7722: Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

1.   Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 27 Apr 01

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 27 Apr 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 28, 2001


"0730 Appointment" news; figures in brackets indicate times in minutes
elapsed since start of programme

1. [00] Headlines.

2. [05] The Lavalas Family, FL, has responded favourably to the
Convergence's invitation to participate in a meeting to pave the way for the
resumption of the negotiations. FL spokesman Jonas Petit said that Aristide
will not attend this meeting, and Senator Yvon Neptune, the interim national
representative of the party, will represent the FL. Petit explained:
"Because he is the president of all Haitians, President Aristide cannot be
involved in direct negotiations with any domestic group, party or
organization."

3. [07] The Civil Society Initiative Group, GISC, applauded the initiative
by the Convergence to meet with the FL today. According to the GISC, this
initiative could change the political situation Haiti is experiencing today.
GISC spokesman Edouard Paultre said he hopes this meeting will allow the
Haitian people's situation to change. "We in the GISC hoped and requested
that President Aristide would involve himself personally in resolving the
crisis, in trying to reach this agreement. If he does not respond, it is a
question that the Convergence itself should answer." Asked whether he thinks
today's meeting will be successful, Paul replied: "We do not know in what
state of mind each party will come. However, we in the GISC want to take
advantage of this meeting to build, to work on an agenda, to work on a draft
agreement, to clearly define the subject of the negotiations, because we
have give the country every chance so we can get this agreement."

4. [09] The leader of the Papaye Peasants Movement, MPP, said he is very
worried about the results of today's meeting because the president elected
on 26 November made several promises that he has not kept. According to
Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, the presence or absence of the 26 November
president will prove the foundation of the speech he made about his
willingness to negotiate. Chavannes said: "That will show very clearly that
Aristide is a bluffer, that he is a liar, that Lavalas rests on a lie. When
he opens his arms and so forth, everybody knows that this is a bluff. He has
been opening his arms to lies since 7 February [year not specified; possibly
2001 when Aristide was sworn in for his current term]. He has always opened
his arms to envelop people and to lie to them. In my opinion, I have already
said so very clearly: Aristide will never show up at such a meeting. They
are too proud. In addition, all Lavalas' statements are aimed at deceiving
people." Chavannes continued: "Lavalas will never negotiate anything. I do
not believe they will participate in tomorrow's meeting, and I do not
believe that anything will come out of any negotiation process in which
Lavalas participates."

5. [11] The UN Human Rights Commission has denounced the poor state of
Haitian justice and the political deadlock that prevails in Haiti. The
commission asks for national reconciliation and calls on the members of
people's organizations to stop intimidating and harassing political
militants. They advocate the neutrality of the Haitian National Police, PNH,
and deplore the illegal arrests and the poor prison conditions in Haiti.

6. [12] Peru has a new ambassador to Haiti. Ambassador Alberto Galvez de
Rivero presented his credentials to President Aristide yesterday morning.
This gave the Peruvian head of state, through his ambassador, an opportunity
to renew his faith in the maintenance of strong and lasting relations
between the two countries. The new ambassador supports the establishment of
a commercial agreement between Haiti and Peru. The ambassador is considering
inviting businessmen and members of the government to visit his country and
to examine the possibility for investments there. Asked about the
possibility of Peru's support for the resolution of the crisis that is
shaking Haiti, the ambassador says it is important to work jointly with
various democratic institutions.

7. [16] Ads.

8. [19] There is divergence among the Lavalas parliamentarians concerning
the Dongo Joseph matter. During the plenary session yesterday, it was
proposed that both the justice and interior ministers be summoned to the
Senate so they can shed light on the arrest of Hinche Mayor Dongo Joseph,
who is accused of having manhandled a justice of the peace in the Plateau
Central area. Grand'Anse Senator Clones Lans, the author of this proposal,
says he has observed a feeling of discomfort between the two ministers,
which is a situation that needs to be corrected. However, Senator Dany
Toussaint, chairman of the Senate Justice Committee, disagrees with this
proposal. He says the summoning of the two ministers will serve as a pretext
to show that the parliamentarians are doing a good job. Senate President
Neptune, who spoke after Toussaint's objection, asked the senators not to
confuse FL and members of the government.

9. [22] Mayor Joseph was released yesterday. It should be pointed out that
there were various protests by mayors' associations, which issued a
three-day ultimatum in which they announced that they would close city halls
if Joseph was not released within 72 hours.

10. [23] Report by correspondent Rene Voltaire in Jacmel: The Association of
the Mayors of the Southeast, AMASE, presided over by Vallee de Jacmel Mayor
Yvon Joseph, condemns the arrest and detention of Joseph. He explains that,
like any and all other elected representatives, a mayor cannot be arrested,
especially because he was not caught in the act.

11. [25] In a letter to Interior Minister Henri-Claude Menard, the
organization Reporters Without Borders protests, among other things, the
attacks on Radio Vision Nouvelle and Radio Lumiere last week. During these
attacks, Fritz Antoine Jean, a Radio Vision Nouvelle watchman, was killed,
and others were injured.

12. [26] The Haitian National Police, PNH, through its spokesman, Jean-Dady
Simeon, announce several measures aimed at putting an end to the insecurity
in the country, especially in the areas of Cite Soleil and Drouillard. The
PNH warns those who consider taking justice into their own hands, without
regard for the responsibilities of the PNH.

13. [28] Ads.

14. [31] Economic segment by Georges Henry, Jr, on a report by the WTO on
the commercial policy of the European Union.

7. [37] Ads, followed by international news.

8. [40] President Aristide, who received several hundred children at the
National Palace yesterday within the framework of the world movement, is
considering granting a new form of aid to deprived children. Those who prove
to be more intelligent will enjoy several advantages, as of October 2001,
including scholarships granted by the government. Aristide calls on
education officials to make a list of the most intelligent students so they
can be encouraged. The following is an excerpt from Aristide's statements:
"If the parents agree, we shall pay all fees for next school year for you,
because you are a genius. We have to encourage the geniuses so they can
develop their intelligence, because they are the ones who will make Haiti
become beautiful, very beautiful." President Aristide took the opportunity
to take a stand against child abuse.

9. [44] OAS Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria will visit Haiti during the
first week of May. Gaviria will take advantage of his presence in
Port-au-Prince to try to find a solution to the post-21 May 2000 election
crisis. He will meet with Aristide and members of the opposition gathered
within the Convergence.

10. [45] Ads.

11. [48] Sogebank celebrated its 15th anniversary yesterday. On this
occasion, Pierre-Marie Boisson, the chief economist of this bank, speaks of
his satisfaction with the bank's achievements.

12. [51] The Ministry of Agriculture and National Resources and the Ministry
of Social Affairs Labour will hold a national fair in Champ de Mars,
Port-au-Prince on 29 April-1 May, on the occasion of Labour and Agriculture
Day. About 150 exhibitors will display products. In addition to national
production, this year the general public will be able to learn about the
relationship between agriculture and the new technologies of information and
communication during the fair.

13. [53] Several employees from the Petion-Ville City Hall are considering
demonstrating today to demand their back pay. These employees criticize the
attitude of Mayor Sully Guerrier, who no longer considers them employees of
the City Hall because other people have been appointed to replace them.
However, they have not been officially dismissed.

14. [55] Report by correspondent Patrick Pierre-Louis in Mirebalais:
Peasants living the communal sections of Gascogne and Sarasin have
experienced an epidemic of diarrhoea that has caused many problems among the
people for three weeks. This situation is because of the poor quality of
their drinking water.

15. [57] News summary.

Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 27 Apr 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.

World Reporter All Material Subject to Copyright