rene preval - Haiti Observer Blog

The Haitian town of Marmelade, known as Mamlad in Creole, is best known as the boyhood home of Rene Preval, past president of Haiti, who succeeded the troubled and turbulent presidency of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. During the era when the island of Haiti (known as Hispaniola then) was ruled by nobility, Marmelade was recognized as a duchy.

Situated high in the Marmelade mountain range between Cap Haïtien and Saint Marc, it overlooks the jewel-toned, aquamarine Atlantic Ocean, which lies 17 miles northward. It is also bounded by the equally breath-taking Caribbean Sea on the westward side.

Marmelade, referred to as Marmeiade or Marra Town by its 7,000 local residents, is a Christian community that is predominately Catholic. They attend baptisms, holy communions, weddings, funerals, and Sunday masses at St. Martha Catholic Church, 18 miles from Cap Haïtien International Airport.

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Opening ceremonies for Caracol Industrial Park (CIP) occurred on October 22, 2012. Michel Martelly, President of Haiti, hosted some of the biggest backers of northern Haiti's first industrial park, projected to eventually produce nearly 200,000 jobs. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with her husband, President Bill Clinton, presided over a crowd of investors and celebrities.

Haiti, the U.S., and the Inter-American Development Bank have donated a combined total of $464 million over the next six years. Other foundation and business donors are contributing to the development of Haiti's infrastructure.

Secretary Rodham-Clinton spoke before a lunch reception crowd. She told them that contributing to the sustained economic health of Haiti goes beyond sending relief aid to the earthquake-damaged island. On-going private investment in the infrastructure and economic initiatives to provide Haitians a better quality of life are key to raising Haiti out of its failed-state status. She said that although CIP was already in the planning stages before the 2010 earthquake shattered the country's infrastructure and economy, already feeble, the Obama administration has placed Haiti high on its priority list. The U.S. has followed through with a $124 million investment in CIP.

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Haiti will forever live to remember the worst earthquake that hit its capital about two years ago. Despite the fact that the damage caused was immense, international community and the long supportive US to Haiti gave substantial hopes to Haiti's government and entire Haiti at large through reconstruction pledges. According to US top government officials who were actively involved in the life saving operation after the catastrophe, they were later to venture into rebuilding Haiti and give it a strong base for reconstruction.

There were great hopes in the success of the initiative but the catastrophe chose to hit at the cornerstone of Haiti, Port au Prince, bringing all plans to a standstill. The earthquake that flattened Haiti's capital at first seemed manageable but a destruction of major Ministry apartments hindered any progress in the restructuring process. The US in particular had pledged to provide $1.8 billion for the reconstruction but lack of stable government to set up transparent strategies on the projects to be funded ruined it all.

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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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Here is a first in the history of Haiti. Two Haitian presidents, not of the same political party, are having a smooth transition.

My Friend, could you believe this? Michel Martelly meeting Rene Preval at the invitation of the later to discuss the transition from Rene Preval to Michel Martelly in the Haitian government.

Wait! ....What ever happen to "Dechoukaj"

Banm Ter a Blanch......

The "Haitian Joudalist" has obtained the video of the meeting between Rene Preval and Michel Martelly. In brief, Rene Preval explained that thi is not the first time they talk and that Michel is an old friend. The two also talked about what is currently going on in the country. According to President Rene Preval, Haiti does not need "Dirigent", but needs the country to succeed. He also said that it is not about Michel Martell or Rene Preval, "We need to put our heads together to make it work in the country", said the current leader.

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By May 14, 2011 Haiti will have a record number of former presidents in the country. It will be the first time that happen in the history of Haiti.

Former Haitian President Boniface Alexandre is in Haiti, living a quit life. We recently have two controversial former leaders who made celebrity comeback to Haiti in 2011: Jean-Claude Duvalier and Jean-Bertraned Aristide. By the end of his term on May 14, president Rene Preval will join the list of former Haitian presidents as well.

How can Haiti make good use of all these former leaders?

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My friend, the real reason is called Election Day and five years from now. March 20 has a lot more meaning to both the International Community and Jean-Bertrand Aristide than you can begin to understand. However nobody could talk about it.

I was unable to understand why a lot of effort, energies and resources have been invested to prevent Jean-Bertrand Aristide from returning to Haiti before the election scheduled for March 20, 2011.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his attorney Ira Kurzban wanted us to believe that the only reason he wanted to come before the election, is because the next Haitian government might make it difficult for him to comeback. But Mr. Aristide, you could come to Haiti at any time in the week following the election because your friend Rene Preval would still be in office and would have the same power that he had before the election, and you would not have any problem

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Today, we are Monday, January 31, 2011; or seven days before February 7 and counting. Will Rene Preval leave office by February 7 as the Haitian constitution requires?

And that is the question many people are asking.

- Will he stay until March?
- Will he stay in power for another 5 years?

The Haitian constitution mandates that a new president takes office on February 7, 2011. The president is elected for 5 years and has to leave office on February 7. Rene Preval officially started his second term as president of Haiti on May 14, 2006. Rene Preval recently stated that he could stay in power until May 14, 2011 to complete his full five year term.

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The former President Jean-Claude Duvalier and his new wife Veronique Roy came to Haiti yesterday, January 16, 2011. The former president did not make any comment at the airport, however his wife Veronique Roy described the arrival of Jean-Claude Duvalier as very emotional. The former president greeted old friends and was visibly quiet.

Some are talking about the fact that Duvalier intends to play a role in the Haiti next presidential election. He is likely throw his support to one of the current candidates. Will it be Michele Martelly of Mirlande Manigat, as many people are now saying that these two are likely to be the ones selected for the runoff election.

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US First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Haiti following the January 12 earthquake that destroyed Port-au-Prince for one day visit. She arrived aboard a helicopter, accompanied with the wife of the vice President, Jill Biden, in a gesture of support to the victims of the earthquake. The visit was made at the last minute for security reasons.

The two ladies took a tour of the devastating area, before landing on the yard of Haiti National Palace to meet President Rene Preval.

The First Lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden took the time during their visit to meet several children who were directly affected by the earthquake. They visited several schools and participated in some class activities as signs of encouragement.

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