Photos

Look at this view of the spectacular Royal Decameron Indigo in Cote Des Arcadins.

The all inclusive resort "Royal Decameron Indigo in Cote Des Arcadins" has been inaugurated on December 8th, 2015. The beachfront resort with 4 Hibiscus ranking has been developed on a 55 hectares land, bordered by 1.5 kilometers of white sandy beach, just 90-minute drive from the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. It is a jewel of Hispaniola Island, situated in a perfect location between mountains and ocean. "Royal Decameron Indigo" has been renovated over the property of "Club Indigo" with an investment of $8 million by the Colombia-based hotel and resort chain Decameron.

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There is no better place to watch the sunset than at the Royal Decameron Indigo, Haiti.

The new 380-room property is equipped with a buffet restaurant, two a la carte restaurants and four bars, two adult pools and two children's pools, full fledged gymnasium, 2 tennis courts and a spa. Then the scheduled date of inauguration was decided on November 1, 2015 (later shifted to December 8th). 500 workers and 5 Haitian subcontractors would be employed to work day and night to meet the opening deadline. The Minister during his visit had said that the presence of government officials to visit the development work endorses his government's all inclusive support to the joint development program between Club Indigo and Decameron Hotels. As per the agreement, the rebranded property "Royal Club Decameron Indigo" will procure its regular requirements through local Haitian entrepreneurs so that it can create 500 local jobs and further employment of 420 local people to the hotel. The Decameron group has all-inclusive hotels in 11 countries around the world, including the Caribbean. Presently, there are 525 listed hotels in Haiti of whom five were ranked "5 Hibiscus" and seven were rewarded with "4 Hibiscus" rankings. The Haitian Ministry of Tourism has so far classified 177 hotel properties according to their service and amenities.

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There is no place like home and this is the Beautiful Royal Decameron in Haiti.

'Royal Decameron Indigo' is a new all inclusive resort in Haiti located on the coast Arcadins (Cote des Arcadins), an hour's drive from Port-au-Price. It has been renovated over the property of "Club Indigo" on a 55 hectares land, bordered by 1.5 kilometers of white sandy beach and its recent takeover by the Colombia-based hotel and resort chain Decameron, was a best kept secret in the Caribbean. The deal was finalized in last March when Lucio Garcia, the CEO of the Decameron Chain visited the property and met the Minister of Tourism and Creative Industries (MTIC) Stephanie Balmir-Villedroin to finalize the terms of the takeover. The Minister again visited the property on September 1, as the head of a large delegation team accompanying the Secretary of State for Tax Reform, Ronald Décembre, the Director General of Customs of Haiti, Victor H. St. Louis to meet Leonardo Gonzalez, the President and other senior members of the Decameron Hotels Group to finalize the group's $8 million investment on Club Indigo.

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Have you ever wondered why people in Haiti start their protest march the way they do?

'Damballah' is one of the most important of all the loa, the father of all the rest of the loa and the oldest of the voodoo pantheon existing from the beginning of time. It is the 'great master', creator of life that rules mind, wisdom and cosmic equilibrium and often called the most important god of the voodoo. Voodoo is the predominant religion of Haiti. The spirits are central to the practice of voodoo. This religion is a mixture of religions from Africa and Catholicism. Many Christian beliefs, traditions and figures have been incorporated into voodoo. 'Damballah' is the source of peace and tranquility. In Haiti, Damballah is known to be a very wise and pure lwa (or Loa, the spirits of Haitian Voodoo). Ayida-Weddo, the rainbow, is the wife, perfect mate and regular companion of Damballah. 'Their combined presence has the ability to calm the crowds, relax the senses and bring positive changes. 'Damballah Wedo', is represented by a snake or serpent; when it possesses a human, the person cannot speak but only hisses and whistles.

Damballa is protective, wise, benevolent and loving. Aida-Wedo, the Lwa of rainbows, or the rainbow serpent is the symbol of integration. In Haiti, protest usually begins with Damballah Wedo' symbol. Firstly, someone from the protesting crowd draws the voodoo symbol of "Damballah-Wedo" in the middle of the street, then a campfire is set at the center of the sign and the protesters participate in song while turning around the fire. Damballah with superhuman power possess the ability to tap and manipulate certain occult energies; can bestow power to his mortal followers.

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Here is the Ceremony handling housing keys to police officers in the area to dull the kid, ONA city area.

The village project Ona-ville is located in the region of Morne-à-Cabri. If you want to reach there you have to cross some five kilometers clay, very powdery road to get to ONA-City in Morne-à-Cabri. The project was initiated by ONA back in 1997 during the period of President Rene Preval as a housing solution for public service holders. But, when it was inaugurated in 2003 during the period of Aristide, became a fiasco; very few people were interested to go there. Now, with the help of an MOU between the Haitian government and ONA ((National Old-Age Insurance Office), the employees of Haitian National Police employees can find their long sought home with a low interest loan (0.50% per month) from ONA which would be deducted from their salary. Presently ninety, residential units in a 125,548 square meters area (1351388 square feet) have been completed in three categories: Type I: 221 Sq meters with five bedrooms, four toilets; Type II: 217 meters with four bedrooms, 3 toilets and Type III: is 196 meters with 3 bedrooms, 2 toilets. As per President Martelly's announcement 400 more units are under the planning stage. The completed ninety units have been inaugurated by the President on Thursday, November 26, 2015, in the presence of Prime Minister Evans Paul, Émmanuel Ménard, the Director General of the ONA and other important officials of the police, government, political and religious circles. The project has cost $18 million to ONA.

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Here is a picture of the funeral of Haitian Artist Alex James PIERRE, known as Black Alex. President Michel Martelly carrying his coffin.

Jamency "Black Alex" Pierre (born on October 16, 1976), the famous Rap and Ragga artist from 'King Posse' band passed away on November 13, 2015 at the age of 39 after prolonged illness. His real name was Jamecy Alex Pierre. He, along with his other band members dominated the rap Kreyol world in the 1990's with hits like Lokal, Diana, Cool non, and many others. His funeral was held in the Saint Peter's Church in Petionville (outskirts of the capital), on the morning of Friday, November 27, 2015, under the care of the Haitian government. President Martelly, who was present on the occasion, was seen to carry Black Alex's coffin during the ceremony; the President has expressed his sympathy via twitter.

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Here are the pictures of the two candidates who will be running in the run off election, Jude Celestin against Jovenel Moise.

As per the announcement of Pierre-Louis Opont, the director general of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) on November 5th, the names of the first two finishers in the presidential race are, Jovenel Moïse from PHTK party (511,992 votes or 32.81% of total votes) and Jude Célestin from LAPEH party (394,390 votes or 25.27% of total votes. However, the lead of Jovenel Moïse has raised suspicion of massive frauds. Before the election, some of the pre poll approval ratings or likeliness of the candidates to win the presidential election had shown conflicting results. One cell phone based poll conducted by Miami-based Integrated Communications and Research had given Jovenel Moise the top spot with 20.5% support and Jude Celestin, second place with 12.8%. Meanwhile, Port-au-Prince-based BRIDES' in-person survey had given Celestin a commanding lead of 31.3% to Moise's 12.9%. Since none of them could reach the 50% plus vote benchmark in the October 25 election, or a lead over 25% votes, a run-off election has been scheduled on December 27, 2015.

Jude Celestin Realizes, He Cannot Fight Jovenel Alone
On a note dated November 29, 2015, eight losing presidential candidates (G8) representing 49.81% of the vote, including Jude Celestin, the number two candidate for presidency, have signed an ultimatum notifying their withdrawal from the December 27 run off unless some preconditions are fulfilled. The members of G8 are of opinion that there could be no credible election with the present CEP under the presidency of Joseph Michel Martelly along with the support of present Police Nationale d'Haïti (PNH). They have also demanded a transitional government which would be empowered to make necessary revisions in the constitution to hold credible free and fair election within next 24 months. An exit poll conducted on the election day on October 25th, 2015, revealed a curious feature. There, a little over 6% of the sample voters had said that they have voted for the government-backed candidate Jovenel Moise, and that estimate placed him fourth on the list. Surprisingly, when the result was out, he came to the top with total 511,992 votes or 32.8 % of the votes while Jude Celestin got only 394,390 or 25.2% votes. It is a fact that exit polls are never an exact indicator, but still it is an uneven battle which Jude Celestin cannot win alone.

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Here is a picture of Gregory Brandt, uncle of the infamous Clifford Brandt.

Recently following a meeting with the members of "CORE Group" and Pierre Louis Opont representing the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Gregory Brandt (the President at Chambre Franco-Hatienne de Commerce et d'Industrie), has expressed his solidarity with the announced results and support for the debatable electoral process. Brandt has published his support to the election process in a press note on behalf of the 'Economic Forum', an organization of Haitian businessmen. The CEP was called on to the meeting to ensure credible electoral process as Haitian civilians and opposition parties are protesting over the issue of alleged frauds committed in the last two elections on August 9th and October 25th, 2015 and demanding transparency and necessary corrections before the December Presidential runoff between Jovenel Moïse and Jude Celestin.

It is interesting to note that the 'Economic Forum' and the sector which Brandt represents, is empowered to nominate the CEP Presidents likes of Pierre Louis Opont. We might remember that in 2011, Opont was involved in a controversy for changing election results on the orders of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's chief of staff, Cheryl Mills. Furthermore, it is a known fact that the CORE group and its allies have lost the trust of common Haitians and opposition politicians and such distrust became more clear after the recent elections when violent police force killed and injured demonstrators on the streets -- the CORE group did not comment on this, but had maintained silence.

Gregory Brandt's nephew, Clifford Brandt is presently held in prison for his involvement in a kidnapping ring. He was a top member of a powerful kidnapping syndicate in the Caribbean. Clifford Brandt is a close associate of President Martelly. When he was arrested by the former Lamothe's government, he was in possession of a National Palace badge.

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Here is a picture of Haitian writer Kettly Mars.

Kettly Mars (born September 3, 1958) is a Haitian novelist, poet, and essayist. She is one of the most successful Haitian writers of today. For the past twenty years, she has portrayed the sincere and insightful aspects of her country's common peoples' joys and suffering, their emotions, and desires in a precise language which is not only breathtaking but heartbreaking as well. Although her novels and their themes are based on Haiti, they have universal approach with diversified social classes, genders, human race, spirituality, power and violence. She studied classical language and spent first twenty-five years of her career in office administrative jobs. She had love for poem since her young age, but her creative impulses made her to write first poetry when she was thirty-five, perhaps with some reluctance, because they were very much different from her later matured works. Her first poetries were erotically charged with the importance of love, nature, human body and sexuality in everyday life. She proceeded to write with a new style since 1996 and received her first prize in the Jacques-Stephen Alexis contest which further encouraged her to write poems, short stories and novels with inspiring love, the beauty of nature and everyday objects. Kelly started writing about realistic and vivid paintings of societies which are tormented by deep economic and political antagonisms.

Kettly writes in French and her books have been translated in English, Dutch, Italian, Danish and Japanese. Her first major collection of short stories and poetry, "Un parfum d'encens", was published in 1999. Her first novel "Kasale" came out in 2003. "Kasale" has deep root in Haitian culture and the voodoo spirituality. It tells the story the of common villagers' struggle for existence against unknown super powers. The first novel was followed by L'heure hybride (2005), Fado (2008), Saisons sauvages (2010), Le prince noir de Lillian Russell, with Leslie Péan (2011), Aux Frontières de la soif (2013).

Recently on November 21, 2015, she has been honored with the "Prix Ivoire Award" by the jury for African Francophone Literature in French for her novel "Je suis vivant (I am alive)" published in April 2015 by Mercure de France Press. "Prix Ivoire" is an important literary prize awarded every year by the Ivorian Ministry of Culture and Francophone and the French Embassy in Cote d"ivoire at the initiative of the Ivorian Association for Akwaba Culture.

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Haitian-born, Mother Mary, Oblate Sisters of Providence founder, has entered the final phase of canonization as the first black female saint.

Mother Mary died in 1882 after a lifetime of service to African-American children. She established a private school for them and the first black order, the Oblate Sisters.

Her remains have been placed in the Motherhouse in Baltimore.

What remains for canonization is a Positio, enumerating her works for God, and proof of two miracles in her life.

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