Gerard Gourgue - Haiti Observer Blog

The Haitian legal profession has lost its most talented and dynamic litigator, Constantin Mayard-Paul, to an embolism, causing his heart to stop on May 30, 2008. When word of his death spread to Port-au-Prince Bar Association, they sent a courier notice asking all cases being heard that day in Port-au-Prince courts adjourn in honor of Constantin's demise.

Public-commentary station, Radio Kiskeya, interviewed Constantin's son, Thierry Mayard-Paul. Bereaved to say much, he did share his father's battle with emphysema, saying it did not prevent him from enjoying his retirement after half a century of practicing law.

One of Constantin's closest colleagues, Gérard Gourgue, spoke to news outlets about his nearly 60-year friendship with him. He said they had worked together on cases referred to their advocacy group, Haitian Human Rights League. He also noted some characteristics of Constantin's he admired, like his acute attention to fine points of law, his assiduous trial preparation, and diligent witness preparation for depositions.

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Gerard Gourgue grew up young when his mother passed away just days after his birth in December of 1925. This first personal struggle created in him a resilience that would carry him through some of the most trying times in Haiti's past. His is a history of politics, and its eternal dance between what is right and what is wrong.

It is almost certainly clear on what side Gerard Gourgue falls. Even as a young man, his interest in politics, his academic performance and even his association with future greats like René Depestre gave insight into his early possibilities... show me your friends. He would live his life as a politician, a minister, an ambassador, lawyer, teacher, human rights activists and, for one brief moment in Haitian history, he almost added president to his list of accomplishments.

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Jean Claude Duvalier was born in the Capital City of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He spent his academic life at Nouveau College Bird and Saint-Louis de Gonzague. Later, he studied law at the University of Haiti. one of his teacher was Gerard Gourgue.

In April 1971, Jean Claude became presidency of Haiti at the age of 19 upon the death of his father, becoming the world's youngest president.

It has been reported that Jean Claude Duvalier did not have any ambition to follow his father's footstep to become president. All this was an arrangement made made following the death of his father. He preferred at the time that the presidency position goes to go to his older sibling, Marie-Denise Duvalier. One of the most influential persons at the time was the interior Minister of Francois Duvalier, Luckner Cambronne convinced him to take on the role of President for Life

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