New York - Haiti Observer Blog

Haitian politics has been shaped by decades of power struggles between people in power, as well as with the country's citizens. Long-time politician René Préval has witnessed and experienced them all.

Before becoming a politician, Préval first became an agronomist, which has something to do with the science and technology of agriculture. After acquiring his studies in Belgium and Italy and living in New York for five years, he went home to Haiti and worked for the National Institute for Mineral Resources and was very active in agricultural activities in Haitian society. Préval then put up his own bakery and remained active political movements and charity, which led him to meet Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the country's first democratic president. In 1991, he served as Haiti's Prime Minister for eight months before going into exile after a military coup.

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A child's grandmother, Sylvenie Thessier who is 71, is likely to go to prison for watching her grand-daughter being set on fire and not taking any action.

According to a report from New York Daily news, back in June 2009, Marie Lauradin sprayed rum over her child and set her on fire during a voodoo ceremony in Queens Village, in an attempt to clear her from evil spirits. The mother was accused of setting her daughter Frantzcia Saintil on fire.

Now, the grand mother, Sylvenie Thessier will be charged as well for negligence as she was present at the time of the incident and did not do anything to protect the child.

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American Airlines took its first fly to Haiti on March 2, 1971, from New York to Port-au-Prince. On March 23, 2011 or forty years later, the American carrier is stronger than ever.

American Airlines now offers six daily flights to Haiti. From Florida, the airline offers five daily flights between Miami International Airport and Fort-Lauderdale. The airlines also offers one daily flight directly from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport to Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport in Port-au-Prince.

What did the Haitian population get for this?

Wouldn't it be better if we had our own airline?

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This is the latest insult on the Haitian community. A Radio host in New York city said on the air that: "The reason I am HIV Negative is because I don't mess with Haitian Women". The DJ who made the joke is Luis Diaz, a controversial radio host at radio station HOT 97 in Manhattan.

Many leaders in the Haitian community gathered outside of the studio of radio station HOT 97 to protest the comment made by Radio host Luis Diaz, with his personality name: DJ Cipha.

Later, the DJ apologized for his comments; however the leaders of the Haitian community in New York refused to accept his apology and demanded that he be removed from the radio station, according to manhattan.ny1.com

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This is a sign that the Haitian community is moving and if I may say "Up" in the US. The latest is having one of our own elected as mayor in a major town. On behalf of the Haitian diaspora in the United States and all over the world, I would like to congratulate Noramie Festa Jasmin as the new Mayor of Spring Valley.

She has become the first Haitian American and the first woman to be elected as Mayor of Spring valley in 2009.

Before becoming Mayor of Spring Valley in New York, Noramie Jasmin occupied the position of trustee as well as deputy Mayor.

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