diaspora - Haiti Observer Blog

Francois Guillaume II is the new minister for Haitians living abroad (MHAVE). He had a meeting on Friday with Ministry staff. At this meeting he emphasised that everyone within MHAVE should be considered collaborators in a close and mutually respectful working relationship. There would be many challenges, but they would face them together.

The meeting was focused on the Haitian diaspora. Francois Guillaume emphasised the importance of the diaspora pointing out that the first minister of Haiti was one among this group. He stressed that members of the diaspora would collaborate with MHAVE to improve the image of Haiti overseas. He had a plan of action and list of objectives which included launching a campaign to improve Haiti's image abroad as well as carrying out a census of the distribution. Also, to ensure that members of the diaspora were kept informed of MHAVE's activities, representatives of the ministry would set up meetings and forums in every major city with a significant Haitian contingent to achieve this end. An agreement was expected to be signed with the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

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This can't look good for the Haitian community. First female Haitian-American Mayor of North Miami, Marie Lucie Tondreau, was among four people indicted on Mortgage found Monday, May 19, 2014.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida on Monday filed criminal charges for activities from December 2005 to May 2008 well before Marie Lucie Tondreau had become the Mayor of North Miami.

Tondreau along side with Karl Oreste, Okechukwu Josiah Odunna and Kelly Augustin were all charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. If convicted, she is likely to face up to 30 years in prison.

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The Dominican Republic's (DR) High Court ruling last September, negating the citizenship status of natural-born Haitian descendants has caused an international furor. After months of no response from Haiti, President Martelly finally put pressure on the DR to find a solution to the problem, which potentially could displace nearly a quarter of a million Haitians, who have no papers, forcing the evacuation of Dominica-Haitians back to Haiti.

High-level discussions between Haiti and the DR began a couple of months ago, and two solutions emerged from those talks. First is an agreement between Haiti and the DR, allowing government officials to enter the DR and register undocumented Haitian citizens. National Identification Office Director, Baptiste Saint-Cyr, said the project, estimated at $2.5 million, will identify Haitian immigrants through the verification of citizens, who know their history. Second is a piece of legislation Danilo Medina, DR President, will present to Congress to naturalize Haitian descendants of illegal immigrants, who may be forced out of the country without governmental intercession.

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Mount Olive, a small town in Wayne County in rural North Carolina is best known for its pickle factories. The small town has recently received worldwide attention for its changing demographics. As many as 3000 Haitian population has been added so far with the town's population of 4,600. Haitian immigrants from toddlers to grandmothers have flooded this tiny hamlet south of Goldsboro.

There are many stories behind how this transition started. At the most basic, every story goes like this: in late summer of 2010, a Haitian who was working at the Butterball plant in Mount Olive once heard that his boss has to replace a dozen of his workers because their work permits have some problems. The Haitian worker came forward to solicit new workers from his country. He first called an aspirant friend in Miami, who again called some of his mates in other places. Two days later, two vans packed with energized Haitians arrived at Butterball who were offered immediate jobs. This was the beginning of exodus. Another similar wave of immigrants came twelve years ago when Mexican workers came to pick cucumbers for pickle factories.

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Guyana began as a Dutch colony in the 17th century, becoming a British territory in 1815. When slavery became outlawed, blacks moved to metro areas, and indentured servants were imported from India to toil on sugar plantations. Since then, the ethnic and cultural dichotomy has endured, causing internal strife.

Guyana won independence from Britain in 1966, its governments favoring socialist agendas. In 1992, Guyana held its first free elections, picking Cheddi Jagan as its first democratic president. He held office for five years, dying of unexplained causes. Janet Jagan, his spouse, took over, but left office in 1999 because of ill health. Since then, Jagan's successor, Bharrat Gdeo, has won election twice, most recently in 2006.

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If you are an enterprising youth with hopes of a future as a leader in Haiti, a new scholarship program, put on by the American-Haitian Diaspora through the Embassy of Haiti in Washington, D.C., will be just right for you. The planned annual scholarship program will give the opportunity to young professionals and college students to visit Haiti and receive first hand mentorship and experience working within Haiti's key governmental departments.

The scholarship is unpaid, so candidates will be expected to bear responsibility for their travel, lodging, transportation and all personal expenses, expected to cost as much as $4,500 USD for their stay. Candidates are expected to provide evidence of their academic ability, have excellent oral and written communication skills in French and, preferably, also Creole, the ability to solve problems, work well with others, and work on initiative.

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Haitian-born professional boxer for Canada, Jean-Thenistor Pascal, walked away from the biggest fight billed between two Canadian boxers as the clear winner. His opponent, 33-year-old Lucian Bute conceded to the victory and stated that Pascal had simply been, "...the better fighter."

Having slightly similar histories, the two being imports to Canada with Bute Romanian-born, both ascended to the top of their shared sport without having to face-off. The match between the former IBF super-middleweight champion, Bute, and the former light heavyweight champion, Pascal was therefore, highly anticipated, with Pascal himself describing it as seven years' worth of anticipation.

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The Haitian Consul General in Chicago, Lesly Condé, was quick to send out his Season's Greetings to those within the Haitian Diaspora in his area of Chicago. With well wishes for a Merry 2013 Christmas season and a message for a Happy 2014 New Year, the consul also toasted to the festivities of those friends of Haiti throughout the American Midwest.

Through his address to his audience, Condé also took the time to remind all that, while January 1st is easily recognized and celebrated as the start of the new year, Haitians at home and in the wider Diaspora were not to forget that it, and the following day, January 2nd, serve as prominent Haitian holidays in their own right, The 210th anniversary of the Haitian National Independence and Ancestors' Day respectively.

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The Republic of Haiti General Consul in Miami, François Guillaume II, made a public announcement numerous Haitian artists will show their work at the Annual Art Basel Miami Exhibition. Art Basel is an anticipated event, attracting many thousands of art lovers from all over the world. It is hailed as a major cultural sampling of 100-plus art galleries, representing the Caribbean, North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Art Basel is 40 years old, but until now has not been displaying artworks from the African Diaspora. That is changing this year with the Caribbean Fantastic exhibition happening at the Multitudes Contemporary Art Gallery. Babacar Mbow, MCAG'S owner and curator, is especially qualified to gather and showcase African Diaspora art. This year Caribbean Fantastic will highlight artwork from Haiti, home to the African Diaspora and the first black-led republic in the world.

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Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor-elect, has appointed to his transition team community leader, Haitian-American Elsie Saint-Louis in the role of one of his advisors. Saint-Louis, the executive director of Haitian-Americans United for Progress, joins the team among 60 other experts, and leaders in their own right, who will shape de Blasio's new administration.

The names were announced in recent weeks and the news has been met with favorable responses for the diverse selection that also includes Jamaican native Una Clarke, who served as a city councilwoman, the first woman born in the Caribbean elected to the New York City Council, for a decade. Clarke, during her tenure as city councilwoman, served the 40th Council District in Brooklyn after being elected in 1991.

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