7922: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news -- 15 May 01 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

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

 1.   Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 15 May 01

 Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 15 May 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 16, 2001

"0730 Appointment" news; figures in brackets indicate times in minutes
elapsed since start of programme; passages within double oblique strokes in
French

1. [00] Headlines.

2. [06] A coup de theatre occurred once again yesterday at the Senate of the
Republic. The controversial Lavalas elected representatives did not manage
to vote on the bill on the investments code because there was a lack of
coordination on the preparation of the report that should first have been
submitted to the minister of commerce and industry by the members of the
Senate Budget and Finance Committee. In spite of this problem, the commerce
minister responded to the invitation of the controversial senators by going
to the parliament. He says he is willing to come back if it will help move
the issue forward. Commerce and Industry Minister Stanley Theard says this
situation can in no way cause problems for the vote on this bill, which was
submitted by former Minister Gerald Germain. Theard says: "//This is a very
technical issue if the document was not available for the senators.... Once
they have all the elements on hand, I will respond favourably to their
invitation and will do so with the greatest pleasure.//"

3. [08] Controversial Southeast Senator Pierre Soncon Prince says he
deplores the fact that there was not enough copies of the investment code
bill, which is the reason it was rejected. Prince speaks of the need for his
colleagues to respect principles. "//We had to analyse three documents: the
initial document, which is the bill that was submitted by Minister Germain,
the modified document [after it was passed by the Chamber of Deputies], and
the report. One cannot make analyses without having these three documents in
one's hands. We stick to the principles. The principles for document
analysis must be respected within the Senate of the Republic.//" However,
Senator Yvon Feuille, rapporteur for the committee working on the bill, says
he favours making the necessary corrections. He has rejected the statements
by some of his colleagues, who have pointed an accusing finger at the Senate
Budget and Finance Committee.

4. [10] The Union of the Electricity of Haiti, EDH, employees denounces the
mistreatment the employees have suffered in the execution of their duties.
The union explains that the EDH employees have been attacked by EDH
customers, who hold them responsible for the problem of power outages. A
spokesman for the union says EDH customers complain that they do not get the
service they are paying for and take it out on the EDH employees. The
spokesman explains that the EDH employees are not supposed to undergo "any
physical or verbal attack from scoundrels."

5. [12] The interim director general of the Haitian National Police, PNH,
Jean-Nesly Lucien, will appear before the Senate today. He will answer
senators' questions following the presentation of the report by the Senate
Justice, Police, and Security Committee.

6. [13] Ivorian journalist Abdoulaye Guedeouengue, who was kidnapped as he
was entering his home last week, was released two nights ago. His wife
reports that the kidnappers took 450,000 dollars that were in the possession
of her husband. Before they released the journalist, the kidnappers asked
him to stop his investigation of the murder of Jean Leopold Dominique.
Several business people have been kidnapped in Haiti. Their relatives have
had to pay large amounts of money in exchange for their release. It should
be pointed out that the victim and his wife, however, say they do not intend
to leave the country.

7. [15] Mr and Mrs Martial Jean-Francois, age 76 and 78, were killed in
their home by unidentified individuals. Martial Jean-Francois was the owner
of an electronic goods shop.

8. [15] The Alternative Party for the Development of Haiti, PADH, has sent
an open letter dated 12 May to Justice Minister Garry Lissade. In the
letter, party leader Gerard Dalvius talks about the incorrect behaviour by
Port-au-Prince Public Prosecutor Josue Pierre-Louis. Dalvius asks the
justice minister to explain to him the various points that are not clear in
the summons that was issued against him and his arrest on 2 May. He wants
the justice minister to shed light on this issue for him.

9. [17] Ads.

10. [20] On the occasion of Flag Day, 18 May, the presidential press office
asks the Haitian people to mobilize to celebrate. The Presidency plans to
organize several activities to mark this day. The following is an excerpt
from statements by Marguerite Joseph, a member of the press office: "The
watchword is respect for the flag. Honour the flag. Cultivate love for the
flag. Stand up when the flag is being hoisted...."

11. [22] On Flag Day, the Ministry of National Education, the Office of the
Secretary of State for Sports and Civic Service, and the Office of the
Secretary of State for Literacy have proclaimed this week the Flag Week. The
theme of the festivities that will mark the 18 May is A Flag of Peace Flag
for a Peaceful Haiti. On this occasion, the Education Ministry has called
for union among all Haitian families that are experiencing hardships.
Minister Georges Gaston Merisier speaks of the symbolism of the flag: "Our
flag is our identity. Therefore, this year, we have not just designated one
day as Flag Day. This year, we speak of Flag Day... We know the flag is the
symbol that unites all Haitians." He calls on everybody to stand and salute
the flag when it is being hoisted. The minister explains that activities are
taking place in several schools in order to mark Flag Day in a special
manner.

12. [26] Herman Nau, secretary of state for youth, sports, and civil
service, comments on the activities his office has scheduled to mark Flag
Day on 18 May. He says 60 schools throughout the country have mobilized for
a great spectacle in the capital and some provincial cities.

13. [28] Haitian students are organizing several activities for Flag Day and
University Day, 18 May. During the entire week, debates are being held on
the future of the university in Haiti. Student spokesman Pierre Bertrand
reads a list of students' demands for a better education.

14. [30] Ads.

15. [32] Economic segment by Georges Henry, Jr, on the third conference for
less developed countries in Brussels, Belgium, this week. In most of the
Haitian banks, the US dollar exchange rates yesterday were 22 and 24 to 25.0
gourdes for one dollar, depending on whether one was selling or purchasing
US dollars.

16. [36] Ads, followed by international news and ads.

17. [47] A delegation, led by Martine Deverson, secretary of state for
tourism, participated in the meeting of the 37th joint committee of the
World Tourism Organization in Mexico. Deverson used the opportunity to meet
with the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization on Haiti's
cooperation with this organization. The secretary general Haiti's return to
the meeting. He encouraged Haiti to develop a tourism programme jointly with
the Dominican Republic.

18. [49] The automation of the sugar industry in the Dominican Republic
might be a problem for the Haitian sugarcane cutters because it would cause
a massive repatriation of these Haitians, according to Colette Lespinasse,
leader of the Support Group for Refugees and Repatriates. She explains that
USAID recently carried out a study on the situation of Haitians living in
the batey [the Haitian sugar-cane cutters' fields in the Dominican
Republic].

19. [53] Report by correspondent Rene Voltaire in Jacmel: Eris Danis has
replaced Ronald Pierre as government delegate in the Department of the
Southeast. Danis, who was installed by Interior Minister Henry-Claude
Voltaire, took the oath before Jacmel Public Prosecutor Lionel Constant
Bourgouin.

20. [55] Report by correspondent Wilfrid Fabre in Gonaives on damages caused
by heavy rains in the upper Artibonite region.

21. [57] Report by correspondent Patrick Pierre-Louis in Mirebalais on the
poor state of the roads and other problems caused by rains in the Plateau
Central area.

22. [59] News summary.

Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 15 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC