People - Haiti Observer Blog

The Coordinator of the CNSA, Pierre Gary Mathieu, is dead. It happened November 22, 2015 at the Metropopolitan Hospital Center in Manhattan, New York, he was 50 years old. Pierre Gary Mathieu was Agronomist Engineer and studied Management at the University of Connecticut. He specialized in Economics and Rural Development at the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (GMEF). Pierre Gary Mathieu occupied several positions suc as head of Shop Agricultural Inputs (BIA), the Intersectoral Commission for Production and Seeds (CIPDSA), Planning and Emergency Program Evaluation UNDP , FAO Consultant, Program Manager Monitoring GCP, mand many more.

As an author he collaborated to write "The Department of Agricultural Inputs: its constraints and its orientation towards a better supply of South-East".

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Connecticut native son and African-American, Ebenezer Bassett, will be accorded special distinction at the Freedom Trail Month celebration in September. His distinctions include his acceptance as the first black student to attend Central Connecticut State University and an appointment as the first African-American Ambassador to Haiti.

Bassett was a foremost advocate for the abolition of slavery during the Civil War. His friendship with another abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, was key in bringing Bassett's talents and experience to the attention of President Ulysses Grant. Little did Bassett know his biggest career challenge awaited him in Haiti, buffeted by internal conflicts, in the midst of a civil war.

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The happy relationship between Rutshelle Guilluame and Roody Roodboy was never a secret. They were often ready to discuss how happy they were to have found a love so special. However, in a recent incident in the month of Domestic Violence Awareness (October), Roodyroodboy found that he was being cheated by Guilluame.

The incident that leads to the altercation and domestic violence is as follows: Roody Roodboy was calling Rutshelle for hours but could not reach her. So he decided to drive to his fiancee's home to find whether she is alright. When he walked in her place, found Rutshelle and Trouble Boy (another popular Rapper) in an intimate sexual act. The incident lead Roody Roodboy to an altercation with Rutshelle and that left Rutshelle with several bruises and a black eye.

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This is a picture of Olivier Martelly arriving at the airport in Montigo Bay, Jamaica on September 5, 2015. With this picture appearing now it doesn't put a stop on the rumors that have been circulating lately, but rather generates even more questions.

On September 5, 2015, Olivier Martelly, the son of Haitian President Michel Martelly was noticed arriving at the airport in Montigo Bay, Jamaica for attending the PetroCaribe conference with his father in Jamaica. Earlier, there was report of his arrest in the U.S by Federal law enforcement, but the details of his case appeared to be confidential. Some sources suggest that he was taken into custody and charged with money laundering, and tax evasion, together with his mother, both are U.S citizens, and thus subject to tax liability on their worldwide income, wherever it is earned. He has been rumored to be part of an organized gang in Haiti that has participated in a wide variety of criminal acts. Furthermore, he was arrested in the U.S for cocaine and heroin trafficking from Colombia. He had an alleged involvement with a freighter seized with cocaine in Jeremy. The ship was owned by one of Haiti's richest family involved in the textile industry in the island. There was a rumor that Olivier was placed under house arrest in the United States because of his involvement with this narcotics trafficking in the U.S. A bond for his parole was set at five million U.S Dollar. The picture of his arrival at the airport published over the media might put a cap on the rumors of his arrest but it would definitely generate more questions. In November 2012, Olivier Martelly was accused of his close association with Clifford Brandt, the son of a wealthy Haitian businessman who was the mastermind behind an alleged kidnapping ring. On June 25, 2015, Olivier Martelly spent over $1,000,000 in state funds to bring Chris Brown and Lil Wayne to Haiti to attain one afternoon concert in the Champs de Mars. The Gulfstream 4, which costs $5,000 per hour, plus landing fees, crew, refreshments, and a load of other add-ons-- could have been covered by a couple of thousand on American Airlines. The fund could be better used to buy food for Haiti's starving kids, or help the 300,000 Haitians being deported from the Dominican Republic as stateless.

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I own the road, I am above all law and if you don't think so here is proof. To show his point Haitian vice-consul Judnie Galdine Souffrant has decided to block the Haiti-Dominican border with her vehicle, causing traffic problem between Haiti and the Dominican Republic for several hours yesterday.

Madanm lan di: "Ti Mari pap Monte, Ti Mari Pap Desan"

Why all these?

There must be a very good reason for that? Probably another attempt by the Dominicans to humiliate Haitians and to make a stand and to defend our pride, Vice-Consul of Haiti Judnie Galdine Souffrant probably to do something about that.

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On Friday, August 29, 2014, the Junior Chamber International Haiti (JCI Haiti) launched the fourth edition competition for "The Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Haiti". The competition has been set up under a theme "self representation of youths"-- to represent themselves as a recognizable role model. It has been organized under the patronage of the Embassy of Canada, Médiatexte and other partners with an objective to promote the innovative and creative capacity of young Haitians aged between 18 and 40 years who have proficiency and excelled in diverse fields of activities and studies like education, economics, politics, child welfare, culture, human rights, peace, science and technologies, personal achievements, leaderships and etc.

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Several individuals in Haiti have been commended by parliament for their hard work and perseverance in being strong contenders for freedom of speech, press, equalitarianism, etc.

They are: Frantz Duval, Emmelie Prophet Milce Jean Tholbert Alexis Simon Dieuseul Desras Gary Pierre-Paul Charles, Anthony Pascal aka"Konpè Filo" Marie Lucie Bonhomme and Me Carlos Hercules and Francis Concite

These individuals received plates of honor for their promotion of these freedoms and rule of law in their country. Two branches of parliament have deemed these individuals brave peace workers who would step forth when many others may have been too timid.

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Fashion designer, Maguy Durce, is a creative and political force to be reckoned with. She has been active not only in the field of fashion, but also as a public servant.

The year 2012 was an especially busy one for her. With European Union and institutional support, she organized Haiti Fashion Week in Miami. This event was a platform for Haitian fashion designers, which brought them attention from around the world. Durce also started a fashion design workshop with help from the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund.

The fashion industry in Haiti also named her "Personality of the Year" for her contributions to Haitian fashion. The international media was on hand for the event, celebrating her selection. Durce is not modest about receiving the honor, as she says "Honestly, I think I deserve it because I worked hard."

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It could be likened to a scene from a movie; a tense courthouse office, one aggrieved lawyer facing off against what he describes as government corruption. Then, incensed supporters of the lawyer break in past security guards of the association and past immobilized policemen, to whisk their champion away in a black SUV with tinted windows. Here, the drama gives way as no car chase ensues. Instead, the mite of the police is strangled by the law that protects vehicles bearing official license plates from being stopped.

Such was the drama of the Andre Michel story. About to be sent, by the judge at the aforementioned proceedings, to the state penitentiary, Michel's rescuers, including the legislator Arnel Belizaire, came down upon the proceedings and whisked him away. The government has since made its disapprobation with the taking of Michel known, but various factions are questioning the validity of the entire affair.

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During a world tour, which included a stop in Haiti, Julia Morley, CEO of the Miss World pageant, sustained a serious injury while visiting a children's orphanage in Port-au-Prince.

Accompanying Meagan Young, Miss World of 2013, Morley visited a classroom located on the second floor of a makeshift building, erected after the 2010 earthquake destroyed the old one. The children's excitement overtook them, when they saw Miss World in her tiara. They suddenly surged toward her, causing the floor to give way. Morley and one of the young boys crashed through the floor, falling eight to ten feet before hitting the ground level. Debris rained down on them after they landed. Morley broke her hip and the boy suffered a leg fracture. Miss World, who was able to land on her feet, and the rest of the children were unharmed, or suffered only minor cuts and bruises.

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