Cap-Haitian - Haiti Observer Blog

Haitian President Michel Martelly has announced that American Airlines will start flying to Cap-Haitian, comes September 2014. This announce was made during the inauguration of his political party, Party Haitien Tet Kale (PHTK).

As the work of improving the second Airport in Haiti is going on, including the expansion of the arrival room. According to Mr. Jean Joseph Larosiliere who has been in charge of the project to improve Cap-Haitian Airport, we will be able to welcome airplanes carrying over 200 passengers.

I can already see tourism booming in Cap-Haitian, Hotels business taking off, those historic sites in the north being visited

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On January 23, 2014, Michel Martelly placed a wreath at the base of a monument to General Jose Marti, who gained freedom for Cuba in the 1900s. Haiti, along with the Dominican Republic (DR), provided military aid to Marti to help liberate Cuba during the Cuban War of Independence.

The monument, standing in the newly-built Jose Marti Square, upholds a bust of Marti, created by a Haitian architect in cooperation with the National School of Arts. In attendance at the opening were the envoy of Cuban President, Raul Castro, Rafael Bernard Alemani; Minister of Culture, Josette Darguste; and other government officials.

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The people of the city of Cap-Haitian come to realize that one of the few things that works well with the Haitian government is public pressure. In these lights, they recently took to the streets of the second city of the country to demand that the government complete the expansion work on the Cap-Haitian Airport

"Se Pot ki fè bri Ki beswen gresse"

Headed by the coordinator of the federation of "comités quartiers" of cap-Haitian,(Fekokap) organized a successful march in the streets of Cap-Haitian, starting at place de Carénage to end in front of the office of Department "Delegue".

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It has now been made that much easier for visitors from the Turks and Caicos Islands to come to Haiti, or, it will soon be following the announcement of new flight packages linking the two countries through Turks and Caicos' Providenciales' airport (PLS) and Haiti's Cap Haitien airport (CAP) that was made recently. The new flights, onboard the airline formerly known as Air Turks & Caicos, now interCaribbean Airways, will start operations on the 20th of January next year.

The new venture came out of a series of meetings between representatives from Haiti's Tourism Ministry and officials from interCaribbean Airways after an initial meeting in Las Vegas in October where the nascent idea was discussed. The concept was developed to include packages that would allow Turks and Caicos residents, visitors and Haitian citizens the opportunity for a day trip that would include departure from their initial destination in the morning and a return afternoon flight. The Cap Haitien location will enable them a scenic tour of one of Haiti's most renowned historical sites, the Citadel, as well as afford the visitors a tour of the cultural aspects of Northern Haiti, including the gastronomic delight to be found in the local cuisine.

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What would you say if I tell you there is a plan to make "Route Nationale #1" safer, more efficient and overall better. While we are fighting among ourselves, the multi-year plan to make Haiti an emerging country is moving ahead.

In the objective to improve economic development in Haiti, an investment of $50 million is being made by the Inter-American Development Bank to improve road transportation between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien which are the biggest cities in Haiti.

By the time this project is over, the road from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitian will be equipped with guardrails, speed bumps and road signs. The road will also have widening shoulders.

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We have the first pictures of the day for the commemorations of Bataille de Vertieres 2013. This ceremony took place this morning in the city of Cap-Haitian.

It has been reported that the manifestation against the government of Michel Martelly is strong. According to reporter from Radio Caraibes, several Manifestants have taken to the streets both in Cap-Haitian and Port-au-Prince, demanding the depart of Michel Martelly.

This is going to be a long day in Haiti

Things are expected to be very dangerous as the manifestants are planning to head to Petion-Ville. In the meantime, it has been reported that there is another group of manifestantants "Pro Government" who are expected to meet the other one

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In the neighborhood where I grew up in Haiti, there was someone just like Senateur Moise Jean Charles, One who seems to know everything and something about everyone.

We would call them" "Moun Tripot"

Was that the case for you?

My Mother use to call these people:
" Dyol A Lè Lè"
" Pitit Sa Gin Yon Vwonmisman Malkadi"
" Moun Sa, Pa Gin Sa Li Pa Di A Dyol Li"
" Ou Kwe Se Pa Fe Yo Fe Pitit La Sa?"
" Yon Jou Lang Li Ap Rete Pandye Sou Lestomak Li"

Moise Jean-Charles is quite unique in this area. The Senator of North Department seems to know everything. So you can imagine that he would have an answer for the incident that took place recently where School children from two popular schools in the city of Cap-Haitian were the object of attacks.

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This is the 2nd year that Haiti will host the Festival of the Sea. The ceremony will this year be held at on the boulevard of Cap-Haitien and on the beach of Camp-Louise.

Ms. Dieudonne Luma Etienne who is currently the Director of the Northern Regional Office of the Ministry of Tourism this Wednesday launched the second edition of the Cap-Haitian. Dieudonne Luma was accompanied by other Haitian dignitaries.

The celebrated occasion will take place from 9 to 11 August 2013. The theme for the ceremony will be "Let's keep our beaches clean!"

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Cap-Haitian ranks as the second most populated Haitian city next to Port-au-Prince, numbering 190,000 residents. A coastal city grazing the North Coast, it is the nexus of a thriving farming community. Its biggest exports include tropical fruits, sugar, and premium coffee beans.

Cap-Haitian was colonized in the 1700s by the French, who turned it into the wealthiest center in the Caribbean region. The French sense of baroque beauty transformed the city into "The Paris of the West". Henri Christophe, one of Haiti's earliest rulers, made Cap-Haitien the original capital of North Haiti. Eponymously, he named it Cap Henry.

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Visitors to Cap-Haitian Cathedral in the town of the same name will discover the history of Haiti, before it became the first black-led republic in the world. Located on the main plaza, the church, now known as the Cathedral of Our Lady, is a well-maintained edifice that seems displaced in the garbage-strewn and dirty rest of town.

A piece of Haiti's slave history is remembered with the statue of revolutionary slave leader, Mackandal, situated on the cathedral site. He led a contingent of black slaves that had fled plantations, where they had labored cutting down sugar cane. The slaves fighting under Mackandal were called Maroons, a reference to the blood they shed while hewing sugar cane. Mackandal was killed on the plaza in 1758, 46 years before Haiti won its freedom from the French.

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