a1330: Week in Review (based on TNH) March 3 - 9, 2002 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

REVIEW FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 3 - 9, 2002

Based on summary prepared by the Bureau of Communications of the Presidence
of the Week in Review aired on National Television of Haiti (TNH)

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Some Activities Commemorating International Women's Day

To commemorate the March 8th International Women's Day President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide and First Lady Mildred Aristide visited the Lycee du
Cent, a public school for girls in Port-au-Prince.  Before an audience of
thousands of school girls the President called on everybody to work together
towards equality. The President committed to work towards an equal society,
that will respect human rights -- particularly women's rights which have been
historically disregarded. The school girls responded affirmatively in unison
yes when the President talked about "equality between men and women."
Praising the intelligence of women, the President asked all Haitians reflect
more deeply on the issue of equality between men and women. President
Aristide talked about the great strides his administration has made in this
regard pointing out that there are women parliamentarians and throughout the
upper level of government, making Haiti unique internationally.

President Aristide talked proudly of the recent legislation passed by
Parliament which prohibits violence against children. The President invited
the children of Haiti to build a new Haiti where men and women would be
equal; a peaceful society, a united and harmonious society. The President
expressed his empathy with women who suffered from injustice from men.

In the First Lady's speech delivered to the schoolgirls this day, Madame
Aristide stated that she believes that all women have the right to live in
peace, as described by the United Nations for this international day, and she
reached out in her speech to the thousands of women living in
Carrefour-Feuilles, Chancerelles or Cité Soleil. Madame Aristide also called
upon the school girls to work in the Literacy campaign that Lavalas has
initiated.

The school's Computer Science Center was officially opened on this occasion.
This is the fourth center of this kind to be installed in a public
institution in the capital. Despite a financial embargo against Haiti and its
resulting hardships, the government is committed to continue its program of
advancing education with access to computer and communications technology.

During a speech delivered by First Lady Mildred Aristide at Haiti's National
Library, she talked against injustices against women who have HIV/AIDS and
STDs and asked the international financial institutions to unblock the funds
that have been frozen which is desperately need for vital sectors such as
healthcare and other institutions in the fight against AIDS in Haiti.

=======================================

The Computer Science Center Opens at the Lycee Philippe Guerrier, a public
school in Cayes, as part of global plan to upgrade education with access to
computer and communications technology.

The President's advisor on infrastructure, Anthony Dessources, attended the
opening of the Computer Science Center at the Lycee Philippe Guerrier, a
public school in Cayes.  This event, held on International Women's Day, March
8th, was part of the President's continuing efforts to advance education with
access to technology as stated in the Fanmi Lavalas government plan, Investir
dans l'humain (Investing in People). The programs calls for providing the
necessary tools for easy access to information and communication new
technologies in primary and secondary schools over a period of three years
(2002-2004).

This school was chosen because it is coed and exemplifies the President's
commitment to equal education.

The main purposes of this initiative are:

to give access to the new information and communication technologies to the 9
departments in the country, so communication between them becomes easier and
they can share their knowledge;

to encourage both teachers and students to integrate the new information and
communication technologies in their teaching and learning, as part of their
educational tools;

to make collaboration easier between teachers who teach the same subjects
throughout the country and to encourage them to participate in the long
distance training;

To integrate Haitian schools in the world twinning programs.

A typical Computer Science Center contains computers organized in a local
network, basic software, access to Internet, a safety base, a reverser and
furniture. Depending on how many students will be using the Info-Center
(4000, 2000 or less than 1000), there are either 24 to 12, or 10 computers.

The first Info-Center was opened by the President at a public school, the
Lycée Toussaint Louverture, on July 8th, 2001 in celebration of the
bicentennial's Constitution of Toussaint Louverture, which preceded
Independence.

This initiative has already proven its efficiency and usefulness as it is
creating a partnership between the many institutions in the country. Just
recently, the Lycée Toussaint Louverture Info-Center has been the setting for
the training of the National Archives agents, according to an agreement
between the two parties.

As the program is set into place, colleges in each department will get their
own Info-Center, until all 9 departments in the country have centers. At the
end of this phase, the emphasis will be placed on legal instruments that need
to be used as the use of modern communication tools becomes general and we
adapt them to our environment.

========================================

First Lady Mildred Aristide Meets with Children in anticipation of
International Women's Day

Madame Mildred Aristide welcomed children from Solino, Lafanmi Selavi, and
street children to celebrate International Women's Day, March 8th, 2002. Over
lunch together they discussed many important subjects, such as law, human
rights, solidarity and the equality of women.

=======================================
Parents of Children Who Died or Are Permanently Disabled from Glycol-dietylen
 Poisoning Protest in Front of Courthouse

Parents of children who were victims of Afébril and Valodon containing
Glycol-dietylen marched in front of the Port-au-Prince Courthouse asking for
justice and compensation for their children who were accidentally poisoned by
medicine containing poison.  This tragedy occurred a few years ago but to
date the families have not seen justice on this matter.
=======================================

THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE RECEIVES NEW EQUIPMENT

The Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Haiti's State University received
supplies and equipment through Japan's Cooperation program with Haiti. These
donations will reinforce the training capacity of the faculty.

=======================================

Special Commission Formed to Study Nomination of  Yvon Neptune for Prime
Minister

The Chamber of Deputies created a special commission to study the issue of
the designated Prime Minister, Architect Yvon Neptune. The spokesperson of
the Commission, Deputy Wilner Content, announced that the Chamber of Deputies
is waiting for the documents to start working.

========================================

200 Graduates of a Literacy Center Receive their Certificates

Leaders of the Port-au-Prince Cathedral Parish, together with the State
Secretary for Alphabetization, presented certificates to 200 persons who
learned to read and write in a Literacy Class at the Perpetual Church. The
Secretary of State for Alphabetization, Maryse Guyteau, the delegate of the
Western Department, Dr. Marie-Antoinette Gauthier, and the Head of the
President's Cabinet, Dr. Jean-Claude Desgranges, were all present for this
ceremony.

=======================================

French Embassy Announces a Week of African Films to be Shown at Movie Theater
in Port-au-Prince

During the week of March 15-21 the French Embassy will show six African films
at the Imperial movie theater with admission at only 5 gourdes each.

=======================================

New Ambassador from Guatemala to Haiti Presents his Credentials to the
President

Bernard Rolando Mendez-Mora, the new ambassador of Guatemala to Haiti,
presented his credentials to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide at the National
Palace. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Philippe Joseph Antonio, and the
Guatemala Vice-Consul in Haiti, Dr. Ethear, were present at the ceremony.
Ambassador Mendez-Mora declared to the press corps present that he was very
happy to be in Haiti and promised to promote cooperation and develop
commercial trade between the two countries.  Guatemala is currently
discussing a free-trade agreement to make his country's economic integration
easier in this area. In order to make the private sectors from the two
countries closer, he promised to ask Guatemalan businessmen to be in contact
with Haitian businessmen. The new ambassador expressed hope that the two
countries can fight the great challenges facing them both in the soon-to-be
signed Americas Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).

=======================================

President Aristide Meets with Students who will Study in Cuba under
Scholarships from the Medical School There

President Aristide, during his meeting with students prior to their leaving
for Cuba to study in the medical school there under scholarships, personally
encouraged the young students to take their studies very seriously so they
can be of real help to Haitian society when they get back.  In exchange for
their medical training students have committed themselves to provide a number
of years of service in healthcare in their home countries upon graduation.

=======================================

The First Lady Visits the Isaie Jeanty Maternity Ward at Chanterelles in Cite
Soleil

Amongst activities commemorating International Women's Day Madame Mildred
Aristide visited the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity Ward, in Chanterelles, which is
located in Cite Soleil. During this visit, Madame Aristide announced that the
government Mrs. Aristide stated that a lot of work would be done make the
health center' better.

=======================================

Minister of Women's Conditions and Rights Visits Cite Soleil

In honor of International Women's Day, the Minister of Women's Conditions &
Rights, Dr. Ginette Rivière-Lubin, met with various women groups in Cité
Soleil at Place de la Cite in a showing of solidarity with the women who were
victims of violence during recent clashes in this zone of Cite Soleil.  The
Minister also gave a speech on this day expressing solidarity and praising
women.

========================================

President Aristide Visits Carrefour-Feuilles After Difficult Events There

President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the First Lady visited
Carrefour-Feuilles to show solidarity with the neighborhood, meet with the
mother of recently assassinated Bruno Renel (the director of the local
marketplace there) and meet with the families of the 11 recent victims of
electrocution. Tens of thousands of residents attended this event cheering
the President and his message.  The 11 people died after a high voltage cable
fell on them on February 7th.  The President called for justice for Bruno
Renel and promised the population that work would be done to improve services
in the neighborhood.

end