Photos

Here is a picture of Collège Mixte Le Bon Berger which is one of the architecture for Humanity.

Collège Mixte Le Bon Berger, or Good Shepherd School was a 12-grade school, which had six classrooms; it was built few years prior to the 2010 earthquake. The devastating earthquake destroyed it so badly that called for a total replacement. Its rebuilding effort was designed to reflect Montrouis' identity and passion for learning within an ideal Haitian ambiance. The phase one was completed in early 2012 and a new completed school was opened on February, 2013 with nearly 400 students. Since its reopening, it has brought national acclaim with continuous increasing enrollment. It was rebuilt with support from nonprofit organizations like Architecture for Humanity, the Stiller Foundation and Students Rebuild. Architecture for Humanity was a US-based charitable organization that used to provide architectural solutions to humanitarian crises (closed down in January 2015). Stiller Foundation was founded by Ben Stiller on a notion that all Haitian children deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. Students Rebuild is a collaborative program of the Bezos Family Foundation that was formed following the 2010 Haitian earthquake.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of the new Communications Minister in Haiti, Mario Dupuy.

On Friday, September 18, 2015, Mario Dupuy, the former Minister of Culture (May 2012 - January 2013) has been installed as the new Minister of Communication by Jude Hervé Day, the Minister of Trade and Industry. He has replaced the former Minister of Communication Rotchild François Jr., who had resigned on September 15, 2015. In his inaugural speech, the new Communications Minister Mario Dupuy has said the country needs a climate of professionalism and called for building a calm and serene democracy with responsible citizens and for that, the contribution of all sectors is necessary and welcome. He is a former spokesman and Secretary of State for Communication of the Aristide administration. He has thanked the Haitian President Martelly for his confidence on him. After the ceremony, Minister Dupuy, accompanied by the Director General, Dr. Calvin Cadet, visited various departmental offices and met the departmental staff.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Haiti Prime Minister Evans Paul with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington D.C.

Paul Evans, the Haitian Prime Minister accompanying Godson Orélus, the CEO of the PNH and Mr. Fritz Jean-Louis, his Delegate Minister of on election matters, reached Washington DC (USA), on a three day tour (September 16 to 18). He had a packed well prepared agenda with him for his U.S tour. He had to attend the forum of the Black Caucus Foundation, to meet the U.S Secretary of State John Kerry and discuss the importance and his administration's ability to hold a fair, free and credible election in Haiti. As the Organization of American States (OAS) is actively observing the Haitian election, the Prime Minister visited its headquarters and met the honorable Luis Leonardo Almagro Lemes (Uruguay), the Secretary General and Ambassador Nestor Mendes (Belize), the Assistant Secretary General of OAS, respectively.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of the Voodoo leader in Haiti, Max Beauvoir.

Max Gesner Beauvoir (August 25, 1936 - September 12, 2015) was a male priest (Houngan) and the supreme leader (Ati) in Haitian Voodoo. Until his last day, he has fought for the recognition and acceptance of voodoo. He was the head of 6,000 Haitian witch doctors and was said to have "bewitched" former president Bill Clinton when they had a chance meeting in 1975. Beauvoir used to believe that voodoo is the soul of the Haitian people, a way of life. The soul is what we are. It controls everything, all our actions, mind, our moral codes; and nothing can be done without that cultural basis. In 1974, he founded Le Péristyle de Mariani, a voodoo temple at his coral stone-walled home outside the capital city where everyone was welcome. Max Beauvoir died on September 12, 2015. On September 16, 'national tribute' was arranged in his honor at the Champ de Mars.

Permalink | Comments

Opening of a Veerhouse Voda plant in Drouillard.

Veerhouse Voda is a New York based company that has worked over 22 projects in Haiti in the last three years. The company is flexible to fit all building needs. It provides a large variety of building structures with a combination of lightweight steel frames (expanded Polystyrene panel) which cost less but resistant to earthquake, fire, hurricane, flood and other natural disasters. As per new report dated September 14, the company has opened a production plant of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) panel in Drouillard (West Department) for its local consumption. The new plant, as per the company's statement, would create over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Permalink | Comments

Max Beauvoir has been credited for educating the public about the religion of voodoo. One of his accomplishment was to address the issue of Zonbification in the Voodoo religion.

The majority of Haitians believe in the magical power of Voodoo. Western scientists have problem understanding the power of apparent resurrection of a human after death.

Max Gesner Beauvoir, the supreme leader (Ati) in Haitian Voodoo had worked to educate people about the misunderstood voodoo faith. He was the head of 6,000 Haitian witch doctors and was said to have "bewitched" former president Bill Clinton when they had a chance meeting in 1975. His horror fans remember him sharing the secrets of Zombie Powder with Harvard professor Wade Davis, the author of the best-selling novel on "Serpent and the Rainbow", a book on Haitian Voodoo and the process of making zombies. Beauvoir, introduced Davis to a shaman named Marcel Pierre who was died 18 years ago; Pierre returned to life and gave up recipe to a zombie powder which had the power to bring the dead back to life. The book reignited a lot of discussion about zombies and it made real waves in the Euro-American society.

Do you believe in resurrection and Zonbification of people in the voodoo religion?

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of a bus set on fire by protesters on National road Number one.

On September 16, 2015, a bus from the 'Sans Souci' and a dozen of motorcycles were set on fire at Arcahaie & Fonds des Blancs during a demonstration of protest held on the National Road No: 1. It was the 16 consecutive days of protest that the situation had remained very tensed; the roads were blocked in several places. The local inhabitants had burned tyres and wrecked cars on a protest against President Martelly's unilateral decision to make "Les Arcadins" a commune and to connect it to the Artibonite Department. Several casualties have already been reported in recent days, especially, from the forceful intervention of the police.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Prime Minister Evans Paul paying a visit to Gran Lakou Souvnans in Gonaives on April 5, 2015.

Lakou Souvenance is one of the three grand Lakou's of Gonaives which are known for keeping specific African Voodoo traditions. In a quiet and tranquil location, the other two lakous of Gonaives are Lakou Soukri and Lakou Badjo-- all were founded prior to Haiti's independence in 1804. While walking around the courtyard of Souvenance under its giant trees reaching for the sky, you will return to your childhood days and have a feeling of walking in a wonderland. It is a mystical Haitian site where voodooists meet. It is a place where a cycle of ceremonies unfolds around some sacred trees. The trees, the domain of various Lwas, are respected, decorated and honored. Here, the annual festivities usually take place around the Lent season before Easter. Lakou Souvenance, Soukri and Badjo are referenced as sites of pilgrimage for several Haitian presidents in the late nineteenth-century. Prime Minister Evans Paul paid a visit to Gran Lakou Souvnans in Gonaives on April 5, 2015.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of the actual funeral of Max Beauvoir, the Leader of Haitian Voodoo Religion who passed away in September, 2015 in his home. He received a proper funeral according to the rules of the Voodoo religion

Haitians who adhere to Voodoo do not consider death to be the end of life-- there is an afterlife. When one dies, the soul essence hovers near the corpse for seven to nine days. During this period, the individual free soul can be captured and made into a "spiritual zombie" by a sorcerer. Thus, to avoid this capture, the voodoo priests perform a nine night ritual so that the soul may live in the dark waters for a year and a day. After that, the deceased's relatives perform the Rite of Reclamation to raise the deceased person's soul essence and put it in a clay jar known as a govi. When Max Gesner Beauvoir, the supreme leader of Haitian voodoo died on September 12, his body was kept until everyone paid a visit and made it home for the funeral. Prime Minister Paul Evans met with the daughter and step-son of the deceased, the couple Rachel and Didier Dominique. A 'national tribute was arranged on September 16, at the Champ de Mars. In a somber environment, the Government of the Republic of Haiti extended its sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased and to the members of the voodoo community. President Michel Martelly has described his death as a "great loss for the country".

Permalink | Comments

It has been reported that supporters of PHTK have been attacked by a Gunmen.

On Friday, September 18, at around 7:00 PM, two days after the launching campaign of Platform Parti Haïtien Tèt Kale (PHTK), the members and supporters of PHTK were attacked during their presidential campaign by some unidentified armed individuals in the commune of Limbé in the Northern department. During the attack, the supporters and members were moving on a campaign caravan and waiting for the arrival of their presidential candidate, Jovenel Moïse, any moment. The Platform PHTK has postponed the meeting to a future date to avoid any untoward incident. It has been learnt that the armed attempt was made in order to prevent the gathering of the supporters and sympathizers of the movement Tèt Kale.

Permalink | Comments