Haiti
Western Department has a new Departmental Director
Jean Alex Pierre-Louis was installed as the new National Police Western Departmental Director on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020 reported Juno7. This new appointment took place less than 72 hours after the bloody clashes between agents of the Haitian National Police and soldiers of the Haitian Armed Forces at the Champ de Mars. Continue reading
Police officers ordered to resume their posts
Juno7 reported that Normil Rameau, Interim Director General of the National Police of Haiti, during a press briefing on Monday, Feb. 24, strongly condemned the regrettable clashes that occurred at the Champ de Mars in the context of a protest movement organized in the Haitian capital by agents to demand better living and working conditions. Incident costing the life of a police officer and a soldier. “The police must be professional and vigilant with regard to the infiltration,” he said. Continue reading
Carnival continues in Cap-Haitien without Sweet Micky
The first day of carnival festivities in Cap-Haitien was canceled due to various incidents and torrential rain. Sweet Micky’s musical float was the only one to parade the carnival route escorted by agents from the General Security Unit of the National Palace. According to Le Nouvelliste, there were bullet holes on Sweet Micky’s float. The band left and did not participate in the last day’s festivities. The carnival organizing committee, though, is counting on the support of the National Police for the success of this last day of carnival. “The police will assume its responsibility, they will provide security for carnival,” said Luly Ménard, committee chairman. Continue reading
Senior army and police staff meet
Le Nouvelliste reported that barricades have been removed, public and private transport have resumed, and supermarkets opened their doors in Port au Prince on Tuesday, Feb. 25, after two days of significant tensions. Jodel Lesage, General Armed Forces of Haiti, and Normil Rameau, General Director of the National Police d’Haïti met on Monday, Feb. 24, to define a working agenda in search of solutions to the security issues that affect the country. Continue reading
Violence forces Haiti to cancel Carnival
Haiti’s biggest celebration of the year, Carnival, has been canceled after deadly protests and gunfire interrupted the first day of festivities in Port-au-Prince, leaving at least one person dead.
Haiti’s vibrant Carnival draws thousands every year for mass celebrations. But the three-day festival was cut short after gunshots were heard and people ran for cover in the nation’s capital over the weekend. Continue reading
Opinion
The Haitian American Caucus’s position on how NYC’s Bailout Report Misses the Mark
Years after the financial malfeasance and predatory lending practices within the yellow cab industry came to light, the New York City Council passed a bill, signed by Mayor de Blasio, to create the Taxicab Medallion Sale Prices Task Force. Its purpose: to study the state of the City’s taxi medallion industry. After six months of finger pointing, the Task Force released its report, and what it lacks in actionable recommendations is only matched by the glaring omission of the main reason why the taxicab industry is facing a financial crisis in the first place: a predatory lending system for taxicab medallions aided and abetted by City Hall. Continue reading