en faisant allusion aux relations existant entre les deux candidats et les conseillers électoraux.

Selon lui, cette attente de résultats a mis le peuple dans une situation de frustration et d'énervement. Il attend trop les résultats des élections, a estimé le sénateur.

Encore une fois, Jean-Hector Anacacis a lancé des flèches sur la communauté internationale qui, selon lui, a écarté de la course électorale Jude Célestin au profit d'un autre candidat plus favorable à ses intérêts. « Vous avez vu avec quelle facilité le blanc a écarté Jude! », a-t-il déploré.
Robenson Geffrard

rgeffrard@lenouvelliste.com

Connecticut walk for Haiti April 9

2011-03-29T19:08:00.001-04:00

WEST HARTFORD – The CT Walks for Haiti committee, along with the West Hartford Town Council and the Mayor’s office, invites the public to join the second annual CT Walks for Haiti event on April 9. Mayor Scott Slifka, Miss Connecticut and the Project 8 rock band are among those expected to be in attendance.The goal of the walk is to raise money for the projects of five established charities that have been working in Haiti for decades.• The Haitian Health Foundation needs $5,000 to provide healthcare workers and medical supplies for the Adopt-a-Village Program.• Haitian Humanitarian Network needs $3,500 for Cholera outreach and education for the village of Beulieau and surrounding areas.• Medical Aid to Haiti wishes for $6,000 to pay the salaries of three Haitian nurses for the mobile clinic for one year.• Outreach to Haiti, the successor organization to Hospice St. Joseph and Partners for Haiti, would like to raise $5,000 to provide scholarships for 15 children, including after-school nutrition, vaccinations and educational resources.• Partners in Health needs $150 per child for a six to eight week regimen of therapeutic food products for severely malnourished children. No number of children has been estimated.After the devastating earthquake last year Haiti has again been hit by tragedy with an epidemic of cholera. One hundred percent of all funds raised will directly support these projects.The 2.5 mile walk will travel through West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square. Registration will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon at The Church of St. Peter Claver, 147 Pleasant Street, West Hartford. Music, Haitian food and crafts and a silent auction will be available to enjoy from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The walk is expected to last from 12-2 p.m. with a wrap-up and prizes at the starting point from 1:30-2:30 p.m.For more information visit www.ctwalksforhaiti.org, email mail@ctwalksforhaiti.org or call Karen Fritsche (860) 521-4150.

Jean Claude Duvalier left hospital

2011-03-29T17:44:00.001-04:00

PORT-AU-PRINCE—Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier was released from a private hospital where he was being treated for an undisclosed ailment, his longtime companion told AFP.
"He's going back home. He's doing much better," Duvalier's partner Veronique Roy told AFP.
Duvalier was admitted to the hospital last week shortly after receiving a court order limiting his mobility to the Haitian capital.
A close Duvalier associate told AFP however that the ailing former dictator was still not completely well.
"He is very sick," the friend said, asking not to be identified.
"He's going home because he can receive visits from his friends there," the associate said.
Duvalier's attorneys have said they would file an appeal challenging the restriction on his movements, which they decried as unfair and "arbitrary."
Duvalier made a surprise return to Haiti in January, prompting prosecutors to charge the 59-year-old with corruption, embezzlement of public funds and criminal association during his 15-year rule that ended in 1986.
Human rights activists and experts have accused Duvalier of returning to Haiti to prevent the confiscation of at least $5.7 million in frozen Swiss bank accounts.
The former dictator upon his return said he had come back to work for national unity.
He was preceded as Haiti's president by his father Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who also imposed authoritarian rule on the impoverished Caribbean nation.