People

Here is a set of pictures of alleged kidnapper Clifford Brandt who was recaptured by the Dominican Police

On January 28, 2016, during the trial of Chris Brandt Jr, the Judge Me Jean Wilner Morin, after the identification process of the accused and his five other accomplices in the court room [Sawadienne Jean (30), Carlo St-Fort (30), Carline Richemard (30), Pierreval Ricot (39), Saint-Fort Carlo Bendel and Evens Larieux (45)], ordered the suspension of the hearing and announced the resumption of the trial on 15 February, 2016. A dozen of lawyers were present in the courtroom to defend Clifford Brandt, who has been arrested on charges of Kidnapping, illegal restraint against ransom, conspiracy, usurpation of title, death threats, forgery and use of forgeries, illegal possession of firearms and money laundering. The trial was again postponed on February 15, because the accused Chris Brandt was absent in the courtroom.

Permalink | Comments

Here is Canadian of Haitian origin Dominique Anglade who was elected to the National Assembly of Quebec.

Dominique Anglade (42) is a member of the National Assembly of Quebec, former president of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) and the CEO of Montreal International, an agency responsible to promote the city to foreign investors. After graduating in Industrial Engineering from the Polytechnic School of Montreal (EPM), she began her career at Procter & Gamble in Ontario in 1996. In 2003, she completed Master of Business Administration (MBA) from HEC Montreal (Hautes Etudes Commerciales). She provides strategic advice to many leading companies. Anglade was born in Montreal, but her parents (Georges Anglade and Mireille Neptune) were originally from Haiti, and had returned to live there permanently. Her father was a writer and professor, co-founder of the department of geography at Université du Québec à Montréal. Unfortunately, both of them died in the Haitian earthquake of January 2010. Anglade is Quebec's new minister of the economy, science and innovation and digital strategy.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Prime Minister Evans Paul during the investiture of Provisional President Jocelerme Privert.

On February 14, 2016, during the ceremony of investiture of Jocelerme Privert as the Provisional President of Haiti, many hardcore oppositions like Maryse Narcissi and Mildred Aristide, wife of former President Jean Bertrand Aristide, Jean Charles Moise, Mathias Pierre, Joanas Gué from the Platform of Truth, losing candidate Dejean Bélizaire, and many noted businessmen were present at the National Palace. In his speech for the occasion, Privert sent many thanks to his former colleagues of the Parliament who have bestowed their confidence on him. It was surprising to note that Prime Minister Evans Paul was standing in the crowd in a marginalized manner like an onlooker. Was there any coded message from the new provisional president that to let the Haitian Prime Minister know that he has no place in his new administration? Privert will pick Haiti's next Prime Minister, in consultation with the Speakers of the House and Senate.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of two haitian Presidents Jocelerme Privert and Michel Martelly.

Less than 24 hours before the scheduled departure of Martelly, the Haitian leaders were able to manage and find a consensus for a short-term provisional government necessary to hold the postponed presidential and legislative runoff. However, such consensus was arrived by overruling the Haitian constitution on deals between the executive and legislature; the agreement was signed by Martelly, Privert, and the Speaker of the House and it was brokered by the OAS members. As the ruling Senate Chief, Jocelerme had also played a central role in those discussions. Recently, Privert has told the Associated Press that a new electoral council will be created soon to ensure that the postponed runoff is held within the scheduled time frame in a fair and transparent manner.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Jocelerme Privert.

After the fall of Aristide in February 2004, Privert was imprisoned between April 2004 to June 2006 on charges of assisting the killing of Aristide's political opponents in Saint Marc (some 60 miles north of the capital) who orchestrated the armed rebellion that ousted Aristide. Privert was arrested in the midnight from his home as a political prisoner. However, the charges against him were dismissed and he was released after 26 months of imprisonment during the rule of Rene Preval due to lack of evidence.

Permalink | Comments

Jocelerme Privert, interior minister of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was arrested. He was accused in the mid-February 2004 in the killings of several suspected Aristide opponents in St. Marc.

Earlier, he was a cabinet minister (Minister of Interior) under President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Secretary of State for Finance, adviser to former President Preval and CEO of Tax, among other charges. Privert is certainly a change in style from Martelly. Privert's swearing in ceremony was dominated by Martelly's rival left-wing Fanmi Lavalas (The Flood) crowd.

Privert is a native of Petit Goave, became the Directorate General of Taxes (1995-2001), Secretary of State for Finance (2001-2002) and Minister of the Interior (2002-2004).

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Jocelerme Privert, former interior minister under President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Jocelerme Privert, the former President of the Haitian Senate (14 January 2016 - 14 February 2016) and Senator for Nippes Department (26 April 2011 - 14 February 2016) was elected as the interim president of Haiti. He will lead a caretaker government that will fill the void left by President Michel Martelly after the end of his term. His priority would be to ease the tensions of suspended election and to hold the overdue presidential election on April 24, 2016 and install a new President on May 14, 2016, all within his 120-day term. Jocelerme Privert is an experienced politician and administrator with 35 years of experience in public service.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of Jocelerme Privert and Laurent Lamothe.

The installation of Privert as an interim president was an unprecedented event; it happened without any protocol. Nobody was sure about the identity with which Privert was present then in the Assembly, whether he was there as a senator, or a candidate or the President of the Assembly.

Jocelerme Privert was an adviser to former President René Préval. With his expertise and contribution on Haiti's most important relationship with Venezuela, he earned a nickname "Mr. PetroCaribe". His proficiency on tax systems and profound understanding of the State administration, stand both on academic knowledge and great practical experience. However, he does not possess good knowledge of the laws. On April 4, 2004, Privert was falsely accused of involvement in the La Scierie massacre in Saint-Marc and was imprisoned for 26 months, but quietly, he has been able to remake his image.

With his new responsibility, Privert's main challenge will be to find a consensus on the aspiring participants, because most of the opposition political parties are demanding complete cancellation of the October 25, 2015 election. They are not even happy with his selection. He has to find out a consensus prime minister and government who will need to help him constitute a credible nine-member electoral council.

Privert has taken took oath as the provisional President of Haiti on the night of February 13 to 14, 2016, and has promised that he will do his best to conduct the new election as soon as possible.

Permalink | Comments

Here is a picture of former Deputy Arnel Belizaire as he is thinking about taking over the National Palace with 120 soldiers

Arnel Bélizaire Wants the Popular Sector in the Provisional Government
Former MP Arnel Bélizaire does not want that the National Palace remains vacant for a long time. The former parliamentarian has appealed for 120 eligible men who would join him within 48 hours to occupy the National Palace and install a President to fill the vacuum. He does not consider this move a 'Coup', because, there is no President is in the office to drive out. This was as per the news dated February 11, 2016.

We might remember that as per government records, Arnel Bélizaire and eight other persons escaped from the National Penitentiary, the civil prison in Port-au-Prince, on 29 February 2004, 19 February 2005 and 12 January 2010. They were held in custody in connection with the "commission of crimes "and" revaluation of convicted cases, such as murder, kidnapping, rape, theft, armed robbery and conspiracy. Arnel and other eight other individuals who were accused or convicted of these charges were, Yves Jean Charles, Jean Michel, Jean Pierre Jules Rilien, Sergot Charléus, Robenson Mervil, Bourjo Jordany Dubuisson Beloved, Edzaire Bellabe, and Valdo Jean.

Permalink | Comments

There is no doubts now that President Michel Martelly will be leaving office on February 7th, 2016 as the constitution requires.

On January 25, 2016, Martelly confirmed his departure on February 7, on the first day of Haiti's carnival. On the same day, in an interview with Venezuelan TV channel Telesur, the Prime Minister Evans Paul said, now it is clear that there would be no elections before his departure on February 7. Martelly's announcement to leave was a shift from his earlier announcement where he had said, he will only leave power to people who have been elected in an election. It was said at a time when holding the election was perhaps one of the most impossible events in the world. During a speech on the inauguration of the new Interior Ministry building on January 4, 2016, he had said he doesn't want to stay in power even one day more. He will leave with no regret, no desire and no attachment.

Permalink | Comments