Petit-Goave - Haiti Observer Blog

Recently, a representative team from the Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (CSA/CA) has audited the books of accounts and records of the Town Hall of Petit-Goâve during the period from 2006 to 2014. The team of the CSA/CA was heavily dissatisfied with the use of funds and mode of accounting followed by the authority. An amount totaling over 18 million Gourde was spent without any authorization or supporting documents. Out of that fund, 5 million Gourdes belongs to the period of former Mayor Marc Roland Justal and the balance 13 million Gourdes went to the administration of Mayor Sandra W. Jules. As per Justal's explanation, 5 million gourdes were related to damage caused by the 2010 earthquake and a part of it was lost on account of vandalism. Some related documents were handed to the officers of CSA along with a report prepared by a Justice of Peace of the city. Mayor Sandra W. Jules will explain about the 13 million gourdes after her council's audition on June 23rd. Some sources indicate that the Town Hall was the victim of embezzlement of public funds.

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Recently, a representative team from the Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (CSA/CA) has audited the books of accounts and records of the Town Hall of Petit-Goâve during the period from 2006 to 2014. The team of the CSA/CA was heavily dissatisfied with the use of funds and mode of accounting followed by the authority. An amount totaling over 18 million Gourde was spent without any authorization or supporting documents.

Out of that fund, 5 million Gourdes belongs to the period of former Mayor Marc Roland Justal and the balance 13 million Gourdes went to the administration of Mayor Sandra W. Jules. As per Justal's explanation, 5 million gourdes were related to damage caused by the 2010 earthquake and a part of it was lost on account of vandalism. Some related documents were handed to the officers of CSA along with a report prepared by a Justice of Peace of the city. Mayor Sandra W. Jules will explain about the 13 million gourdes after her council's audition on June 23rd. Some sources indicate that the Town Hall was the victim of embezzlement of public funds.

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The political unrest continues to escalate after, on Friday October 24, 2014, armed guards of the Specialized Unit of the Guard of the National Palace (USGPN) were compelled to use force to break up a group gathered to protest against the government. The supporters of the opposition tried to block the way of the presidential motorcade as it made its way through the public roads on its way to the event for the "Gouvènman an Lakay Ou" program set for the following day in the city.

The scene in Côtes-de-Fer became potentially deadly as shots rang out, amidst the throwing of stones. The confusion caused a massive fleeing of the scene by demonstrators, even as the vehicles in the motorcade sped away quickly. The Côtes-de-Fer incident yielded no reports of casualties. However, following the fleeing of the agents of the USGPN, strategic sections of Petit Goâve were occupied by the Department Unit for Maintenance of Order (UDMO). It was during this incident, along the National Road, that shots were fired and tear gas cannisters deployed by the security forces in an attempt to keep the protesting group from resuming their demonstration.

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Dressed in white shirts with blue designs, carrying white signs with red writing, the participants of the World Day of Peace street march struck a patriotic chord while pushing their cause. Made up of members from the youth organization 'Miroir' the march took place through the Petit-Goâve streets, and was organized to bring calm back to the city.

Up to the day of the march, the Petit-Goâve community had experienced 10 days of demonstrations against the local authorities. The tension-filled days led to the appeals on signs for the end of the discord, with some bearing messages pleaded for no violence and an end to tire burning. Still, amidst this peaceful march National Road #2 was blocked, a young boy sustained an arm wound, and gunshots were heard at 11:00 a.m.

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Haiti has never been a particularly safe haven for journalists. All too readily, the names of slain newsmen come to mind. This bad reputation that shouts an intolerance for freedom of the press continues with news from Reporter's Without Borders that as little as five journalists have been attacked either physically or verbally in Haiti within the last month, many in the town of Petit-Goave.

While not exactly parallel to what has taken place in the past, given how far this bullying of reporters can go, the latest attacks on Radio Préférence FM Director Guyto Mathieu and others, seems to be the beginning of another cycle. On September 4, 2014, Mathieu was allegedly threatened at a demonstration by members of a group in opposition to the local government. He is said to be a Jacques Stevenson Thimoleon defender and, as such, put himself into the crosshairs of the opposition.

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As news spreads about a new outbreak of Anthrax, even as the country faces the threat of the chikungunya wave, fears about contamination and contraction have left people paranoid. Bacillus anthracis cases have been reported over the past few weeks in the localities of various sections such as the eight communal section of Petit Goave, Corail.

Assessments undertaken by local peasants estimate that 6 oxen have succumbed to the disease, and at least 9 humans have been infected. They urged the UCS-Goavienne and the local communal agricultural office to take urgent action to help eradicate the disease, which is impervious to heat, many substances for disinfection, drought, gamma and ultraviolet rays. Probably the most pressing part of the matter is that contaminated meat is being sold on the market, representing the threat of a widespread epidemic.

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Petit-Goâve is a small town of 12,000 residents, located in the Ouest Department, lying 42 miles from Port-au-Prince. When the 2010 earthquake hit, Petit-Goâve suffered serious damage, particularly from an intense aftershock of 5.9 magnitude. Its epicenter was virtually beneath the town.

A week after the January 12th earthquake, military ships coming from Spain and the U.S. arrived with relief aid for Petit-Goâve. In addition, Aid for Haiti, a not-for-profit American relief agency, arranged for temporary medical facilities and personnel to provide services to the community.

The one hospital Petit-Goâve contained was non-functioning in the aftermath of the quake. In response to the crisis, the Norwegian Red Cross sent its Emergency Response Unit to set up a field hospital. It has become a fully functioning medical facility, with two well-equipped surgery rooms, a fleet of ambulances, and emergency medical technicians. The hospitable also receives dependable electricity service.

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Life goes on for residents of Petit-Goave, a town in the Department of Ouest, after the earthquake that rattled Haiti in 2010. Though they have yet to fully recover from the devastating disaster, the residents have been trying to get by with the help of relief aid organizations.

In January 2010, the 7-magnitude tremor shook the town, killing many people and destroying most of the buildings and structures. Petit-Goave was one of the most damaged towns during the calamity. Marines from the United States have been sent to Petit-Goave in order to provide relief.

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Haiti is home to the most beautiful and breath-taking tourist destinations in the world. Recently, the country's hidden wonders have been gaining international attention, attracting an increasing number of tourists yearly. This growing boom in Haiti's tourism industry, in turn, has been helping the country's economy greatly.

Haiti is surrounded by bodies of water, making the perfect Caribbean getaway. One of the most highly-recommended spots for some peace and quiet is the coastal city of Vallue in Petit-Goave. It is located in the country's West department, about 70 kilometers away from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Petit-Goave is one of the oldest settlements in the region, developed in the 16th century by the French and the Spanish conquerors.

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Haiti is home to the most exotic and colorful cuisine in the world. Most of Haiti's cuisine originated from the country's historical settlers like the Africans and the French. One of the country's many delicious foods known worldwide is the Dous Makos.

The Dous Makos was created by Fernand Macos back in 1939, a Belgian entrepreneur who settled and put up his business in the coastal town of Petit-Goave in Haiti. The popular delicacy's recipe was at first a secret but was generally known to be made of milk and was commercialized years after. There are now dozens of producers of the Dous Makos that sell and export their produce to different parts of the world.

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