corruption - Haiti Observer Blog

One of Haiti's infamous leaders, François Duvalier, ruled the country for fourteen long years of tyranny. With his death in 1971, it gave way to a new era of governance of hope and reform, especially with the United States' concern and involvement. The late "Papa Doc" was succeeded by his then nineteen-year-old son Jean-Claude Duvalier.

His term as Haiti's president from 1971 to 1986 was known for his strong ties with the United States, as well as the reforms he has done after his father's brutal policies. Despite these, Jean-Claude, who has been nicknamed "Baby Doc", had a similar distasteful leadership like his father's.

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Department of Justice prosecutors petitioned the Court on Tuesday, March 10th, invoking the Rule 35 motion, to request a reduction of Robert Antoine's four-year prison term he is currently serving, for embezzlment in a kick-back scheme, between Haiti Teleco and telecom firms, Terra and Cinergy, based in Florida. According to prosecutors, Antoine has "provided ample assistance to all law agencies," entitling him to a reconsideration of his sentence.

During the Court's hearing on the Rule 35 motion, the "particulars of the defendant's cooperation will be submitted at court," according to the petition.

Antoine, one-time overseer of Haiti Teleco's international operations, received bribes in excess of $1 million, in return for providing steep discounts in telephone rates and automatic contract renewals, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

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In her report titled "The Path of Millions," Nuria Piera uncovers how money changed hands between President Michel Martelly and his close friend in the Dominican Republic through irregular awarding of contracts. In total, the president whose term is now under siege following the revelation, has received $2,587,100 from companies associated or owned by his close ally, Senator Batista through wire transfers.

Nuria Peria was born on June 29, 1962 in a family of people with a heart for journalism. She is the mother of Paola MacKiney, who she gave birth to in 2000 following a 1 year relationship with Paul McKinney, a Dominican who she divorced in 2005. After her divorce she dated Felucho Jimenez, a politician in the Dominican Republic.

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President Michel Martelly totally denied the allegation of corruption on his part in the report called "The Path of the Millions", made public by the Dominican Investigative Journalist Nuria Piera. However, he did not provide all the necessary information to put the matter to rest. The response coming from the Haitian presidency is that Haiti President Michel Martelly denied all corruption charges brought against him by the Dominican press. "This is a campaign of character assassination and an attack on my integrity and to also hinder modernization and development of Haiti", replied the government.

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Haitian human rights attorney Louis Newton St. Juste attended a hearing presided over by Port-au-Prince's Chief Prosecutor, Jean Renel Senatus, regarding mis-handling of state monies by First Lady Sophia Martelly and son Olivier. He and his colleague André Michel have spoken with U.S. authorities about the Martellys and corruption within the president's administration at large.

In a press release issued by the Government Commissioner's office after the hearing, Senatus declined to bring charges against the Martellys. He referred to the Code of Criminal Procedure Article 21 that, according to Senatus, forbids prosecution of both Martellys. He called St. Juste's tactics illegal because he has not filed the correct paperwork that would begin an action against the First Lady and her son.

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A ruling on the charges on former Haitian Dictator Jean Claude Duvalier was finally delivered. Government prosecutor Carves Jean, the judge responsible for investigating the case decided that Jean Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier is to face trial for corruption during the 15-year he was in power in Haiti. Duvalier is alleged to have embezzled between $300 million and $800 million of assets during his presidency.

Not a bad job for 15 years of work!

It was very surprising that the judge didn't think it was necessary for Jean Claude Duvalier to face trial for human rights abused that took place on his watch. We are talking about things like murder, disappearance, torture and other rights abuses for which several people alleged to have been the victims. Several Human Rights groups want Jean Claude Duvalier and some high officials in his government to go on trial for crimes committed in that period.

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The Haitian government is still plagued by issues such as bribery, kickback and embezzlement of funds. At least this is what the 2011 Global Corruption Report indicated.

"Bare Volè, bare Volè"

Haiti ranks 175th in the report, which puts the country among the most corrupt nations in the world for 2011.

The report also indicated that our neighbors are doing much better to fight corruption in their country. Bahamas ranks 21 for doing a good job the delivery of government services to its citizens. The united states ranks on 24th position.

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Is this a case of corruption when 11 members of Inite party are engaged in consulting jobs? Some how I did not know it was so easy to get a job in Haiti.

The RNDDH reported that several current Haitian Parliamentarians were being paid as consultants from October 2010 at the Ministry of Interior. All were members of the Inite Platform. According to the report, these are the same people who were responsible to fight corruption.

"Rat Kay Kap Mange Poul Kay"

Based on the report issued by RNDDH, except for one, all Deputies Under Inite Platform were receiving Monthly salary of 100,000 gourdes, each.

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Two days after his return in Haiti, Jean-Claude Duvalier was arrested and ordered to stay in Haiti and his passport taken away. Jean-Claude Duvalier was accused of theft and corruption.

Jean-Claude Duvalier was arrested on January 18, from room 303 of hotel Karibe in Port-au-Prince. He appeared calm and was not handcuffed. Duvalier was taken before a judge in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and charged with theft and corruption while his supporters were protesting outside of the State Prosecutor's Office.

Here is the video where Jean-Claude Duvalier was taken to court:

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