embarrassment

Here is a picture of French President Francois Hollande during a visit in Haiti on May, 12, 2015. He actually fall in a stairway as he was going up to speak

France won't pay Haiti Reparations: Martelly says it's Time to Move On

President Francois Hollande arrived in Port-au-Prince with a commitment to invest $145 million into Haiti's economy. Although government and business sectors welcome Hollande's largesse, protestors with long memories about France's extorting $20 billion from Haiti as payment for its independence, are fuming.

One protestor shared how many feel about France's wresting $20 billion in reparations for plantation owners' losses: "We Haitians know . . . a big reason why we are suffering today is because we were forced to pay France for our freedom . . ." An event coercing Haiti to pay ". . . ten times the country's annual revenues . . ." was a world-wide embargo led by the French in 1825. French warships threatened to bomb Port-au-Prince harbor if Haiti didn't pay up.

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Here is a picture of Former Haitian president Rene Preval going for baggage check at Airport unnoticed.

René García Préval (born Jan. 17, 1943) served two terms as the President of Haiti from February 7, 1996 to February 7, 2001, and from May 14, 2006 to May 14, 2011 and he is the first former Prime Minister to be elected President. He is the son of an agronomist, left Haiti in 1963 for Belgium to study agronomy. After earning a degree, from the Gembloux Agricultural University, he continued his education at the University of Pisa, to work in geothermal sciences. In 1970, when Préval moved to Brooklyn; there he served as a messenger and a waiter. In 1988 after returning to Haiti, he opened a bakery in Port-au-Prince that provided bread to poor children. It was there he met Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was then a Roman Catholic priest working in the slums. In 1990, when Aristide was elected president, Préval became his Prime Minister (February 1991 to October 11, 1991). Préval was the first elected head of state in Haitian history to peacefully receive power from a predecessor in office and the first President in Haitian history since independence to serve full terms in office. Recently, on 10th May, 2016, Rene Préval was seen standing in the queue at the airport baggage check-in counter, like a common man going for a trip, unnoticed. There was no security, no one to carry his luggage, neither there was any diplomatic room for him. Many consider that he was the only Haitian President who could feel the pulse of Haitian people. He is the same president guy who never hesitated to leave the National Palace behind a motorcycle, because the traffic was congested.

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Here is a picture of President Michel Martelly crying as he spent hi final moments in Office as President of Haiti.

President Michel Martelly made his 20- minute farewell address to the Haitians while leaving his office on February 7, 2016. In his speech before the parliament, he said one of his biggest regrets was that the presidential election could not be completed. He thanked those who accompanied him, defended his family against accusations of embezzlement. He said, people will remember that once there was a certain Michel Joseph Martelly who loved, gave, and built. He has worked night and day for the country and is ready to answer before the court of history. During the final moments in the office, he became emotional; drops of tears were shining in his eyes.

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Rene Preval in search of a handshake from Obama

This incident took place on April 17, 2009 during a Summit of the Americas taking place in Trinidad. What was clear from the video footing the Haitian President Rene Preval was among many dignitaries coming from around the world to participate at the summit. The summit was highlighted by the presence of American President Barrack Obama. What we could see from a video footing which we were able to transform into still picture was that while President Barrack Obama was moving in an orderly way, shaking hands with different head of stated present in the room, we suddenly say the apparition of our own president Rene Preval where it appears that he did not have any respect for protocol, decided to grab Obama's hands in a gesture to get him in his corner. Obama who obviously appeared to be surprised of the gesture, disregarded the action by Preval and continued to greet the head of states.

Many people have been asking since, did Obama completey diss Haitian president Rene preval? or was it just an oversight?

However the reactions by various Haitians were very very strong against their leader. Some called humiliating,

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Here is a picture of Former Haitian Dictator Jean Claude Duvalier and wife Michele Bennett Duvalier as they are leaving Haiti on their way to their exile in France

Furor Erupts over Duvalier Funeral Plans

A citizens' activist group is against deceased former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier being honored with a state funeral. They have begun a petition to stop Martelly from following protocol that necessitates a former president be given national honors.

The petitioners find holding a state funeral for Jean-Claude the white washing of ". . . the legacy of Duvalier's regime, and . . . of his father . . . Francois . . . Duvalier before him . . ."

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The government of Michel Martelly has reached a point where the number of people who are not satisfied with his government has increased. At the same time, the government has a large number of followers as well. As the protests against his government has reached a critical point, it comes to the point of: Are you for "Rache Mankoy Bay Ter-a Blanch" or
Are you for "Give Michel martelly a Chance"

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Here is a picture of former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand after he was exiled to South Africa

Here it is my friend, as it was expected, Jean-Bertrand Aristide wands to go back to his country as well. On January 19, 2010, three days after the surprise return of Jean-Claude Duvalier in Haiti, Aristide wants the same treatment.

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