Haitian Times News Roundup – Mar. 27

Haiti

Aristide Remains Popular, Yet Controversial Figure In Haiti

In 2004, as Haiti was celebrating its 200-year anniversary as a free republic, a band of rag-tag soldiers from the disbanded army approached Port-au-Prince with a mission to topple President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The president would be whisked away by American officials on a private plane, first to the Central African Republic and eventually to South Africa right before the coup forces arrived in the capital. Continue reading

Bank Accounts of Former Haitian Officials of PetroCaribe Funds Frozen

Radio Metropole reports that the Investigating judge in charge of the PetroCaribe case, judge Ramoncite has ordered that bank accounts of former officials and companies that used that money to be frozen.
Among those officials there’s former Prime Ministers, Laurent Lamothe and Jean Max Bellerive, several former ministers of finance, planning and agriculture including Jacques GABRIEL, Stephanie Balmir VILLEDROUIN, Wilson LALEAU, Josepha GAUTHIER, Florence Guillaume DUPERVAL, Yves Germain JOSEPH, Max Rudolph SAINT-ALBAN, Herve DAY, Michel CONTENT, Lionel GRANPIERRE, Hebert DOCTEUR, Thomas JACQUES. Two former directors of the Monetary Office for Official Development Assistance, Michael LECORPS and EUSTACHE are also included alongside with 15 companies involved in the realization of Petrocaribe projects. Continue reading

Haiti: Collectif Défenseurs Plus Wants Scarcity of Electricity to End

Alterpresse writes that Collectif Défenseurs Plus is worried about the persistent blackouts that have marred the country for several months. The organization is urging officials to deal with the lack of electricity immediately.
“Without energy, the population is unable to access certain services. No matter what the problems that causes this constant blackout is, it lasted too long. Promises will no longer be tolerated”, the letter said. Continue reading

Reforestation Program with School Students to Begin in April

The environment and education ministries have launched a program to educate students about the environment as well as a reforestation program. The projects includes planting seeds in all of the country’s 10 departments and is set to begin next month, radio Television Caraibes reports. Continue reading

Global Fund Terminates Blood Safety Grant Program in Haiti

Le Nouvelliste reports that the Global Fund has terminated the Blood Safety Grant in Haiti since December 2018. This interruption, although the decision was known in advance, weakens the National Blood Transfusion Center as they are not prepared.
Employees of the National Blood Transfusion Center are not paid. The Ministry of Health said it was taking care of the problem but no follow-up was done. Continue reading

Police in Cap-Haitien Arrested 40 Suspects on Murder Charges

Cap-Haitien Police have arrested 40 people over the weekend after two murder cases were recorded in the areas of Fort St Michel and Shadda last week. During this operation 150 motorcycles were confiscated.
Since the incidents, the police have increased their patrol in the streets of Cap-Haïtien, le National reports. Continue reading

Arts & Culture

Haitian-American Playwright to debut at York College “Hear Her Festival” celebrating Caribbean-American women writers

Haitian-American playwright France-Luce Benson seeks to tell stories about people of all cultures who struggle against oppression, or whose flaws or past traumas create seemingly insurmountable obstacles that they are determined to overcome. Continue reading