Haiti's Notorious Gang Leader Arnel Joseph Arrested
WASHINGTON/PORT-AU-PRINCE - A wounded Arnel Joseph was lying on a stretcher, ready to be wheeled into an operating room at the Bonne Fin hospital of Les Cayes, a Caribbean seaport located in Haiti's southern region, when members of a special unit of the National Police Force's (PNH) swooped in to arrest him.
"We've captured Arnel!" the officers shouted angrily, then they fired their weapons into the air, in a video seen by VOA Creole.
The alleged gang leader, considered to be one of the country's most dangerous and wanted fugitives, was awaiting surgery on his wounded leg, when he was found and captured, according to National Police Chief Michel Ange Gedeon. The leg was wounded during a fire fight with rival gang leader Ti Sourit, Arnel told reporters as they snapped photos and recorded video of him after his arrest.
Police Chief Gédeon tweeted the news to a stunned nation.
Le chef de gang Arnel Joseph très recherché depuis des mois par la @pnh_officiel a été appréhendé ce lundi à l’Hôpital Bonne Fin (Cayes). Remerciements à nos policiers et à la population haïtienne.#PNH #ArnelJoseph
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"The gang leader Arnel Joseph (who) the national police force spent months trying to locate has been apprehended Monday at the Hopital Bonne Fin (Cayes). Thank you to our police officers and to the people of Haiti."
The police had been tracking him for months and suspected he was hiding out in the lush seaside of Artibonite in the agricultural region of the country.
Gedeon said the arrest "had been an obsession for the 15,000 police officers of the institution," during an interview with radio station Magik9 Tuesday morning.
In 2018, PNH had offered a $27,000 reward (2 million gourdes) for any information leading to Arnel's arrest.
Post arrest photos go viral
Photos of the tall, thin young man in his 20s, lying naked on a dirt surface as people shouted questions at him quickly went viral on Haitian social media Monday night. In one photo obtained by VOA Creole, the tan Timberland-style boot of a police officer wearing camouflage pants can be seen pressing down on his chest. Arnel looks up in bewilderment.
The image sparked questions about whether human rights activists and MINUJUSTH, The United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti would investigate the circumstances of Arnel's arrest and his treatment by police afterward. The special unit had decided to move in on Arnel before the surgical procedure, rather than waiting until after it was over to swoop in.
MINUJUSTH's stated mission is "strengthening Haiti's rule of law institutions, developing the Haitian National Police, and promoting and protecting human rights."
Who is Arnel Joseph?
The 20-something Arnel had been arrested and sentenced to six years in jail in 2011 for the murder of several policemen. He was released in May of 2017. Haiti's penal code is based on the French judicial system. It is unclear how his sentence was determined.
Arnel is accused of terrorizing residents of the Village de Dieu slum of the capital, and more recently of robbing trucks loaded with merchandise, raping, kidnapping and attacking motorists on National Highway #1, which links the capital and cities to the north.
In a conversation with journalists posted on YouTube, he said he considers himself to be a "representative" of the Village de Dieu slum of the capital, Port-au-Prince. "Our revolution is the Haitian people's revolution," he said.
Links to lawmakers
In April, the discovery of of 24 mobile calls between Arnel and Senator Garcia Delva roiled the nation. Senator Delva, who represents the Artibonite agricultural department of the country where the alleged gang leader had been hiding out, denied any wrongdoing.
"I only have one position on this," he told reporters. "If the commission finds that I, in my conversations with Arnel, ever agreed to associate myself with his (illegal) activities then I agree and accept to pay the consequences. For once, this country needs justice."
When journalists pressed him about why he was in contact with the gang leader in the first place, Delva responded that he "talks to everyone."
"Everyone knows my number, I've never changed it - so everyone calls me - anyone can call me. Anyway, I don't think I'm the only one who converses with him," Delva said. The senator refused to divulge what they discussed and alleged that prominent Haitian businessman and opposition leader Reginald Boulos recognizes Arnel as a community leader. He said Boulos confirmed that in a conversation with a local radio station.
How the phone calls were tracked remains unclear.
Senator Senatus told reporters the commission (Senate Commission for Justice, Security and Defense) had received information that led to them asking the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) to provide information about the calls made to and from Senator Delva's phone. But Jean David Rodney, the institution's executive director, denied ever receiving such a request in an interview with Haiti Libre newspaper. He said CONATEL has "no direct relationship with the Senate."
Former Senate leader Youri Latortue, who also represents the Artibonite region in the Senate, echoed his colleague Delva's claims about other prominent politicians being linked to the gang leader.
"I think there are a lot of other names on the list of connections to Arnel," Latortue told VOA Creole. "For example there's Vladimir Jean-Louis "Ti Vlad" who does security work for (former president Michel) Martelly - he's on the list too. We have to investigate the links between what they said exists (between) - the president and the thugs - because some people say it was the president who brought Arnel to Port au Prince.
Those allegations remain unsubstantiated.
Conditions to turn himself in to law enforcement
Prior to his arrest on Monday, Arnel expressed a willingness to turn himself in if the government met certain conditions.
His conditions were: finishing potable water projects, building roads, boosting agriculture and providing electricity to the population.
What's next?
Arnel's capture put an end to years of living on the lam, but the police investigation into his criminal activities continues, according to Carl-Henry Boucher, the administrative director of the national police force.
On social media, reaction to the arrest was mixed.
"Good Job" @michaljoseph9341 commented on VOA Creole's Instagram page.
User @albandywedson questioned why the police waited until he sought treatment to arrest him.
And @benaldo_paul was skeptical of justice really being served, commenting "jomo (President Jovenel Moise) and the honorable garcia delva will have him released."
Another Medal for Haiti Swimming at the 2019 CCCAN Games in Barbados!
The Haitian National Swim Team sent a 4 person delegation: Coach Alain Sergile (1996 Haitian Olympian) and athletes Laila Michel, Emilie Grand’Pierre and Alexandre Grand’Pierre to the CCCAN Games in Barbados June 28th - July 2nd.Our fourth athlete Davidson Vincent was set to swim the 50 & 100 fly and participate in the first ever Haitian Relay Team. Unfortunately, due to Visa issues, he was unable to travel from Haiti. We are working hard to resolve this issue and complete our Relay Team.
A Silver Medal was won by Emilie Grand’Pierre in the 50m breaststroke. Her swim of 35.26 set a new Haitian Record.New Haitian Records were set by Laila Michel in the 200m Butterfly (2:41.37).Alexandre Grand'Pierre in the 200m IM (2:19.00), 50m breaststroke (31.89) and the 100m breaststroke (1:07.57).and Emilie Grand'Pierre in the 200m IM (2:35.07) and 100m breaststroke (1:18.10).Congratulations to our Athletes for proudly representing our Flag! Thank you so much to CARIBBEAN APPAREL for providing the team uniforms and to individual contributors for Supporting Our Movement!
Help Us Qualify Our First Ever Haitian Relay Team to the 2020 Games!Contribute Here!ANSAM, NAP MACHE PRAN YO!Their next competition is World Championships on July 21-28 in South Korea.https://www.haitiroadtotokyo.com
Information provided by: Sons and Daughters of Haiti INC (SNDHAITI) - July 10, 2019
Armed Americans Arrested in Haiti Returned to US
WASHINGTON —
Five U.S. citizens who were among eight men detained over the weekend in Haiti with automatic weapons and other arms have returned to the United States.
U.S. and Haitian officials say the men departed the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, Wednesday afternoon before their scheduled court appearance.
"The return of the individuals to the U.S. was coordinated with the Haitian authorities,” a State Department spokesperson confirmed to VOA.
The men were arrested upon arrival in the U.S., although it is unclear what they are being charged with in the United States or where they are being held.
The spokesperson told VOA that State defers to law enforcement for answers to those questions.
Three former servicemen
Earlier Wednesday, the Miami Herald quoted a police source s saying “they left,” referring to the five Americans. The men are identified as: former Navy SEALS Christopher Michael Osman and Christopher Mark McKinley, former Marine Kent Leland Kroeker and Americans Dustin Porte and Talon Ray Burton.
Two Serbs were also arrested, Vlade Jankvic and Danilo Bajagic, one of whom is a permanent U.S. resident, according to a photo of his green card sent to VOA Creole reporters. They were also on the American Airlines flight to Miami. A Haitian national, Michael Estera, whom the United States deported, remains in Haiti.
The men were found with automatic rifles, pistols, drones and satellite communications equipment in their vehicles, which had no license plates.
Violent demonstrations
Their arrests followed more than a week of violent demonstrations by Haitians demanding the resignation of President Jovenel Moise, who has been beleaguered by rising inflation and accusations of corruption.
News of the men’s departure came on the same day Haitian National Police (PNH) spokesman Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune told VOA Creole a report would made public on the findings of the investigation following the arrest of the eight men suspected of “conspiracy.” He announced Wednesday that the report had been delayed.
In an interview with the U.S.-based cable news network CNN, Haiti Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant described the men as “mercenaries” and “terrorists” seeking to destabilize “the executive branch of government.”
Citing police sources, the Miami Herald reported that when questioned, the men said they were on a “government mission” and were under no obligation to talk to Haitian law enforcement. They said their “boss would call his boss,” referring to the police commissioner.
The U.S. consul general visited the detainees at the Port-au-Prince police station shortly after the arrest. Haitian Justice official Paul Eronce Villard also saw them. He denied Tuesday reports that he was pressured to free the Americans.
“I personally was never pressured to free the men held by the Port-au-Prince police station” he told local reporters. But Villard told the Herald that the National Palace had pressured police to release them.
Stunning departure
News of the departure of the five Americans stunned the nation.
The men were spotted by Haitian social media guru Carel Pedre, who hosts a popular radio and television entertainment show in Port-au-Prince. Pedre tweeted video of the men aboard his flight, American Airlines flight 1059.
"Neg yo te arete yo te sou vol mwen an (AA 1059). M’ap konfime ke otorite ameriken vinn pran yo nan avyon an e yo menote yo!"
After landing in Miami, Pedre broadcast an eyewitness account of what he saw and heard on his Facebook account.
According to Pedre, most of the passengers were unaware that the Americans were on board. He said some suspected it might be them but they were not sure. Upon arrival in Miami, their flight, which landed early, was held on the tarmac for 30 minutes before proceeding to the gate. Pedre said an announcement was then made that law enforcement officials would be boarding the flight before anyone could get off. He said the men were rounded up and handcuffed, one by one, before being led off the aircraft.
“Since many of you have seen the video posted on social media showing the men very relaxed, hands unencumbered — I have to tell you that they also boarded the plane very relaxed — I didn’t even notice it was them and many of the other passengers were suspicious but we didn’t realize it was them,” he said.
Pedre said one of the men was smiling as he left the plane.
“Since they are now in the hands of U.S. law enforcement, and there is more transparency in America than in Haiti, we may learn more (about why they were in Haiti),” he said.
Reaction on social media was scathing. “#Haiti has no justice. Was there even an investigation into this??? This country is really messed up” @lynejea tweeted.
“What a HUGE surprise,” @micfrd tweeted. “Like we really expected The Haitian Government to Keep American Citizens Prisoners?”
@Lamytheman1 tweeted “No surprise here. You trade those 5 guys for a larger humanitarian aid package. Haiti government knows why those guys were there. Didn’t they get caught with a member of the Palace? It’s sad all those politicians made up bs to keep the people guessing.”
And @Moniclesca tweeted “I wonder how @DG_PNH (Haiti’s National Police Chief) will explain this one? What will @jeanhenryceant (the prime minister) say? Was this also part of the deal to vote against Maduro in Venezuela?”
Heavily armed Americans claiming to be on ‘government mission’ arrested in Haiti
Five Americans who claimed they were on “a government mission” in Haiti were arrested by local authorities after being found with a stash of automatic rifles and pistols, according to a report.
The group was picked up Sunday at a police checkpoint in Port-au-Prince driving in two vehicles without licence plates, the Miami Herald reported.
Inside their cars were six automatic rifles, six pistols, two professional drones and three satellite phones, cops told the paper. Images of the guns have been circulating on WhatsApp.
Asked what they were doing in Haiti, the men told police “they were on a mission, and they didn’t have to speak to us,” Port-au-Prince police chief Joel Casseus told the paper. “They said they were on a government mission.”
Three of the men — Christopher Michael Osman, 44, Kent Leland Kroeker, 52, and Christopher Mark McKinley, 49 — are US military veterans, the paper reported.
A fourth man, Talon Ray Burton, 52, once worked as a federal contractor for the US government.
Three other individuals, including a Russian, Serbian and Haitian national, were traveling with the Americans and were also arrested.
Local authorities said Tuesday they still don’t know what the men were doing in the country. They face charges of possessions of illegal arms and other crimes.
The State Department and US Embassy said they had been made aware of the Americans’ arrest. The embassy told police they had no covert operations on the ground.
There is currently a travel warning for US citizens in Haiti due to violent protests that have broken out in the country.
Haiti's President Says He Won't Step Down as Violent Protests Grip the Capital
Haiti’s embattled leader has made his first public statements since protests rocked the Caribbean nation’s capital more than a week ago, vowing in a televised address that he will not step down.
Voice of America reports that President Jovenal Moise appeared on national television Thursday to address calls for his for resignation. Critics claim his government lacks transparency and is ineffective.
“I hear you,” Moise said in a speech aired by national broadcaster TNH and live-streamed on Facebook. “You are the reason I ran for president. I’m working for you.”
Over the past eight days, protesters have taken to the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince and other cities to denounce what they say is rampant corruption in the country.
At least nine people have been killed amid the violent unrest, according to Al Jazeera. In the southern port city of Aquin, 78 inmates broke out of a prison while police were dealing with protesters, the Guardian reports.
Current and former government officials have been accused of misappropriating Venezuelan loans meant for development after 2008, according to the BBC.
Soaring inflation has also led to worsening living conditions for the population, 60% of whom live on less than $2 a day.
Moise said in his address that he had taken measures to improve the lives of Haitians, urging patience for reforms to take effect. He has reportedly called for dialogue with the opposition, to no avail.
Protesters appeared unmoved by the president’s speech and some were back on the streets shortly after.
The U.S. Department of State has raised its travel alert for Haiti to level 4. “Do not travel due to crime and civil unrest,” the Bureau of Consular Affairs advised on its website.
Moise has been in power since his electoral victory in November 2016. Previously a little-known entrepreneur, he campaigned on a promise of addressing climate change and corruption, as well as modernizing the agricultural industry to provide more jobs for citizens.
Hotel dishwasher awarded $21 million after boss made her work on Sundays
The jury also found she was due $35,000 in back wages and $500,000 for emotional pain and mental anguish.But a cap on punitive damages prevents her from receiving anywhere close to that amount.Marie Jean Pierre, who worked as a dishwasher at the Conrad Miami, sued Virginia-based Park Hotels & Resorts, formerly known as Hilton Worldwide, in 2017 for violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The landmark law bans employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.The award was filed on Tuesday with the U.S. District Court in Miami. The jury also found she was due $35,000 in back wages and $500,000 for emotional pain and mental anguish.Pierre, 60, is a mother of six and a member of the Soldiers of Christ Church, a Catholic missionary group that helps the poor, her attorney Pierre said in the lawsuit that she informed the Conrad Miami from the beginning of her employment that she could not work Sundays because of her religious beliefs.Her lawyer, Marc Brumer, said Hilton argued in court that it was unaware Pierre was a missionary, and never knew why she always wanted Sundays off.In 2009, she alleges the hotel scheduled her to work on a Sunday, according to the lawsuit. She says she told her employer she would have to resign, but in an effort to persuade her not to quit, they accommodated her request until 2015.Sometime in 2015, the kitchen manager at the Conrad Miami, "demanded" Pierre work Sundays, the lawsuit states and for a short time allowed her to swap shifts with other coworkers to have the day off.On March 31, 2016, Pierre says she was fired for alleged misconduct, negligence and “unexcused absences,” according to the lawsuit.Although there is a cap on punitive damage awards in federal court, Pierre's attorney said he expects she will receive at least $500,000."I asked for $50 million, knowing that I was capped at $300,000," Brumer told NBC News on Wednesday. "I didn't do this for money. I did this to right the wrongs."The jury was unaware that the law caps the amount of punitive damages she could receive.Hilton said it was "very disappointed by the jury's verdict, and don't believe that it is supported by the facts of this case or the law.""During Ms. Pierre's ten years with the hotel, multiple concessions were made to accommodate her personal and religious commitments," a spokeswoman said. "We intend to appeal, and demonstrate that the Conrad Miami was and remains a welcoming place for all guests and employees."By: Janelle Griffith for NBCnews.com | January 16, 2019
High-school-basketball-coach-threatens-send-player-home-Haiti-profane-rant
'I'm the dirtiest, baddest motherf***er on this earth': High school basketball coach calls a player 'r*****ed' and threatens to send him back to his home in Haiti in a profane rant
- Mike Woodbury – the owner of Port Saint Lucie's Nation Christian Academy, where he coaches boys basketball – was recorded threatening the player
- During the recording, Woodbury can be heard saying that he 'control[s] transcripts,' seemingly implying he could control the player's GPA
- When the player received his transcripts, he had a 1.4 grade-point average (GPA). He asserts that Woodbury changed his grades to harm his future
- Woodbury denied the accusation and attributed the lower numbers to an 'error'
- The rant seems to be in response to the player's decision to transfer schools
- In the statement, Woodbury claims the foreign student actually lived with him
- The player and a teammate claim they found a damaging conversation between Woodbury and a woman, which spurred him to ask for a request to transfer
- Players coached by Woodbury in Maine claimed he verbally abused them
A basketball coach who owns a private academy in Florida has admitted to a profanity-laced tirade in which he called a player 'r*****ed' while threatening to send him back to his home country of Haiti after the student told him he was transferring to another school.After a recording of the profane tirade was released on YouTube, Mike Woodbury – the owner of Port Saint Lucie's Nation Christian Academy – admitted to the rant in a school statement.
Woodbury said the full conversation lasted 20 minutes. The YouTube clip is about three minutes long, but contains a litany of derogatory terms aimed at the player, who was seemingly telling the coach he intended to transfer.
In speaking with Stadium, the player said he left Nation Christian Academy two days after the
'Just get out of my face,' Woodbury said at the start of the clip. 'Take your broke asses – I'll say it again – your broke asses back to the garage. I don't want to hear from you. The bottom line … get the f*** out. Just walk the f*** out. I don't give a shit. I control transcripts. I control where you go next. It could be back to Haiti, mother****er. That's how easy it is for me.'
According to Stadium, that player and a teammate claim they found a damaging conversation between Woodbury and a woman, which spurred the player to ask Nation Christian's head of school for a release and transfer.
When the player, who is reportedly being recruited by McNeese State, Louisiana Tech and other mid-majors, received his transcripts, he had a 1.4 grade-point average (GPA). He asserts that Woodbury changed his grades, but Woodbury denied the accusation and attributed the lower numbers to an 'error in calculation.'
During the recording, Woodbury can be heard saying that he 'control[s] transcripts,' seemingly implying he could control the player's GPA.
Woodbury alleged to Stadium that the player had attempted to extort school leadership.
The player, who was in his second season at the school after moving over from Haiti at 15, allegedly skipped school, which, as Woodbury told Stadium, was the final straw.
The player denied many of the specific charges made against him by Woodbury to Stadium, and insists he was not trying to extort anyone.
Rather, the player claimed, he was worried the school would be shut down and he wanted to transfer before that happened.
He claims Woodbury's efforts to misrepresent his GPA negatively impacted his chances to transfer: 'I’ve already had two schools close down on me. I was afraid this one would be shut down also, so I wanted to get out of there.'
Multiple players coached by Woodbury in Maine told Stadium they witnessed verbal abuse from him. The private school league in which Nation Academy was a member of, Sunshine Independent Athletic Association, told Stadium it parted ways with the institution.
Woodbury released a statement Wednesday: 'First, I want to apologize for the vulgar language that was used in the video that has been circulating around. I have had this particular student for a year. He is like family and sometimes family arguments get blown out of proportion.
'I am in no way justifying the language, however, there are two sides to every story. This conversation did not take place at school, I do not coach the team. Without indicting the child too much, there were multiple conduct issues while this student was attending school and living in my home with my wife and son. One issue was criminal in nature, that was not pursed as the intentions are not to cause lifelong damage to this student.
'Also, this particular student was asked to leave the school and we arranged for it to be done so amicably. The timeline on this "conversation" is deceiving as this was on 10/17/2018 with 4 other students and another coach present. This conversation was in regards to the several conduct issues and lasted 35 minutes, the particular clip was dubbed to 3 minutes. I am readily available for comment.'
The rant went viral after former Kentucky Wildcats star and journeyman NBA guard Rex Chapman posted the YouTube link on Twitter.
'Sickening,' Chapman wrote. 'Please pay attention to the people "coaching" your kids. This is Nation Christian Academy Head Basketball Coach Mike Woodbury reacting to a player transferring. He was recorded. This is not coaching. Or teaching...'
By Alex Raskin Sports News Editor For Dailymail.com and Associated Press | October 31, 2018See full video below - Warning: Graphic content
First of Its Kind, Women Owned Factory Creates Sustainable Jobs in Haiti
January 14, 2019 factory grand opening in memory of Haiti earthquake victims, and in celebration of survivors perseverance PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, October 23, 2018 (Newswire.com) - In less than 100 days the world will remember the 200,000+ lives that were lost in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Frontline news will marvel at the 1.5 million people who became homeless overnight and the aid dollars that seemed to vanish. One company, however, will not only honor those lost, they will celebrate the livelihoods created due to the tenacity of the survivors. deux mains, an ethical fashion brand, is using innovation to invest in the long-term development of Haiti. Combining industrial manufacturing with handmade craftsmanship, deux mains introduces an ethical production system that is sustainable.
"We have beaten all the odds of growing a business in Haiti. Our vision to create an innovative and competitive manufacturing system has come to fruition. We have doubled production, as well as, doubled our environmental and social impact by creating more jobs and repurposing more tires. Haiti may be poor in many ways, but access to the limitless sunshine is not one of them. We have increased impact by outfitting our building with solar so that we may harness the power of the Haitian sun, reducing C02 emissions," -said Colombino
A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 14, 2019 will mark another milestone in the deux mains story of creating sustainable employment in Haiti. With dignitaries and ambassadors in attendance, deux mains will showcase local manufacturing, blending their industrial and handmade processes. The eco-brand also uses 100 percent solar energy to run their facility. deux mains is a registered Haitian business transforming the manufacturing industry by creating a set of standards that ensures products are designed to defend the environment, craftsmen and women are protected by policy, and consumers have the power to shop responsibly.First investors in the company are institutions working on global poverty such as USAID, Clinton Global Initiative, and the United Nations. Ethical fashion brand, Eileen Fisher, has also invested in the scale of the business.The deux mains factory grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony takes place on Jan. 14, 2019 at 10 a.m. in Port au Prince, Haiti.Via: Newswire.com | October 23, 2018
Quake Reminds Haiti Its Structures Are Still Vulnerable – And Its Fault Lines Mysterious
Folks on Haiti’s north coast are still shaken after Saturday night’s strong earthquake there killed at least a dozen people and injured almost 200. The quake was produced by a Caribbean fault line that’s been relatively quiet for centuries.The 5.9-magnitude earthquake’s epicenter was in the sea northwest of Haiti. It was the first strong jolt to hit Haiti since the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people. And it was a reminder that too many of Haiti’s houses and other structures still aren’t sturdy enough to withstand large quakes.David Diller, an American Mennonite missionary in Port-de-Paix, on Haiti’s north coast, says some of his congregants lost their homes.“One of the people in our church, their house – I mean, it took the whole thing," Diller told WLRN. "They ran out of the house, but they had forgotten one child. And when the thing stopped they went back in – and it was God’s protection, because that child was on the floor, there was a pile block on both sides of that child and that child did not have a mark on it.”Like the fault line in southern Haiti that caused the 2010 earthquake, the Caribbean fault involved in Saturday’s quake had been relatively dormant for the past few centuries. It’s called the Septentrional Fault. And it’s a bit of a mystery to scientists, says University of Miami geophysicist Falk Amelung.“This fault is supposed to rupture," says Falk. "We know from GPS measurement that it’s moving relatively fast. But there was very little seismic activity in the last 500 years – and that is surprising.”Amelung says data show Saturday’s earthquake involved a lot of vertical thrust instead of the horizontal push expected from that fault. And that adds to concerns about tsunamis should the fault move in that fashion under the sea again.
Saturday's earthquake epicenter was in the Caribbean Sea just to the northwest of Haiti, along the Septentrional fault line.By: TIM PADGETT/WLRN/OCT 8, 2018
Venice Plane Company Makes Weekly Service Trips to Haiti
From earthquakes to hurricanes, disasters like those only exemplify the need Agape Flights tries to offer.
VENICE, Fla. -- Allen Speer looked up at his red, white, and blue plane and smiled. It was ready to be loaded again for another life-saving flight to Haiti.“It’s more than a job. It’s a calling,” said the pastor-turned-CEO at Agape Flights in Venice.The plane’s tail tag reads “N316AF,” which Speer explained stands for John 3:16 – one of the world’s most quoted Bible verses.“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” he said.Everything Agape Flights does operates on faith. It’s a company that supports missionaries all over the Caribbean in places like Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. In all, 375 missionaries are supported by Agape Flights, which has operated in Florida for 39 years.“For me, there is no better feeling than to be able to help somebody else who can’t help themselves,” said Rod Aldrich, who sold his cows and retired as a dairy farmer in order to move to Florida to begin working for Agape Flights. “God drew us here.”"Agape" means "unconditional love" in Greek. It costs $5,000 per week just to fuel the planes that Agape Flights sends to and from the Caribbean. The supplies, mostly mail and non-perishable food, helps sustain the men and women ministering to nationals all over Hispaniola.“We’re supplying the supplies that enables them to continue reaching out and, like you said, show the people of Haiti, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, that we care about them,” said pilot Jeff Yannucciello. “They’re not forgotten. We’re doing a flight a week usually, sometimes up to 65 flights a year.”Haiti is considered the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Agape Flights is fewer than 800 miles away. A 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Haiti Saturday night and at least ten people died. A disaster like that and devastating hurricanes only exemplify the need Agape Flights tries to offer.“When they see that plane coming, they say, ‘Hope is Life,’ and they’re so thankful for this red, white, and blue plane when they see it coming in,” Speer said.The company's motto is "Serving Christ by Serving His Missionaries."By: Bobby Lewis for wtsp.com (10 News) | October 8, 2018
Death toll in Haiti earthquake rises to 15; at least 333 injured
PORT-DE-PAIX, Haiti — The death toll from a 5.9 earthquake that hit Haiti over the weekend rose to at least 15 people with 333 injured, according to updated figures released Monday by authorities, as rescue crews worked to help victims spooked by strong aftershocks.Haiti's civil protection agency said in a statement that it will soon deploy 70 soldiers to the Nord-Ouest and Artibonite provinces that were hardest hit, noting it already sent 14 soldiers along with nurses and doctors to the area over the weekend.
Among them was Marc-Sena Docteur, a 24-year-old carpenter whose girlfriend died in the earthquake."Now I'm left with a 9-month-old baby with no aid at all," he said. "I'm still crying. I don't know what I'm going to do without her."The walls of the room that the couple had been renting for a year collapsed, and he and the baby have been sleeping outdoors since the quake.
Sunday's aftershock caused panic on streets where emergency teams were providing relief to victims after cinderblock homes and rickety buildings toppled in several cities. The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the aftershock was located 9.8 miles (15.8 kilometers) north-northwest of Port-de-Paix.Among the dead were a 5-year-old boy crushed by his collapsing house.Impoverished Haiti, where many live in tenuous circumstances, is vulnerable to earthquakes and hurricanes. A vastly larger magnitude 7.1 quake damaged much of the capital in 2010 and killed an estimated 300,000 people.Etanvie Dimorne, a 50-year-old mason, said people have to rebuild stronger given the earthquakes that have hit Haiti. He lost his home in Saturday's quake and is now sleeping under a tarp in someone's yard."Last night it rained," he said. "I have to sleep under difficult conditions."
The USGS said Saturday's quake was centered 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of Port-de-Paix, which is about 136 miles (219 kilometers) from the capital of Port-au-Prince.It was felt lightly in the capital, as well as in the neighboring Dominican Republic and in eastern Cuba, where no damage was reported.In Haiti, officials have struggled to shore up buildings despite the two major fault lines along Hispaniola, which is the island shared with the Dominican Republic.
The damage from the temblors was visible. In Gros-Morne, one bed was covered in rubble, while the exterior walls of some homes were cracked. Others tilted at precarious angles.Pierre Jacques Baudre, a farmer and father of seven, said he was afraid to return to his home after one wall built with rocks and cement crumbled."The house can fall at any time," he said.The civil protection agency issued a statement saying that houses were destroyed in Port-de-Paix, Gros-Morne, Chansolme and Turtle Island.Damage was also reported at the Saint-Michel church in Plaisance and the police station in Port-de-Paix. Parts of a hospital and an auditorium collapsed in Gros-Morne, where parliamentarian Alcide Audne told The Associated Press that two of the deaths occurred.By: Associated Press via NBCnews.com | October 8, 2018
Haiti Calls For Funds To Deal With Cholera
UNITED NATIONS – President Jovenel Moise has called on the international community to provide the funding needed to help the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country deal with the cholera epidemic.Addressing a round table discussion at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Moise said that while significant progress had been made since the epidemic was first reported in 2010, the disease continues to claim victims in Haiti.He said much funds are needed if the country is to eradicate the disease completely by 2022.“I am advocating to the UN General Assembly to remind the urgency of continuing international funding to defeat cholera. We will need an estimated US$390 million if we really want to end this epidemic by 2022,” he said, adding that Haiti had a plan that is already operational to eradicate cholera.
“If the resources provided are available to us, the elimination of the disease will be within our reach,’ Moise said, recalling that the US$390 million request corresponds to the United Nations multi-partner trust fund for cholera in Haiti, which was launched in December 2016 by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.But Moise told the meeting that despite the repeated calls of the former secretary general and his successor, Antonio Guterres, only two per cent of the promises made by international donors have been met.The fund has two main components including establishing a new strategy to develop a programme of material assistance and support to Haitians most directly affected by cholera as well as reducing the incidence of cholera, while addressing short- and long-term water, sanitation and health system improving access to care and treatment.The cholera outbreak here is being blamed on United Nations peacekeepers deployed from Nepal.The authorities have said more than 10 000 people have died since the first case was reported in October 2010 and several hundred thousand others have been sickened by the disease. (CMC)
CDB Officially Opens Office In Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) on September 21 officially opened its Country Office in Haiti, the first outside its headquarters in Barbados.To commemorate the occasion, Dr William Warren Smith, president of the Bank, hosted an inauguration event, which First Lady of the Republic of Haiti, Her Excellency Martine Moïse; Apostolic Nuncio, Ambassador Eugène Martin Nugent; Ministers of Government; and representatives from the diplomatic community in Haiti attended.“The opening of the new Country Office here is timely, as we seek to advance Haiti’s development and to assist with its further integration into the Caribbean Community,” said Smith during the event.“Be assured that CDB stands ready to provide further support and to continue improving the quality of programmes and services to enhance the livelihoods of the people of Haiti,” he added.
Speaking to the gathering at the Royal Oasis Hotel in Pétion-Ville, the President noted that since 2007, CDB has committed approximately US$134 million in grants to Haiti from the Bank’s Special Development Fund (Unified). CDB’s new Country Office will become the focal point for the implementation of its country strategy for Haiti for the period 2017 to 2021, he said.“This Office represents the Caribbean Development Bank’s deep and unwavering commitment to continue working with the Government of Haiti to deliver positive development results for the people of Haiti,” said Monica La Bennett, vice-president (operations), CDB during a ribbon-cutting ceremony held during the inauguration of the new location.The First Lady; Minister of the Economy and Finance, His Excellency Ronald Décembre; and the Apostolic Nuncio joined the Bank’s management for the private ceremony.On February 27, 2018, CDB signed a Country Agreement with the Government of Haiti to establish the Office. The Bank’s ongoing work in the Republic includes projects in education, climate resilience, community-based agriculture, and rural development. In addition, since May 2013, CDB has paid the country’s catastrophic insurance premiums to CCRIF SPC.The Bank’s resident country representative in Haiti is Stephen Lawrence. A civil engineer by training, he is also a development practitioner whose career has included posts in Africa and the Caribbean. (PR)By:NATASHA BECKLES for NationNews.com | September 22, 2018
Jason Derulo On Going From Pop Superstar To Philanthropist With Haiti Gala
Jason Derulo is about to hop on a plane from New York to Los Angeles when we speak on the morning the platinum singer has released his latest smash, "Goodbye," a collaboration with David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Willy Williams.
While he has a lot on his plate, filming a video for the track, promotional stops, etc, his heart and head are firmly in Haiti when we speak on this day. Derulo, a Haitian-American, is holding his first-ever "Heart Of Haiti Gala" in Los Angeles September 6.Featuring performances by Derulo. Shaggy and Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard, the seated dinner event is a major step for Derulo, who sees it as a responsibility to give back to the country his family comes from.I spoke with Derulo about how an insult to Haiti by Trump motivated him to put on the event he had been wanting to do for years, booking his friends for the show, what he wants people to know about Haiti and his dream headliner for the gala going forward.Steve Baltin: Where are you this morning?Jason Derulo: I'm in New York City. We had the launch for my song today, so I made a couple of rounds to radio and shot some of the music video last night here.Baltin: For "Goodbye"?Derulo: It's for "Goodbye," the video is not out yet. It'll be a while.Baltin: Does it have a very NY feel?Derulo: Actually not at all. It has a very island feel. It feels very party and, as you can imagine, the clash of worlds with David [Guetta], myself, Nicki [Minaj] and Willy [Williams] we all come from very different places, but it all meshes so chaotically well.Baltin: Talk about how it inspires you getting to work with all those different artists.Derulo: It's always amazing to come together with other talented people and other big personalities too. It's not like you're working with people that blend in. You're talking about some of the most influential people in the world. So it's amazing, because like you said everybody has their own thing. And when I'm creating a song I have a specific vision in mind. And you can never know what the ending product is. So that's always the fun part, you start an idea and you have a picture in your mind, you start in a room by yourself and it ends up being this whole other thing after everybody has done their thing. It's really cool. I've never had a song with this many collaborations, I gotta say it's exciting. It feels like a very world record and I feel part of that reason why is we come from so many different places.Baltin: Do you see yourself wanting to work with more collaborators like this or this song lent itself to that?Derulo: I probably won't continue to do songs like this. I think there's only space enough for one of those kind of songs on a project. So I probably won't be doing that, but it's fun to come together for a music video like that as well. It's something really cool to see it all come together. Our performance might not need backup dancers. We might fill up the whole stage.Baltin: Moving to the event, do you feel like you're at the point you can use your name for good and it's part of the inspiration for starting this event?Derulo: I think it's important as a human being to help others. I believe in my heart of hearts if I was a teacher I would have the same goals. The fact that I'm a musician and I have a platform and a stage and a voice, so to speak, is just a cherry on top. It's added bonus and it makes things easier. But I don't think I'm doing it because of who I am. I'd have the same heart if I decided to have another career. I've been so blessed in my life. And I always wondered where my big impact would be humanitarian wise. And I wrestled with myself for years and years where my place was and what the perfect situation was. Finally one day I was like, "I can't wait another day, I'm starting today. I'm gonna put a gala on and I'm going to start a benefit based on my home country, one, but also people that are less fortunate around the world." And that's what it took.Baltin: Where does your philanthropic bent come from?Derulo: It's something I always wanted to do because I grew up in a household where it was the norm. My grandmother was a very charitable woman and my mother grew up that way. So we grew up that way as well. We would get up on Sunday mornings. My mom would fill up these bags with clothes we didn't feel we needed and I'm like, "Why are we doing this?" Then we get to a location and we're giving our clothes to the less fortunate or waking up on a Saturday morning, my mom is cooking pasta, pasta, pasta, boom, we'd take those pasta bowls to the homeless. Feeding the homeless at a young age I'm getting to see the impact that a plate of food means to somebody. I grew up in that environment. So with this concert it's been interesting reaching out to people for a different reason. It's not to come to a party or get on a song. It's for a great cause and it's really incredible to see the response.Baltin: Are there artists you really have looked to or learned a lot from in how they balance music and philanthropy?Derulo: I visited Sean Penn's work in Haiti firsthand. It was really impressive what I've seen. I didn't know what to expect. I was going into it blind. And I really admired the work he did. And for a country that's so close to my heart, obviously it strikes a different chord. It's one thing to do something for a place just because that place is suffering. But it's another thing to feel the same pain because essentially you're from there and those are your people, they're family. So I feel like it's my responsibility. It's much more than me wanting to lend a hand. I feel I'm responsible to a degree for the Haitian culture. I wake up in the morning and I think and I'm strategizing on what the next steps are because I feel like I have to. I feel like God gave me a gift for a reason. It's not because I was necessarily inspired by another artist, but because I feel the need.Baltin: What finally made you say, "This is the day?"Derulo: I'll tell you exactly what it is specifically. It's when Trump called Haiti a "S**thole country."Baltin: It's so great that rather than get into a war on social media you took action. Talk about the importance of being a role model for people who aren't sure what to do or how to help.Derulo: I think it's difficult starting somewhere. And I think we don't get started for different reasons. We don't get started cause we're looking for the perfect thing. And also think we don't get started because we don't think what we're doing it is worth enough. But every penny counts, every bit of effort counts. It all counts. And I think if you start somewhere it's like a snowball effect. It'll continue to grow until that small impact that you started with becomes a huge one.Baltin: You have Shaggy there and Tyler [Hubbard] from Florida Georgia Line. Talk about the talent for this night.Derulo: Reaching out to friends of mine, it was a no-brainer and they have the same feeling, just wanting to do something right now. And I think this was a perfect start for them. This event is the start for me. But why not just give a performance and start there? It doesn't necessarily have to be your night for you to make a large difference. Having them there is so helpful, man. I couldn't ask for a better pair. For those artists to come out and perform at this gala I am so super thankful. Most galas I've ever been to I've been one performer. I've performed at some of the largest ones in the world. So it's not all the time where you go and get a trifecta like that. So for all our guests to come and receive this treat, I'm thankful because I know people are gonna want to come back the next year. "Who's gonna do it next year? We had so much fun this time, what's gonna happen next year?" I want this to be an annual thing. I want this to grow and grow and grow until we change the world.Baltin: Who is the dream artist for you to do the gala in the future?Derulo: I'd love to have Stevie [Wonder], man. I'd love for Stevie to come out and perform. He's just incredible. I'd love J. Lo to come out. The lost can go on and on. Anybody that I'm a fan of. I'm a very normal guy, like I'm an average dude. All the big legends, Earth, Wind & Fire, Justin Timberlake. I can go on and on.Baltin: What Stevie song would you want to do with him?Derulo: "Ribbon In The Sky," you gotta do your favorite song, right?Baltin: What is the most important thing you want people to learn about Haiti from the event?Derulo: The most important thing I want people to know about Haiti is the fact that we have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and there is such an opportunity for this to be such a destination. It is not a country that is just turmoil. It can be such a destination and it's a shame these beautiful clear waters haven't been tapped into on a larger scale. It's such a beautiful place that has so many nooks and crannies and its beautiful waterfalls. It has such a negative light on it all the time, but it's a place people will want to go to for their vacations, their honeymoons.By: Steve Baltin for Forbes.com | August 31, 2018
American Airlines Cuts Service to Haiti; Delta Adds Additional Flight
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti– American Airlines (AA) is cutting direct flights to Haiti’s capital from November, while Delta Airlines has announced it will begin a weekly flight the following month.AA said yesterday that from November 3, it will reduce the number of daily flights from six to four. The two that have been cut are services from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport.But it will continue to operate three daily flights connecting Port-au-Prince to Miami International Airport. It will also continue to serve Cap-Haïtien, Haiti’s second largest city, with a daily flight from Miami.“It was a painful but necessary decision, given the economic circumstances, particularly in an environment where the cost of fuel is high,” American said in a letter to Renet Prévilon, Director of Customs at Toussaint Louverture International Airport yesterday.Peter Vittori, American’s managing director of sales for Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America, said the cuts, which are among several reductions, “makes for much more viable economics”.However, Guy Francois, minister of Haitians Living Abroad, the government ministry dedicated to the diaspora, said the move was “a big loss” for Haiti.At the same time, the country has welcomed news of an additional Delta Air Lines flight from JFK on Saturdays, starting December 22.Delta will also start a Saturday flight to Antigua beginning on the same date, and daily non-stop flights between JFK and Kingston, Jamaica from December 20. It is also expanding its service to the Bahamas with a second daily flight between JFK and Nassau, starting October 1.By: Carribean360.com | August 22, 2018
Haitians protest alleged misuse of PetroCaribe funds, demand accountability
Haitians hit the streets to call for an investigation into the alleged misuse of Venezuela-sponsored PetroCaribe funds by previous administrations.A social media campaign drew attention to the issue and led hundreds of Haitians in front of the Superior Court of Accounts with some holding signs that read, “Where is the PetroCaribe money?”“We’re here to ask the court, the (Ministry of ) Justice – I want to know where the fund given by Venezuela is, the fund that should be invested in development projects in the country? A fund estimated at more than 3 million dollars. It’s unacceptable that a small group of people, the (Ministry of) Justice, the parliament can’t understand this dynamic. This morning we’re mobilizing to ask where is this fund”, an unidentified protester said.
I want to know where the fund given by Venezuela is, the fund that should be invested in development projects in the country?
Another protester said “We’re here to denounce the thieves. They should turn over the PetroCaribe fund. We’re starting a peaceful movement. If they don’t turn over the money this movement can take any form. It’s their obligation to turn it over.”Venezuela’s PetroCaribe scheme, launched in 2005, has furnished about 12 Caribbean states with oil supplies under a flexible credit mechanism. It obliging these states to pay cash for part of every shipment and finance the rest at low interest rates, or buy it with goods like food and clothing. However, a collapse in oil prices has caused a recession in Venezuela, and stalled many of the PetroCaribe shipments.Earlier this year judges were appointed to probe possible acts of corruption with PetroCaribe funds during the administrations of former Haitian presidents Rene Preval and Michel Martelly, between 2008 and 2016.Current President Jovenel Moise, who is from the same party that ruled during the period, has been criticized for not pursuing corruption as actively as he vowed to do.Haiti has a long tradition of corruption, and international partners and anti-graft watchdogs have often blamed Haitian politicians for failing to crack down on the menace.By: Reuters via Africanews.com| August 25, 2018
Taiwan To Build Haiti Power Grid
FORMAT:The project is to be financed via an official development assistance loan, using a Taiwanese bank, with a Taiwanese firm serving as contractor.Taiwan and Haiti are expected to sign an agreement by the end of this year for the construction of a power grid in Port-au-Prince to alleviate the Caribbean nation’s energy supply problems, a high-level government official said.It would be Taiwan’s first official development assistance (ODA) loan to a diplomatic ally, the official said on condition of anonymity.The project, which would reportedly cost NT$4.5 billion (US$146.98 million), is one of the initiatives being discussed by a bilateral high-level task force that was established to draft new terms of cooperation in accordance with a consensus reached between President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Haitian President Jovenel Moise during his visit to Taiwan in May.The project includes the construction and renovation of substations and transmission towers, as well as the provision of maintenance training to local personnel, the official said.“The project is to be executed in the form of an ODA, under which a Taiwanese bank would provide a commercial loan to the Haitian government and the project would be contracted to a Taiwanese construction firm,” the official said, adding that the project is expected to take at least two years to complete, based on reconnaissance trips.Both sides are keen to finalize negotiations on the project as soon as possible, as improving Haiti’s power supply was one of Moise’s key campaign promises, the official said.Amid China’s growing efforts to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — luring four in the past two years — the official said that the government is hoping to demonstrate to the leaders of its allies that “we are as good as our word” by quickly starting work on the project.The government has warned its allies against Beijing’s pledges of large sums of monetary aid, which it said do not always materialize.It is considering facilitating trade through a public-private partnership model to better consolidate its relations with diplomatic allies, rather than simply encouraging local businesses to invest in the nation’s allies, the official said.“Our existing cooperative schemes with our diplomatic allies are mostly designed to improve the well-being of their people, but we are now also seeking to strengthen our trade relations by bringing the public and private sectors together,” the official said, adding that targeted sectors might include the industrial, agricultural and infrastructure sectors.By: Stacy Hsu for Taipeitimes.com | August 2, 2018
Haiti Unrest Leaves US Missionaries Stranded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4mncxTJcDo(CNN)A number of US missionary groups are stranded in Haiti after protesters took to the streets following a fuel price hike ordered by the government.
Burning barricades
Waiting it out
Canceled flights
Former Haitian President, Coup Leader Dies
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Former Haitian coup leader, Lieutenant General Henri Namphy is dead.Namphy died on Tuesday in the neighbouring Dominican Republic following a battle with lung cancer.Namphy, who lived in exile in the Dominican Republic, headed Haiti's military-dominated government after the fall of the Duvalier family dictatorship.He became head of the interim National Council of Government that took charge of Haiti in 1986 when Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier fled into exile in France.He also served as president before he was ousted in a coup in 1988.His presidency lasted only last three months, and after being ousted he fled to the Dominican Republic.He was 85.By: JamaicanObserver.com | June 27, 2018
Haiti bans Oxfam GB over sexual misconduct scandal
(CNN) - Haiti's government officially banned Oxfam Great Britain from operating in its country on Wednesday, following the sex scandal that rocked the British charity earlier this year.
The allegations first emerged in 2011, prompting an internal investigation, but Oxfam didn't make the report public until this February. According to the report, four staff members were dismissed for "gross misconduct" and three others resigned after the investigation, including Haiti country director Roland van Hauwermeiren.
This is about abuse of power," Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of Oxfam International, told Parliament in February. "Whether they have given them some money from an Oxfam program or from their pocket as their salary, it's still abhorrent, and we are ashamed and upset about it, and we're going to root it out of our organization."