Photos

Here is a picture of the new National Authorizing Officer of EDF Director, Mr. Jean Jacques Charles

On February 26, 2015, the Prime Minister Evans, Paul has appointed Jean Jacques Charles as the new National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund (EDF). EDF is authorized to co-manage the EDF resources on behalf of the government, as well as the resources of the National Indicative Program (NIP) and those of the Regional Indicative Program (RIP). Haiti will hold the rotating Presidency of this fund allocated to CARRICOM countries from July 1. We might remember that the new EDF National Authorizing Officer was a senior government official who had worked directly with the EU on issues of socioeconomic developments. He was the former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in Haiti since January 25, 2013 and he worked tirelessly for the people to improve his ministry and those he served.

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A Haitian man becomes a victime while shopping for a new home for his family. Kenol Jean who is a former member of the Haitian military was killed in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Canal Jean, 51, an ex-sergeant from Port-au-Prince was killed by an unknown gunman while he was touring on February 26 morning near Fort Lauderdale , accompanying his wife and a real estate agent who was showing them a house on the 2700 block of Northwest Sixth Court. Jean was in the Haitian army till Jean-Bertrand Aristide took over. A nearby surveillance footage showed a man in his mid-50s, running with salt and pepper hair and beard, wearing a hat, jeans and a checked black, beige and maroon long-sleeved, button-down shirt. Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue took Jean to Broward Health Medical Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale, where he was pronounced dead. The Sheriff's Office as per investigator's report believes that the motive behind the murder was robbery.

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Here are some pictures as Josué Pierre Louis replaced Lucien Francoeur as Secretary General of the Primature in Haiti

The former Minister of Justice and the President of the Permanent Electoral Council Josue Pierre Louis who was recently rejected by Belgium as Haiti's ambassador to Brussels and to the Eurpean Union, because of his alleged involvement in a rape to one of his colleagues in November 2012, has been designated by Haiti's Prime Minster Evans Paul as the Primature's Secretary General. The Prime Minister Paul described him as an integral part of the political life in Haiti and he fervently hoped he contributes his talent for the public administration. His appointment as the Secretary General of Primature has caused an uproar among the women's rights organizations in Haiti and abroad, accusing the Haitian President and his Prime Minister of impunity. However, the former Minister of Justice was never held guilty by a court of law, nor the rape charge against him was ever dismissed. No Haitian court has ever bothered to shed light on the myriad of accusations against him.

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Here are two pictures of Student Chedler Guilloux. On the left shows the abuses he received while in jail. The second picture was taken after his release

On February 26 and March 3, 2015, on the streets of the capital city, many students from the Universities in Haiti demonstrated protest against the arrest of their comrade Chedler Guilloux, a student from the School of Philosophy Normale Superieure (ENS). Guilloux was arrested on February 23 by the agents of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and was severely beaten by the security officers CSCCA and those of the PNH. The students demanded immediate release, necessary health care and a fair compensation for his physical and mental damages during the custody. Guilloux is a graduate in philosophy from the Ecole Normale Superieure (Set), student of master's degree in Human Science and a critic of contemporary culture. He was arrested in connection with the burning of a government bus belonging to the Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (CSC / CA) during a street protest.
After several days of protests and legal proceedings, the master's student of Philosophy at the Normal School was released by the judge Ramoncite on March 5 on a provisional basis. However, he will remain at the disposal of justice, until of the Closing Order, the investigation being still ongoing.

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Insecurity in Haiti

Although hundreds of thousands of U.S citizens safely visit Haiti each year, but as per Report dated December 4, 2014, the U.S Department of State has issued travel warning to U.S citizens traveling or living in Haiti on the following grounds: (a) lack of adequate emergency medical facilities, (b) weak emergency response infrastructure, and (c) to remain aware of the possibility of robbery, especially in the Port-au-Prince area and in particular soon after leaving the airport. The most frequently reported crimes against Americans in Port-au-Prince are aggravated assaults, kidnappings, and robberies. However, it is an established fact that the crime rate in Haiti is generally lower than many of its neighboring countries, although sometimes it is prevalent in earthquake survivor camps. Illegal drug trade often instigates crimes among Haitians, but foreigners also sometimes get victimized. It is a common allegation that the Haitian police are understaffed, poorly equipped and unable to respond to most calls for assistance. Many residents do not report assaults, rape, and other crime because of lingering, apathy, and corruption.

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Here is a picture of National School Bossan and Place Sainte Rose in Léogâne

On March 5, 2015, the Haitian President visited Léogâne to inaugurate the Marie Claire Heureuse Municipal Library, the National School Bossan and Place Sainte Rose. The library (260 Square Meter) has been built in strict compliance of the practiced norms and among others it is equipped with an auditorium with a capacity to accommodate 162 people and has a computer room with internet access. During the inauguration ceremony in the presence of the German Ambassador, Klaus Peter Shick and other important Haitian ministers, the President has said that "a library opens the way to knowledge and understanding of all the citizens. Thereafter, he proceeded to Bossan and inaugurated a completely renovated National School, as part of the German assistance program. Finally, President Martelly inaugurated "the Place St. Rose of Léogâne" which includes a children's play area, a basketball court and a sports club. In the end, the President praised the dedication and contribution of the Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES), the World Bank and the German government-- for their support for the realization of these infrastructure projects and of development in Haiti.

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Here is a picture of Hervé Telemaque, French painter and visual artist of Haitian origin

Herve Telemaque (born on 5 November, 1937, in Port-au-Prince), is an extremely renowned Haitian painter and graphic artist and one of the first to present figurative Pop art in France, where he has lived and worked ever since 1961. Herve left Haiti for New York in 1957 during the beginning of Duvalier regime and got himself enrolled at the Art Student's League until 1960. He is a French painter, visual artist associated with the current of the narrative figuration. His earlier paintings, during his stay in the United States, were influenced by 'Abstract Expressionism'. However, since 1959, his painting started anchoring reality, a noticeable shift from the ' Abstractism '. In 1961, he shifted to Paris and took part in the movement of "Narrative Figuration". In spite of the greater distance from his homeland, he has always remained closer to the Francophone culture.

Télémaque has been exhibiting since 1964 and has participated in more than hundred shows worldwide. In 2006, he was awarded the Chevalier (Knight) Legion of Honor in France. In 1998, he was commissioned for designing the commemorating stamp on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of slavery's abolition. His paintings have been exhibited in France, South Africa, Spain, the USA and in many prestigious venues like the Louvre in Paris, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Grand Palais in Paris, the IVAM in Valencia, the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid and the Musée d' Art Moderne of Paris. He was present in the first Haitian Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennial.

Since 1968, he started creating object assemblages, charcoal drawings and collages, depicting current events and issues, like situations in Haiti or Africa, voodoo and sexuality, etc. In 1973, for the first time, he came back to his homeland Haiti to recharge his imagination. In the 2000s, he returned to his African heritage to invoke "negritude"(a consciousness of and pride in the cultural and physical aspects of the African heritage) in his art. In 2010 following the killer earthquake, he organized the auction "Haiti Action Artist" on own patronage with an objective to restore the creative talents in Haiti.

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Here is a picture where Prime Minister Evans Paul gave the Electoral Decree to the CEP to organize the next Haiti election

On Mar 4, 2015, the Haitian Prime Minister, Evans Paul accompanied by Minister of Justice and Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for electoral matters, went to the headquarters of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) and there he symbolically delivered a copy of the official newspaper "Le Moniteur" which has published two decrees relating to the holding of the long delayed election during 2015. The first decree relates to the administration process of the election and second decree is about the amendment of National Identification (CIN) dated June 1, 2005, which states that the validity of National Identification Cards (CIN) issued over the years 2005, 2006 and 2007, would be extended till 31 December 2017 instead of 2015. He has also stated that the government is determined to hold this election within 2015, overcoming every obstacle for lack of legal framework. The executives and the stakeholders have made considerable effort to prepare this consensus decree in 244 articles divided into 18 chapters and has a total of 382 provisions.

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On this Monday, March 9th, 2015, in a Ceremonial Oath Me. Jules Cantave was installed as the new President of the Court of Cassation and the Supreme Council. He was nominated to fill the position vacated by Judge Arnel Alexis

(Me. Jules Cantave, Président de la Cour de Cassation et du CSPJ)

On March 9, 2015, Mr. Jules Cantave has sworn in as the new president of the Supreme Court and the High Council of the Judiciary (Supreme Council) in place of much maligned Mr. Anel Alexis Joseph, who was forced to resign in last January. Mr. Jules Cantave, while taking this great responsibility for the country, has promised to do everything to make the system a truly independent and neutral judiciary. He has sworn to enforce the laws in force to deliver an impartial distribution of justice and prove himself a worthy and loyal magistrate. He believes that the esteemed responsibility which he has been entrusted is the reward of his 33 long years of service in the judiciary.

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As per news report dated March 9th, Blas Peralta, the President of Fenatrado (National Federation of Dominican Transportation) has said that MINUSTAH and National Police of Haiti have jointly established a safe corridor through which the Dominican trucks carrying merchandise from the Dominican Republic to Haiti can carry goods so henceforth under the protection of these two forces. Presently, the insufficient number of MINUSTAH member has forced to limit the stretch of the protective cover. Any driver deviating from the safe corridor will run on own risk. The corridor spans from Jimaní to the Haitian town of Kwadèbouke and from there to the area near the international airport in Port-au-Prince. However, Peralta has insisted for a full safety cover for the Dominican trucks until it completes its journey in Haiti.

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