Heartache and Hope in Haiti
An Inspiring True Story...
When Len and Cherylann Gengel awoke on the morning of January 12, 2010, they had no idea that their lives and the lives of their family would be changed forever. Their daughter Britney, a student at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, was on a a college mission trip to Haiti when she and 316,000 others perished in the massive 7.0 earthquake that decimated Haiti. Hours before she died, she had visited a local orphanage and texted this message to her mother:“They love us so much and everyone is so happy. They love what they have and they work so hard to get nowhere, yet they are all so appreciative. I want to move here and start an orphanage myself.”Hours later, Britney was buried in the wreckage of the Hotel Montana, which collapsed during the quake, The ensuing chaos was unimaginable and every parents’ worst nightmare. For days, Len and Cherylann agonized and worried as they waited for news and information about Britney.The most heartbreaking news of all? They were led to believe that she had survived and was on her way home to them. This information proved false and finally 33 agonizing days after the earthquake, Britney’s body, and that of three students and two Lynn professors, was pulled from the ruins of the hotel.There are many scenarios that could have played out for the Gengels after they lost Britney and while the Gengel’s could have understandably sought private refuge to recover from their grief, they instead chose to dedicate themselves in a selfless act of service. They chose to honor their daughter and build an orphanage in Haiti. According to Len Gengel, Britney’s father, “We had an obligation as parents to honor our daughter’s last wish.”Soon after the tragedy, they established the Be Like Brit Foundation, whose current goal was accomplished by building a sustainable, earthquake proof orphanage in Grand Goâve, Haiti. The orphanage is complete and the Gengels have chosen to share their inspirational and amazing story in Heartache and Hope in Haiti: The Britney Gengel Story (January 12, 2013, TriMark Press). Heartache and Hope in Haiti: The Britney Gengel Story is a book that begins with devastating loss then transcends that loss and in turn becomes a powerfully affecting story of love and resilience. The book, whose publishing date coincides with the anniversary of the earthquake, allows readers a rare window into the inner circle of the heartache and pain of parents who have lost their child.The book begins on the day Britney was killed and brings readers full circle as Len and Cherylann navigate their way through bureaucratic red tape on their often frustrating and always painful journey to recover their daughter’s body and fulfill her last wish.Heartache and Hope in Haiti is an eye-opening lesson in the ability of sheer determination and never losing hope. By the end of the book, readers share the Gengels bittersweet triumph as they realize their daughter’s legacy of building an orphanage in Haiti. Heartache and Hope in Haiti: The Britney Gengel Story is a simple, yet profound story told with the raw emotion of parents who are grieving, but choose to let the world know they will not let anything or anyone defeat them!
BeLikeBrit
Fade to Flower: I Am Kreyol - London
In Buddhist symbolism the lotus is symbolic of purity of the body, speech, and mind while rooted in the mud. Its flowers blossom on long stalks as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The lotus flower is elegant in beauty and peaceful in nature making it such a unique embellishment this world possesses. Similar to the lotus flower, I Am Kreyol is a brand stitched with with ultimate opulence with a rich personality. The use of beautifully textured dresses with patterns that mimic the beauties of mother earth stun all who dare glance. Reminding all to stay humble and focus on developing inner peace.
Designer Joelle Jean-Fontaine is a master in her craft, using rich colors and loud patterns to help distinct her work from the rest. Joelle is from Boston, and uses some of her surrounding landscapes to inspire her work. Her brand I Am Kreyol is a company that encompases all things fashion; with a ready-to-wear clothing line that provides styling services for magazines, music artists, & of course all of her loyal clientele. As a young woman, she aspired to be an architect. While in her second year of college, she soon became pregnant and decided to place her passions aside to take care of her growing family. She was a stay at home mom for three years, during which she started to experiment through a variety of creative outlets to maintain her sense of self. As a hobby, she began taking clothing apart and putting them back together, teaching her how to sew and design items that she says she had only previously seen within her inner subconscious. She has placed years of hard work into her craft, with help from her mother and family she has taken her dreams to the next level. Her company is a hit, her designs are superb and she has been cordially invited to debut her newest collection in Oxford Fashion Studios London Fashion Week.
I Am Kréyol’s Spring 2018 line, The Lotus Collection, is a well curated ensemble of looks that incorporates over exaggerated structural design elements such as bouffant sleeves and bustled tails with full length sheer skirts. The collection philosophy represents the lotus flower and its audacity to grow in unfavorable environments, how its beauty conquers all obstacles seen throughout. It illustrates a woman’s tenacity to be strong, resilient and powerful in the midst of adversity.By Taylor Hannon | September 2017
The Financing of the new Haitian Parliament
Youri Latortue Senate President announced the reconstruction of the Parliament at the cost of about 3 billion Gourdes ($48 million). The new parliamentary complex will consist of 3 buildings, a 10-story building for the offices of parliamentarians including the working and meeting rooms of the Standing Commissions and the offices of the administration. The second one will comprise of three large hemicycles (Chamber of Deputies, Senate, and National Assembly), and finally the 3rd will include a four-story closed parking lot for parliamentarians and visitors...On Friday Sep. 15th, 2017, President Moïse wished to silence criticisms relating to the high budget of Parliament by stating that 50% of the 7.2 billion gourdes allocated to senators and deputies in the budget would be used for the reconstruction of Parliament in his message to the Nation regarding the publication of the budget.However, in reality, it is stated in the budget that the 7.2 billion Gourdes of the Parliament are divided 50/50 between the Senate and the Lower House, ie 3.6 billion for each Chamber. For the Senate 2 billion are devoted to the functioning and an "investments" heading has an envelope of 1.5 billion which will be allocated to the reconstruction of the Parliament. As for the budget of the lower chamber, it is essentially devoted to functioning and does not include any heading "investments". This means that only 50% of the estimated costs of reconstruction of Parliament will come from Parliament's budget and not all as Moïse said and the other 1.5 billion gourdes to complete the cost of the work, will have to come from other items in the State budget...If Senator Latortue evokes an amount of about 3 billion Gourdes for the new parliamentary complex, Clément Bélizaire, the Director of the Unit of Construction of Housing and Public Buildings (UCLBP) shows more reserved "We do not know yet how much will cost Parliament nor the firm that will carry out the work because adjustments have been requested," specifying that there will be no traditional call for tenders for the construction of the Haitian Parliament.SL/ HaitiLibre
Two killed as protests continue against budget proposals
PORT AU PRINCE – At least two people were killed and 12 people arrested as protests action continued in this French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country over the new budget presented by the Jovenel Moise administration.The National Police of Haiti (PNH) also confirmed that at least four vehicles had been burnt during the protest while dismissing reports that an arrest warrant had been issued for former Senator Moïse Jean-Charles, in connection with the anti-governmental demonstrations.Haitian motorcyclist rides past burning debris“The PNH has no arrest order against former Senator of the North,” said the PNH spokesman Frantz Lerebours, saying that the police were engaged in a routine check after a warning issued against the driver of a vehicle, which turned out to be that of the former legislator.Meanwhile, Jean Charles has announced four days of demonstrations here starting on Monday to protest the fiscal measures contained in the budget.He described the meeting between President Moise and leaders of some political parties here as “a huge joke” adding that “Moïse is deaf to the demands of the population”.The organisers said that transport workers have already signalled their intention to support the demonstrations.President of the Association of Haitian Owners and Drivers (APCH), Mehu Changeux, said that a national strike has also been planned for Monday to force President Moïse to recall the budget that was ratified by both Houses of Parliament last week.Several trade unions have already confirmed their support for the strike criticising the government for not taking any measures to improve the living conditions of the population, but on the contrary to increase the tax burden on the most disadvantaged strata of the population.Secretary General of the Council of Ministers Reynald Lubérice confirmed that the Executive would publish the budget 2017-2018 in the official newspaper “Le Moniteur” and that street demonstrations will not change anything.The authorities have also denied an increase in the cost of obtaining a Haitian passport, saying it still remains valid for 10 years.On Thursday, President Moise, accompanied by Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant met with political leaders at the National Palace, on various issues including the financing of political parties in Haiti.President of the Fusion of the Haitian Social Democrats (FUSION) Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, said he believes it is not the right time to talk about financing of political parties, while the government’s draft budget is the subject of street demonstrations.In the meeting Moise stressed the difficulties faced by political parties in Haiti.“In some countries, political life is organized and stabilized around two or three major poles. The choice of voters is facilitated because the political offer is reduced inviting the political parties to exert a leadership by their capacity to grasp the stakes for the Haitian society.”He said that he expects various obstacles to complete such an undertaking.“This system of institutionalized parties because funded properly will not happen without sacrifices. But such an initiative is worthwhile in terms of the expected results for the democratic health of our country,” he added.CMC | September 16, 2017
One dead and another missing in Haiti after hurricane hit
A man has died and another is missing in Haiti following flooding caused by Hurricane Irma, authorities said Monday.
An elderly man who tried to cross a river in the town of Mirebalais, central Haiti, Saturday was swept away by floodwaters. Four other people survived the crossing, according to the Haitian interior ministry.The body of a 35-year-old motorcyclist who was swept away in another river in the same region has not been found.Six of Haiti's 10 departments were affected by the severe weather, and emergency services reported only 17 people were injured there.Hurricane Irma's path moved slightly northward on Thursday, away from Haiti's coast, limiting the effects on the Caribbean's poorest island.But flooding and strong winds still hit the country, particularly in the impoverished northeast region.Authorities said 5,000 houses flooded, while 8,000 families were declared disaster victims after their homes were severely damaged or destroyed.Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant traveled to the hardest-hit areas Saturday, before announcing the creation of a commission to evaluate the extent of damage Monday.By AFP | September 12, 2017
U.S. Department of State - Haiti Travel Warning
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of traveling to Haiti due to its current security environment and lack of adequate medical facilities and response. The Department of State also warns U.S. citizens to carefully reconsider travel to Haiti due to Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm projected to impact Haiti. This storm may bring significant rainfall and wind that may result in life-threatening flooding, flash flooding, mudslides, and storm surge. Disruptions to travel and services are likely throughout the country. On September 5, the Department authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees and their family members due to Hurricane Irma. This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 22, 2017.
Rates of kidnapping, murder, and rape rose in 2016. While there is no indication that U. S. citizens are specifically targeted, kidnapping for ransom can affect anyone in Haiti, particularly long-term residents. Armed robberies and violent assaults reported by U.S. citizens have risen in recent years. Do not share specific travel plans with strangers. Be aware that newly arrived travelers are targeted. Arrange to have your host or organization meet you at the airport upon arrival or pre-arranged airport to hotel transfers. Be cautious when visiting banks and ATMs, which are often targeted by criminals. Fewer incidents of crime are reported outside of Port-au-Prince, but Haitian authorities' ability to respond to emergencies is limited and in some areas nonexistent. U.S. Embassy employees are discouraged from walking in city neighborhoods, including in Petionville. Visit only establishments with secured parking lots. U.S. Embassy personnel are under a curfew from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Embassy personnel must receive permission from the Embassy security officer to travel to some areas of Port-au-Prince and some regions of the country, thus limiting the Embassy’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens.Protests, including tire burning and road blockages, are frequent and often spontaneous. Avoid all demonstrations. The Haitian National Police’s ability to assist U.S. citizens during disturbances is limited. Have your own plans for quickly exiting the country if necessary.The U.S. Embassy remains concerned about the security situation in the southern peninsula departments of Grand Anse and Sud following the devastation of Hurricane Matthew. Embassy employees are not permitted to travel to those departments without special approval for and official trips only.Medical care infrastructure, ambulances, and other emergency services are limited throughout Haiti. Check that your organization has reliable infrastructure, evacuation, and medical support in place. Comprehensive medical evacuation insurance is strongly advised for all travelers.This travel warning informs U.S. citizens that on September 5, the Department authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees and their family members due to Hurricane Irma. This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 22, 2017.For further information:
- See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Haiti’s Country Specific Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, located at Boulevard du October, Route de Tabarre telephone: 509-2229-8000; after hours emergency telephone: 509-2229-8000; fax: 509-2229-8027; e-mail: acspap@state.gov; web page: http://haiti.usembassy.gov.
- Anyone who missed a scheduled American Citizen Services appointment at the U.S. Embassy due to Hurricane Matthew is welcome to call 509-2229-8000, 509-2229-8900 or send us an email at the acspap@state.gov to reschedule your appointment. For Immigrant or nonimmigrant visa cases, please contact the call center at 509-2819-2929 or by email at support-Haiti@ustraveldocs.com.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
By: US Department of State. | September 11, 2017
Situation report after the passage of IRMA
Situation report after the passage of IRMA Following the passage of Category 5 Hurricane IRMA on Haiti, the National Emergency Operations Center (COUN) in its bulletin #3 informs us:16 communes of the departments of the North-East, North, Central, Artibonite and West are partially flooded by runoff and floods of the main rivers of the said departments:Northeast: Ouanaminthe (severe flooding in places), Fort-Liberté, Caracol, Ferrier and Trou-du-NordNorth: Pilate and LimonadeCenter: Hinche and Mirebalais, Lachapelle, Grande Saline, Dessalines, Saint-MarcWest: Cabaret, Tabarre and ThomazeauCivil Protection and its partners have evacuated people from 10.085 to 59 temporary shelters in 6 departments and thousands went to foster homes;Northwest: 1,553 people in 11 open shelters;Grand-Anse: 529 people in 6 shelters (Chambellan and Beaumont);Northeast: 6,290 people in 14 shelters;Artibonite: 169 in 4 shelters;Center: 550 people in 13 shelters; North: 994 people in 11 shelters.Sections of roads are cut in the center, between Hinche and Thomassique and also Hinche and Cap-Haïtien via Pignon, because of the floods of the Ravine Couine. National road number 3 is divided in two places, at the level of Ravine La Couine and between Saint-Raphaël and Pignon;The red alert is lifted all over the national territoryIn the aftermath of passage of passage of IRMA, which caused flooding, falling trees, damage to agriculture and buildings, the Organization for the Development of the Artibonite Valley alerted the population downstream of the opening on Friday morning of the locks of the dam Cannot, to allow 500 m3 of water to pass, due to the increased flow of the Artibonite river due to the tributaries (Fer-à-Cheval river, Latème river and some gullies);On Friday, heavy rains stopped early in the morning across the country and weather conditions are gradually returning to normal.Habitat :Houses are destroyed or damaged, including roofs blown by winds, at the level of affected departments. Assessments are under way to complement the data on the impacts on the built environment.Agriculture and Environment :The Ministry of Environment is in the process of mobilizing civil engineering equipment to facilitate the cleaning and clogging of the gaps.Flooding of 450 hectares of agricultural perimeters of Jassa by the river bearing the same name. Considerable losses have been recorded in rice, okra, sweet potato, banana, pepper and pea plantations.The Artibonite River has been in flood since the beginning of the evening of 7 September.HaitiLibre | September 9, 2017
A Struggling Haiti Scrambles To Prepare For Hurricane Irma
Barreling through the Caribbean, the “extremely dangerous” core of Irma was predicted to strike northern Haiti.
BOGOTA, Sept 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Haitian authorities and aid agencies were scrambling on Wednesday to prepare for Hurricane Irma, the strongest Atlantic storm on record, warning it could devastate the country still reeling from drought and last year’s Hurricane Matthew.Barreling through the Caribbean, the “extremely dangerous” core of Irma was predicted to strike northern Haiti and the Dominican Republic as well as the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas on Thursday with winds of 185 miles per hour (295 km per hour), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
The eye of Irma, a Category 5 storm, passed over the northern Virgin Islands on Wednesday after crossing the half-French, half-Dutch island of St. Martin and the Dutch islands of Saba and Sint Eustasius. Category 5 is the highest hurricane ranking used by U.S. forecasters.Haitian authorities put the nation on alert, closing schools, moving people to shelters and mobilizing 18,000 civil and Red Cross volunteers backed by police and the military.“Irma is expected to sweep across the northern part of the country, so besides the strong winds and rain that could cause damage to houses, it is likely that many areas will be affected by flooding, landslides, and loss of livestock,” said Jessica Pearl, Haiti country director for aid agency Mercy Corps.More than half of the population depends on agriculture, “so any damage to their farms or livestock could make the difference of eating or not for the next few months,” she said.Farming communities in Haiti, one of the world’s poorest nations, are struggling to recover from Category 4 Matthew last October.Matthew killed about 1,000 people and left 1.4 million others in need of food aid.Irma will also bring “major consequences” to northern Haiti, which also has suffered three years of drought, said Ronald Tran Ba Huy, Haiti country director for the U.N World Food Programme (WFP).But systems to handle health, water and housing put in place for Matthew remain and can be utilized for Irma, he said.“Lessons learnt and mechanisms are fresh,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.The WFP said it has food supplies across Haiti, a nation of 10.8 million people, for 150,000 people for one month, and trucks carrying emergency food aid to northern Haiti would be able to reach 40,000 people immediately.Poor infrastructure and a lack of flood prevention measures such as coastal embankments and drainage systems, along with widespread deforestation, are likely to magnify damage from Irma as they did with Matthew, aid agencies say.The international aid community has been criticized for a slow response and poor coordination to disasters in Haiti, including a 2010 earthquake.
“There is an effort on the part of the international community to address the lessons learned from Matthew and have a more efficient response this time,” Pearl said.“That said, the government consists of new people on a steep learning curve,” she added. Haiti’s new government took power in March. HuffPost | September 6,2017Photos: Hector Retamal via Getty Images
IRMA 415 km from Cap-Haitien - flights canceled
This morning at 5:00 am, the center of Cat. 5 Hurricane Irma on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, was located near latitude 20.0 North, longitude 68.3 West, or 160 km north of the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic and 415 km north-east of Cap-Haitien.
Irma is moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph (28 km/h), and this general motion is expected to continue with some decrease in forward speed for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center should pass north of the coast of Hispaniola later today, be near the Turks and Caicos and southeastern Bahamas by this evening, and then be near the Central Bahamas by Friday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Maximum sustained winds are near 180 mph (285 km/h) with higher gusts. Irma is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days.Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 50 miles (85 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km).The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and large breaking waves will raise water levels above normal tide levels by the following amounts within the hurricane warning area near and to the north of the center of Irma. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves on the North Coast of Haiti and the Gulf of Gonâve where floods are to be feared...Hurricane conditions are expected to begin within the hurricane warning area in the Dominican Republic and Haiti today, with tropical storm conditions beginning in the next few hours.Irma is expected to produce the following rainaccumulations through Saturday in the Northern Dominican Republic and northern Haiti...4 to 10 inches (10 à 25 cm),isolated 15 inches (37cm).In the Southern Haiti 1 to 4 inches (2,5 à 10 cm) of rain is excepted.Flights canceled :Port-au-PrinceLe vol de Jet Blue 1510 à destination de Fort Lauderdale a été annuléLe vol de Jet Blue 1509 en provenance de Fort Lauderdale a été annuléLe vol de Jet Blue 1835 en provenance de New York a été annuléThe flight Jet Blue 1510 to Fort Lauderdale was canceledThe flight Jet Blue 1509 from Fort Lauderdale was canceledThe flight Jet Blue 1835 from New York was canceledCap-HaïtienThe flight American Airlines 2732 from New York was canceledHaitiLibre | September 7, 2017
Accreditation of two new ambassadors
President Jovenel Moïse, received the credentials of two new Ambassadors accredited in Haiti, at the National Palace. They are their Excellencies André Frenette of Canada and Oscar Chàvez Valiente of the Republic of El Salvador.The two new diplomats renewed their country's commitment to maintain close ties of friendship and strengthen cooperation between Haiti and their countries.The Head of State also reassured these ambassadors on his willingness to work by common agreement to the harmonious development of relations between his Haiti and these two friendly countries.Subsequently, after the delivery of their credentials to the President of the Republic of Haiti, they made a floral offerings to the Haitian National Pantheon.HL/ HaitiLibre
President Moïse announces the departure of 12,000 civil servants
President Jovenel Moïse announced last August 31 that "[...] have decided to withdraw 12,000 people from the State this year who are ready to retire from the 32,000 people who are at the age of retirement or at the end of their career [38.5% of the 83,000 persons working for the State] [...]"The Head of State said that this process of retirement will begin this year with the departure of 12,000 civil servants, in order through the Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH). "To fill the vacancies of these 12,000 departures of public servants, another 12,000 will be recruited by competition from January 2018."HL/ HaitiLibre
Irma extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane
Miami - Irma picked up strength and has become an "extremely dangerous" Category Five hurricane as it approached the Caribbean on Tuesday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre reported."Preparations should be rushed to completion in the hurricane warning area," the NHC said in its 12:00 GMT bulletin.The monster hurricane, the most powerful of the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale, is about 440km east of the island of Antigua packing maximum sustained winds of 280km/h.Irma is expected to make landfall along the string of French islands that includes Guadeloupe late on Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida.The storm was moving towards the west at 22km per hour, and is expected to drop between 10- and 20cm of rain when it hits land."These rainfall amounts may cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the NHC warned.The storm is also is expected to "cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions".Irma, which has triggered alarm and alerts from the French West Indies to Florida, comes after of Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana late last month.Haiti Sun | September 5, 2017
Haitian-Canadian Deputy Emmanue Dubourg on the front line.
As part of the Canadian government's efforts to reduce the flow of Haitians illegally crossing the Canadian border to seek asylum, the Liberal Deputy of Parliament, of Haitian origin Emmanuel Dubourg (Bourassa riding) left the Canada for 3 days to Miami, today.Fluent in Creole, French and English, with strong ties to the Haitian diaspora, he was sent to Miami to gives interview with the Haitian media and hold meetings with diaspora leaders to rectify the information erroneous concerning Canada's immigration and refugee policies and attempting to slow down the flow of Haitian nationals to Canada.HL
Solar eclipse, Government mobilized
For a week, the Government of Haiti has mobilized in anticipation of the solar eclipse of Monday August 21 in order to disseminate the precautionary measures among the population. Marie Greta Roy Clément, Minister of Public Health and Max Rudolph Saint-Albin, Minister of the Interior and Territorial Communities confirmed last Friday that their respective ministries had already taken all the necessary prevention measures to inform the population of the remote areas of the country, via the departmental and civil protection cells. Léon Rosard Saint Cyr, the Secretary of State for Public Security, calls on the entire population to exercise utmost caution and avoid watching the sun at the time of the eclipse and recommends keeping children at home or out of any space where this phenomenon would be visible until 5:00 pm In Haiti the eclipse will not be total, but 75%, while in Atlanta it will reach 97.15%. Observation Schedule of phenomenon for different cities in Haiti :•• Port-au-Prince the eclipse will begin to 1:59:23 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:25:17 p.m. to end to 4:40:23 p.m ;• Port-de-Paix the eclipse will begin to 1:55:23 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:22:14 p.m. to end to 4:38:19 p.m ;• Jérémie the eclipse will begin to 1:55:34 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:22:11 p.m. to end to 4:38:06 p.m• Gonaïves the eclipse will begin to 1:56:37 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:23:14 p.m. to end to 4:38:58 p.m ;• Cap-Haïtien the eclipse will begin to 1:56:56 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:23:30 p.m. to end to 4:39:10 p.m ;• Cayes the eclipse will begin to 1:57:12 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:23:25 p.m. to end to 4:38:55 p.m• Miragoâne the eclipse will begin to 1:58:11 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:24:16 p.m. to end to 4:38:33 p.m• Hinche the eclipse will begin to 1:58:36 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:24:46 p.m. to end to 4:40:04 p.m• Jacmel the eclipse will begin to 1:59:35 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 3:25:25 p.m. to end to 4:40:25 p.m Eclipse observation schedule for different American Cities :•• Chicago the eclipse will begin to 11:54:19 a.m. and will reach its maximum to 1:19:47 p.m. to end to 2:42:37 p.m. ;• Atlanta the eclipse will begin to 1:05:49 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:36:43 p.m. to end to 4:01:49 p.m. à Atlanta le soleil sera couvert à 97.15% par la lune ;• Washington the eclipse will begin to 1:17:52 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:42:46 p.m. to end to 4:01:35 p.m. ;• Orlando the eclipse will begin to 1:19:27 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:51:13 p.m. to end to 4:14:54 p.m. ;• New York the eclipse will begin to 1:23:15 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:44:56 p.m. to end to 4:00:42 p.m. ;• Miami the eclipse will begin to 1:26:56 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:58:22 p.m. to end to 4:20:45 p.m. ;• Boston the eclipse will begin to 1:28:29 p.m. and will reach its maximum to 2:46:48 p.m. to end to 3:59:28 p.m. In Canada, in Montreal the eclipse will begin to 1:21:54 p.m. and reach its maximum to 2:38:24 p.m. to finish to 3:50:23 p.m. Precautionary measures to be taken :It is necessary to take precautions, the sun never having to be seen directly with the naked eye, the observation of an eclipse of the sun can cause severe and irreversible eye damage it takes only a few minutes to cause irreversible damage to the eye, although it may take a few hours before it occurs on the person. Note that the eyes of children under the age of 12 because of a still very transparent lens have eyes much more sensitive than those of adults which multiplies the risk of serious lesions. Special glasses are required to stop 100% of ultraviolet and infrared rays. If you kept glasses dating from the last eclipse especially do not reuse them. They are for single use because the rays damage their coating. Sun glasses do not offer adequate protection and should not be used. Do not use alternative eye protection such as: blackened glass, X-ray films, a CD or other optical instruments without special filters, that will not protect your eyes because they are ineffective. Even equipped with special eclipse glasses, take breaks between the observation phases to allow your eyes to rest. Children should not be left unattended while observing the phenomenon. HL | August 21, 2017Photo: Timeanddate
Adoption in Council of Ministers: Bill on Legal Assistance!
The bill on the creation and organization of a National Council of Legal Assistance (CNAL) was adopted in the Council of Ministers, confirmed on Tuesday July 4th by the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers.In order to make justice accessible to the economically disadvantaged and the vulnerable in our society, the Government has drafted this Bill in accordance with the requirements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international conventions and agreements signed by Haiti on the matter.This bill proposes to create a National Council of Legal Assistance, offering counseling and advocacy services to the poor, irrespective of gender, age and political opinion, with administrative and financial autonomy under the supervision of a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister of Justice.Recall that legal assistance is recognized throughout the world as a fundamental human right, without which one can not speak of a system of fair justice nor of respect for the rule of law. It should also be noted that this public service proposed in this draft law has been inspired on the basis of observations and experiences already made in Haiti.HL/ HaitiLibre
China Donates To Haiti
On Wednesday July 5th in the annex of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action (MJSAC) to Frères, Mario Florvil the Director General of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, in the presence of the executives of the Directorate of Physical and Sports Activities (DAPS) of the Ministry, received from Ling Jun, the Permanent Representative of the China Trade Development Bureau in Haiti, a donation of sports equipments and materials as part of bilateral cooperation Haiti - People's Republic of China.The donation consisted of 18 lots of sports equipment, including balls, jerseys, football boots, basketball and volleyball, sports socks, nets, trophies.Mario Florvil welcomed China's initiative "This aid comes at a time when the Haitian government through the MJSAC wants to give another direction and a new breath to the sport sector," considering that Haiti greatly needs all the forms of support that can enable it to support sport, whose development represents a priority for the new government, ensuring that its Ministry will make good use of these materials.Ling Jun hopes that these materials will contribute to the improvement of the conditions of training and the physical constitution of the young Haitians. Reaffirming the importance that China attaches to physical and sports development before evoking the Haitian Ministry's desire to return sport to school.HL
Money Laundering: Haitian President fires director of agency!
Haitian President Jovenel Moise last week fired the director of The Central Unit of Financial Information (UCREF) Sonel Jean-Francois, who was leading an investigation into money laundering allegations that were made against Jovenel Moise as President-elect; even though Jean Francois' mandate was not due to expire until 2020; a move that closely resembles the recent decision of American President Donald Trump, to fire the Director of the FBI, James Comey, who was investigating the possible collusion of Donald Trump's campaign with Russian operatives, in the hacking of the 2016 american election by releasing damaging leaks about Trump's opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
A new UCREF director was suppose to be installed Thursday, but the inauguration was cancelled, no other date was given and no question was taken from the press._______________________________________________________________
A few weeks after Jovenel Moise was officially declared President-elect of Haiti, an official report of UCREF about the financial transactions of the then President-elect was leaked to the media. The report concluded that there were numerous indications that the President had laundered money through a personal bank account which he held jointly with his wife, Martine Moise.
The UCREF report cited financial transactions of Jovenel Moise between 2007 and 2013 which were considered suspicious and forwarded to the Prosecutor's Office at the Civil Court in accordance with article 35 of the Law of 11 November 2013 on money laundering and The financing of terrorism.
The leaked report indicated that more than $5 million in suspicious transfers were made through a National Credit Bank account.
The president vehemently rejected the allegations as political maneuvers and while he didn't deny to have had an account at the National Credit Bank, he said that the account in question was in Haitian gourdes, not in US dollars, meaning that its value was 40 times less than reported. But the President has never made public any information related to the controversial account; such as pictures or any shred of evidence to prove that the bank account that was being investigated for money laundering was actually in Haitian gourdes and not in US currency, as alleged in the official UCREF's report.
The leaked report caused a huge scandal and the Haitian Senate had urged the Judiciary branch to take up the case. Four lawmakers on January 16th, 2017 penned a letter to the president of the Senate, Yourie Latortue to urge the National Assembly to give appropriate attention to the report before the inauguration of the President on February 7th, 2017.
Days after Judge Breddy Fabien took over the case, On January 25th 2017, Jovenel Moise, still as President-elect, interfered into the investigation by showing up at the judge's office without an invitation. The President said that he was not interfering but simply wanted to show that no one was above the law, not even himself, who had just been elected President of Haiti few weeks ago. The undisclosed conversation between the President and the Judge went on for more than two hours.People with close knowledge of the investigation and who have spoken under the condition of anonymity, said that Judge Fabien, behind closed door have also questioned the first lady, Martine Moise, in regards to the case.
Since the unexpected visit of the then President elect to the Judge's office, no one has ever heard of the money laundering case against the President, as rumors and suspicions about the president's possible money laundering continues to grow, after a close friend of the president, Guy Phillpe, a well known criminal who in 2004 had overthrown the democratically elected president of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide and who had also been under an international search warrant by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) since 2006 for drug trafficking and international money laundering, was arrested by Haitian police and extradited to the United States 3 days before he was due to take the oath of office as Senator of the Grande Anse Department.
Guy Phillipe and then Presidential candidate Jovenel Moise publicly campaigned for each other, the endless pictures of them hugging and smiling together filled social networks, but since the arrest the president has not said a word about Philippe nor his arrest.
The Special advisor to the Haitian President Guichard Dore, said in a local television interview that the then "poor candidate" Jovenel Moise like every other candidate was not in a position to know what case the Haitian justice had against him. You know, Guy Phillipe was not the kind of criminal known to every one was for decades, but some kind of alien that appeared out of nowhere.Guy Phillipe despite his long list of drug and financial crimes was allowed to run for Senator under the banner of the PHTK party, the same political party as the current president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, as well as his immediate predecessor, Michel Martelly. Part of the investigation into Guy Phillipe's money laundering and drug trafficking by American justice is to also find out whom and what he has been financing with his illegal money. Political campaigns, such as that of the President himself perhaps?While it is easy to squash a money laundering allegations against the president in Haiti by interfering into the judge's investigation and firing the director of the agency which drafted the damning official report, the colossal mistake of the PHTK party to associate itself with a well known international drug trafficker, will continue to torment president Jovenel Moise, who seems to be sensitive about bad press, as Guy Philipe will continue to be on the news every time a new development during his trial in the United States takes place, and political names in Haiti, which are expected to have possible close connection to the PHTK party will continue to come out.During other times, high ranking american officials perhaps would have had something to say about the firing of the man leading the investigation into the Haitian president's money laundering allegations. Such as when the Obama administration condemned the Michel Martelly government when Judge Lamarre Belizaire fred two infamous criminals close to President Martelly: Woodly Etheart aka Sonson Lafamilia and Renel Nelfort on whom weighed heavy loads, including kidnapping against ransom, murder, illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy.
The Special advisor to the Haitian President Guichard Dore, said in a local television interview that the then "poor candidate" Jovenel Moise like every other candidate was not in a position to know what case the Haitian justice had against him. You know, Guy Phillipe was not the kind of criminal known to every one was for decades, but some kind of alien that appeared out of nowhere.Guy Phillipe despite his long list of drug and financial crimes was allowed to run for Senator under the banner of the PHTK party, the same political party as the current president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, as well as his immediate predecessor, Michel Martelly. Part of the investigation into Guy Phillipe's money laundering and drug trafficking by American justice is to also find out whom and what he has been financing with his illegal money. Political campaigns, such as that of the President himself perhaps?While it is easy to squash a money laundering allegations against the president in Haiti by interfering into the judge's investigation and firing the director of the agency which drafted the damning official report, the colossal mistake of the PHTK party to associate itself with a well known international drug trafficker, will continue to torment president Jovenel Moise, who seems to be sensitive about bad press, as Guy Philipe will continue to be on the news every time a new development during his trial in the United States takes place, and political names in Haiti, which are expected to have possible close connection to the PHTK party will continue to come out.During other times, high ranking american officials perhaps would have had something to say about the firing of the man leading the investigation into the Haitian president's money laundering allegations. Such as when the Obama administration condemned the Michel Martelly government when Judge Lamarre Belizaire fred two infamous criminals close to President Martelly: Woodly Etheart aka Sonson Lafamilia and Renel Nelfort on whom weighed heavy loads, including kidnapping against ransom, murder, illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy.But we are living in the Donald Trump era, where an American ambassador to Haiti has still not been named five months after Donald Trump took office and how his controversial actions are still inspiring the Haitian President Jovenel Moise.
Patrick Peterson Makes Trip To Haiti
Patrick Peterson knew that Larry Fitzgerald had been a part of more than a couple aid missions to needy countries, and when the cornerback was returning from his first – time in Haiti this weekend – he shot a text to his teammate.“This,” Peterson wrote, “was a great, eye-opening experience.”Peterson and his wife, Antonique, left last Wednesday night on a red eye to the country, guests of Mission of Hope. There, Antonique – who will finish her schooling to become a doctor a year from now -- visited and helped at medical centers. Patrick visited schools and helped teach children how to read and build things, and played soccer and kickball with the students.The two also visited villages without clean water, so they took part in trips to local spring wells to collect fresh water to bring back to affected areas.There, Patrick Peterson is not a Pro Bowl cornerback but just a humanitarian looking to give back.“Just to see how resilient those people are was unbelievable,” Peterson said. “People in the U.S., we can complain about some of the smallest things, and these people, sometimes their kids are running around with no bottoms on, they have no fresh water, no power. No AC. Sleeping in tents. But when you go speak with them, they have a smile on their face. They have high energy. They have hope.”That encouraged Peterson, an offset of some of the “heartbreaking” things he saw. In particular, there was a family with seven children, with twins around 8 years old. The parents underfed the well-underweight twins, Peterson said, in part to convince strangers in the street to provide the family money to help feed all of them.Mission of Hope convinced the parents to let them take in the kids for a time so they could get the right nourishment. Still, Peterson said, “it was devastating to see.”The visit made a deep impression on Peterson. He said he will pay for three of the houses that are being built for needy families in the village they visited. He will also send items down from his own home, and asked teammates if they had anything to donate to do the same.He added that he and his wife plan on going back next year, and Peterson wants to involve his young daughter Paityn when she is old enough to take part some years down the road.“It really touched home,” Peterson said. “I want to make sure I can do whatever I can to make their lives better.”ArizonaCardinals/Peterson May 8, 2017
Pharmacy school establishes public health program in Haiti
Submerging one’s self into another culture and providing medical and pharmacy care in an environment with few resources is a life-changing opportunity for student learners.
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy is adding another such opportunity to its international learning experiences. The school has established a public health experiential rotation in Haiti that will begin in spring 2018.Kelly Gable, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and coordinator of global partnerships; and Misty Gonzalez, clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, traveled to Jacmel, Haiti, March 6-13 to explore opportunities for future student learning.Part of a team of eight volunteer medical professionals, the two participated in a medical mission through Hands Helping Haiti.“The purpose of our trip was to explore pharmacy student learning opportunities while also providing medical care to an underserved patient population in Haiti,” Gable said. “The SOP aspires to create programs such as this, as we believe that hands-on, culturally submerging experiences promote both personal and professional student growth.“These experiences force students to think critically, practice creative problem-solving with limited resources, and self-reflect,” Gable said. “Participation has the potential to not only dramatically enhance a student’s clinical skill set, but it also directly builds upon a student’s expression of compassion and altruism.”Through the new rotation, two fourth-year students will spend one week in Haiti, actively participating in the medical mission. They will then spend four weeks working on health education programming at two shelters in St. Louis. The public health focus of the learning experience includes reduction in infectious disease transmission, substance use and harm reduction, and preventative primary health care.“These types of experiences are invaluable for the student learner,” Gonzalez said. “We are excited to add this international learning experience to the growing number of opportunities offered to SIUE pharmacy students in Guatemala, Jamaica, India and Costa Rica.”Gable, Gonzalez and team provided preventative and acute medical care to 301 children and adults in Haiti through a pop-up pharmacy they set up in a school. They treated and encountered common illnesses such as scalp and skin fungus, ear infections, hypertension, diabetes, parasites and scabies.“Hands Helping Haiti travels to Jacmel twice a year and sets up ambulatory care clinics and a pharmacy at The Modern School and Kindergarten of Savannette,” Gable said. “This school is continually sponsored by the Hands Helping Haiti organization and provides education for pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students.“The organization’s co-founders, Ruth and Warren Smith, are both health care providers practicing in Illinois,” Gable said. “Their central Illinois location and well-established medical-focused mission made for a perfect SIUE-SOP collaboration.”When not providing direct patient care, the team had the opportunity to enhance their cultural awareness by learning more about the clean water project, trying authentic Haitian cuisine, and exploring the beautiful growing art scene in Jacmel. Gonzalez documented the experience with the creation of this video.For more information, contact Gable at kgable@siue.edu, visit the School of Pharmacy’s global education website, or follow the school’s Global Education Facebook page.Advantage News/May 9, 2017
Sean Penn and His Famous Friends Hit New York City for Haiti Takes Root Charity Event
Sean Penn is an actor that keeps on giving....On Friday night, the Oscar winner and some of his Hollywood insider friends, Dreamworks SKG's David Geffen and Creative Artists Agency's head honcho Bryan Lourd, will be hosting the Haiti Takes Root event at Sotheby's in New York City.The dinner and auction, which will be emceed by Gayle King, is to support Penn's charity, the J/P Haitian Relief Organization. The charity hosts an annual gala in Los Angeles, but this will is the first time Penn will be taking his cause to the Big Apple.The benefit intends to help the organization's movement to reforest and rebuild Haiti. Tickets start at $5K and there will be a live auction, which features works of art by Ed Ruscha, Henry Taylor, Deborah Kass, Thomas Houseago and Jonas Wood. Audra Day and Damien Rice will be performing at the star-studded event.The live auction has a slew of VIP experiences, including a soccer experience with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, a trip to Monaco for the Grand Prix, an art and culinary trip to Denmark with Noma chef René Redzepi, and a private tour and dinner at James Turrell's Roden Crater, led by Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.