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a1759: This Week in Haiti 20:5 4/17/2002 (fwd)
"This Week in Haiti" is the English section of HAITI PROGRES
newsweekly. For the complete edition with other news in French
and Creole, please contact the paper at (tel) 718-434-8100,
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HAITI PROGRES
"Le journal qui offre une alternative"
* THIS WEEK IN HAITI *
April 17 - 23, 2002
Vol. 20, No. 5
L'ESTÈRE:
PEASANTS DEMAND ANSWERS
In this Artibonite Valley town on Apr. 2, peasants blocked the
national highway that runs through it, demanding that the road be
repaired. They also renewed their calls for piped water,
telephone service, and electricity for the area. They asked
local tax collectors to explain what had happened to the 100,000
gourdes ($4000) in tax revenue which was reportedly collected
last fall. "It is from the people, the drivers, small merchants,
workers, and cart pushers, everybody, that the 100,000 gourdes
was collected since last Sep. 27," one demonstrator declared.
"How was this money spent? As long as there is no solution to our
problems, we are going to demonstrate."
CENTRAL PLATEAU:
UNION CRITICIZES ELECTRIC COMPANY ADMINISTRATION
The Federation of Unionized Electricity Workers (FESTRED) has
criticized how Electricity of Haiti (EDH), the state electric
company, is carrying out repairs on the Peligre Dam, the
country's only hydroelectric turbine, located near the town of
Mirebalais on Haiti's Central Plateau. The union told the EDH's
new director, Jules André Joseph, that he should abandon the two
month Peligre Dam clean-up now underway because it is the rainy
season. He proposed that EDH instead clean some of its thermal
(oil) generators.
Jean Harry Clerveaux, FESTRED's secretary general, also urged
overhaul of EDH's administration. "There must be a plan for
straightening out and restructuring the enterprise," he said.
"There must be an administrative and financial accounting of what
has gone on in the enterprise. They should put a restriction on
the departure of the staff so that we can find out what has
caused the enterprise to arrive at its pitiful state."
Power shortages plague most of Haiti's cities, including the
capital. Most areas of the countryside have no electrical service
at all.
PESTÈL:
PEOPLE OUTRAGED AT ABSENCE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS
Peasants in the locality of Dichitis, near this southern coastal
town, ask if the members of the local Administrative Council of
the Communal Section (CASEC) have resigned. The three members --
Ephésien Mesnel, Edmond Jeune or Chavannes Alcheger, -- never
even set foot inside their offices, area residents say.
Even members of their party, the Lavalas Family (FL), are asking
them to go. "After they resign, we will weigh the matter and name
a new commission," a local FL representative said. "The FL itself
is going to close the office because the population is demanding
that other people be named."
PETIT GOÂVE:
LOCAL OFFICIAL LEADS A RAMPAGE
Several animals were killed, several houses trashed, and six
people wounded in the locality of Dupuy, near this coastal city,
after a confrontation between two "rara" bands: Sa Pi Rèd (The
Worst) and Akansyèl (Rainbow). "They burned the houses of Mme.
Sauveur, Pétion, and Maurice," a peasant explained to a local
radio. "They burned the house of Caméide, and wrecked that of Ti
Frère and of Dickson. As for Sonya, they beat her."
Peasants accuse one of the town's CASEC members, Lavaud Simond,
of being the instigator of the rampage. He is also the leader of
Sa Pi Rèd. He heads a group of armed men who have terrorized
people and extorted money, peasants said.
PÉTIONVILLE:
PLAGUED BY WATER PROBLEMS
"There is no water in all of Pétionville," said one town resident
last week. For several weeks, many Pétionville faucets have been
dry, especially in poor neighborhoods. A bucket of water sells
for 10 or 12 cents, a prohibitive price for most of the town's
residents. Some people are forced to walk as far as 2 kilometers
to get a bucket of water.
The more well-to-do have to pay $50 for a truckload of water. The
state water company was slated to receive a $25 million loan from
the Inter-American Development Bank to improve water
distribution, said a water company director, Gérald Jean-
Baptiste. But the loan was blocked by Washington and until it is
released, there will be distribution problems, he said.
ILE À VACHE:
FOUR TEACHERS FOR 400 STUDENTS
On this island, 12 kilometers from the southern city of Cayes,
the Sylvio Claude High School is in trouble. The state school has
no principal, no discipline director, and no superintendent. Four
teachers are schooling 400 students while also trying to run the
school. They lack chalk, paper, books, pencils, and other
teaching materials. The situation has created great frustration
and discouragement, especially among the tiny faculty. "There is
no administration, so when a teacher decides not to come teach
his class, there is no report against him, no sanctions taken
against him," one of the four teachers complained.
CITÉ SOLEIL:
THUGS CAUSE A SCHOOL TO CLOSE
Father Tom Hagan directs the Hands Together school in this
sprawling shantytown. The school offers practically free
education and helps feed people. Now it is closed. On Apr. 5,
about 100 people demonstrated in front of the National Palace and
Parliament to protest that a handful of armed men had caused the
school to close down. "A group of armed men took the keys to
Father Tom's car," a school parent explained. " Then they
attacked the school and fired at his car. Because of that, the
Father packed up all his stuff to go. We say that if the Father
goes, we are finished in Cité Soleil." Several students and other
residents of Cité Soleil participated in the protest.
ARCHAIE:
18 PEOPLE DIE IN SINKING
The sailboat "Almighty God," which plied the waters between Port-
au-Prince and the island of Gonâve, sunk in the waters off this
town on Apr. 15. Eighteen people drowned and three managed to
escape, but are in grave condition at the hospital. The Haitian
Coast Guard says that the boat hit a reef. It was loaded with
charcoal and peanuts.
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