Government - Haiti Observer Blog

Even four years after the devastating earthquake that tore apart Haiti with 160,000 deaths, the country is still bearing the scars. The dependence on the foreign aid has skyrocketed. Haiti is not the easiest place to do business. The country lacks good ports and roads, electricity and good supportive institutions. Haiti has remained in ruins. Its desperately needed reconstruction projects and infrastructure are still in firm foreign control. The government at Port-au Prince is failing within an impoverished damaged economy. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas with low labor cost and tariff free export dumping market for its closest neighbor U.S. More than 40% of the Haitians are subsistence farmers who mainly focus on growing enough food to feed own families and are subject to vulnerable to damage from recurring natural disasters.

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The government of Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has gone through a major transformation. Many new individuals are named to head some of the most important Ministers. The Open Government has been formed. However, many would say: "Plus Ca Change, Plus C'est La Meme Chose"

Here is the new Open government

Laurent Lamothe Salvador appointed Minister of Planning and External Cooperation

Duly Brutus became Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, replacing Pierre Richard Casimir

Renel Sanon appointed Minister of Justice and Public Security (unchanged)

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A recent report from the Director of the U.S. National Intelligence Agency has revealed that as per its assessment on worldwide threat, the stability in Haiti will remain susceptible due to poverty and weak governing institutions. . The Office of Intelligence and Threat Analysis (ITA) monitors, researches and analyzes on matters related to international and domestic terrorism on behalf of Diplomatic Security Service (DS) and U.S. intelligence community. Haiti's development projects and security issues mostly depend upon the assistance from international communities.

The country has planned to increase the size of its security force from 10,000 to 15,000 by 2016 but we should also remember that the international support which is presently vital for the country's sustenance is gradually fading. The process of reconstruction and development programs in Haiti should be continued with a long term perspective. The Haitians have learned not to trust politicians from their experiences. Moreover, the country has remained defenseless to natural disasters, food shortage, unemployment, poverty and many other issues which have continuously retarded every development process.

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The day has come when Me Francisco René is obligated to "Prendre ses Affaires" and leave his powerful position as the Prosecutor of Port-au-Prince. The rug has been removed under his feet. I want to take a piece in the classic from Maurice Sixto in his piece Zabelbok Ber-a-Chat and I find myself on the side of "Manzè Sandrine" to say: "Kabelbok Perdi Paryag sa"

Me Francisco René who recently replaced Me Lucmane Delille in office as the Prosecutor of Port-au-Prince was fired on November 27, 2013.He was the 9th Commissioner of Government under President Michel Martelly.

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Forget about constitution " Konstitisyon Se Papye". Forget about the way most people believe it should be. In Haiti, we do things a little bit differently. Let's put it this way, the power is shared between the three branches of government with only one difference, the executive branch takes a bigger part of the cake.

At least this how our president Michel Martelly sees it. In a recent statement that actually did not please too many Haitian authorities, the president would like to make the public believe that the executive is above the other powers.

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According to the Communication Office of the Haitian Prime Minister, Bernice Phidelia, the Minister of Haitians living abroad, gave her resignation, Monday, June 10, 2013 to Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, Pierre Richard Casimir will be assuming this function until further notice.

In less than six Months on the job, the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, Bernice Phidelia had to call it a quit. She had taken office on 25 January 2013, following another cabinet reshuffle where she replace Mr. Daniel Supplice.

Bernice Phidelia left her position after accusations have been mounting against her that she nationality other than Haitian. According to Senator John Joel Joseph, she has dual nationality.

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The Martelly government completed 2 years in office and this was marked by a gala celebration that is estimated to have cost 1 million USD which when converted to Haitian currency accounts for 40 million HTG. Place du Champs de Mars was the venue for celebration. The place was once the place for thousands and thousands of families who lived in tents. However, with Canadian aid, the place turned into a cheering ground for thousands who shouted for and cheered the Head of the State, Michel Martelly.

There was no aid provided by the Martelly administration for relocating the families that once lived there in tents. However, an anonymous source informed to Haiti Press Network that while no aid was provided to the troubled families, the government spent $1 million approximately to celebrate the second anniversary. There is in fact, no proper records or the total expenditure but some other sources anonymously reported that the expenses were not $1 million but was close to $2.5 million.

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Here is the documentary that you have heard so much about. Assistance Mortelle or Fatal Assistance in English was realized by Hatian filmmaker Raoul Peck. It is an exposé that provides a look at the response of the international community following the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. This film that made its World Premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, has a duration of 1:45 minutes.

Se dokimantè ou te tande anpil pale sou li. "Asistans Mortelle" te reyalize pa Hatian sineast Raoul Peck. Se yon ekspoze ki bay yon gade sou tranbleman tè 12 janvye 2010 an Ayiti.

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A country's economic growth is dependent on two factors namely, 'Entrepreneurship' and 'Government'. While the two are not really exclusive mutually, the two can lead to sustainable economic growth. Either the government must undertake the economic development or it must provide assistance to the private sector entrepreneurs to carry out certain developmental works in an environment that is targeted towards the welfare of the economy as a whole. When this happens, any economy shows rapid and sustained growth. For Haiti however, the situation was and is different.

The biggest obstacle for Haitian economic growth is the political system of the country. For years, the country was under military rule and dictatorship. However, after the end of dictatorship when the country selected the party led by Jean-Bertrand Aristide through its first free election, the people of Haiti felt a sense of relief that wasn't long lasting. The government turned out to be more like a dictator with government officials getting involved in trafficking of drug. The leaders of the government called themselves as the 'Anti-Liberals'.

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François Duvalier, Haiti's 40th President, raised in a prosperous family and well-educated, obtained his medical degree from the University of Haiti. He was a compassionate public-health official, who brought relief to Haitians suffering outbreaks of tropical illnesses. This earned him the name Papa Doc. He retained it forever, using it as a tool of manipulation.

After Duvalier returned from exile (due to a coup of a political ally), he ran on a populist platform for the presidency. Supported by the Haitian Army, he attacked mulatto elites, aligning himself with black nationals. He won the election against Déjoie, a mulatto real-estate tycoon.

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