The major event -- "A Moment in Time" -- will take place on Saturday (June 25th). It's a white- tie tribute gala honoring the life mission of [Katherine Dunham]. The honorary chairs of the event -- Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover and Dick Gregory -- will be joined by a host of other luminaries, including Eugene Redman, poet-laureate of the State of Illinois, to highlight the many contributions of the "Grande Dame of Modern and African Dance" who was instrumental in projecting Haiti on the international scene in the 1940's and '50's. An alert Ms. Dunham reminisced about Haiti's "glorious days" under Presidents Estimé and Magloire. She said, "You all were too young to know about that!" When the Prime Minister said, "Oh no! We aren't that young, we were there too," she beamed and added: "So, you know what I'm talking about."
For the last three weeks, the readers of this column have been able to follow Dr. [Anthony P. Maingot]'s speech about Haiti's history of war of liberation and internicine struggles which have been such a burden for the First Black Republic. He began with "the issue of the moment," namely the reparation from France for 200 years of slavery. Haiti's political culture, its "developed legacy of behavior, " is not conducive to development. The second issue studied by Dr. Maingot is the U.S. occupation of Haiti, which "rested on the idea of the White Man's burden" - its Manifest Destiny. But, on balance, the occupation was not entirely negative. The very racism of the White invaders was a reality check for Haitian society. Yes, by treating all Haitians (whether dark skinned or light skinned Mulattoes) as "Niggers," no more no less, the foreign invaders reconciled the subjective ideas of superiority and/or inferiority of the Haitians with their own, i.e., their more objective, non involved, opinions as powerful occupying forces. Thirdly, Dr. Maingot analysed a cultural element that had, and continues to have, a great impact on Haitian society. That major cultural factor, of course, is the syncretic religion called vodoo.
Haitian Catholic artists are as excited about this event as the rest of the community is. Some of them will attend the convention, and Jean Robert Themistocle, one of the pioneers of the organization of Haitian Catholic artists in the diaspora, composed a song based on the theme of the convention. The guests at the convention will be the first to hear and to sing this song with Jean Robert. It is a time of great grace for the Haitian community in the diaspora.
-, Born in Haiti, she was raised in Brooklyn, NY, attended the best school and college. Her mother, Yanissa Elie, nicknamed Lola, a beautiful Black whose the glamour attracted tourists and VIP visiting Haiti in the late fifties, used to sing when Haiti was booming. Ms Jarvelle shares with her mom a very sensitive soul. But, she is committed not to singing and dancing, but to serving. You waste your life when not helping others". Ms Jarvelle does not want the Haitian society to repeat itself the way she did in Haiti. Motivating, making people being themselves. Such are her challenge and dreams.
Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti (BRANA) was founded in December, 1973. This marked a continuing tradition of excellence in Haitian industry. The [Michael Madsen] family's first business began in Haiti in Jacmel in the 19th century. BRANA proudly represents over 110 years of a perpetual business presence in Haiti, and is known as one of the most steadfast and longstanding institutions in Haiti' history. History continues, as leaders of New York's Haitian community from all different fields and walks of life such as education, government, medicine, industry, NYPD, communications and the media came together to launch Haiti's Prestige Beer.
Repatriations of Haitians in the Dominican Republic have become an almost daily routine. Indeed Dominican authorities almost constantly expel hundreds of Haitians illegally living in the Dominican Republic. Haitian authorities seem to accept as a fait accompli the onslaught on our territory nationals of Haiti with their Dominican counterparts, regardless of taking long-term measures to stop the bleeding of the labor national work as well as the brain drain to benefit our bordering neighbors. Notwithstanding the ill-treatment Dominicans inflict our brothers, repressed people manage to return a month later to where they are to be expelled. Since, in the absence of a long-term strategy to frame the returnees and give them hope for a decent life in their country, crossing to the other side of the border continues to attract good workers sentenced to unemployment in their own countries.
Within the framework of the vast campaign led collectively by the former Haitian president, from his exile in South Africa, his partisans and sympathizers as well as personalities and bribed organizations, in Haiti and abroad, to defeat the election process, is the stepped up strategy to have Mr. Neptune released. This strategy is entirely consistent with the logic according to which Lavalas would have no luck in imposing itself on the political scene if the next ballot were to be organized in a context where the high dignitaries of the former regime are called upon to answer charges before the courts. Obviously, the eventual indictment of Yvon Neptune, the highest Lavalas official involved in the crime of the La Scierie massacre, will without doubt also implicate Mr. [Jean-Bertrand Aristide] himself. The lawsuit, which would possibly be determined by the committing magistrate of Saint Marc, the jurisdiction which has the responsibility for handling the case, will put the whole Lavalas regime on the stand. Thus the doggedness to resort to obtain the "unconditional" release of the exPrime Minister by all means possible.
I was very disappointed after the death of my beloved [Ghislaine Valm]. She was my mother although my biological one is still alive, she was my mentor, my sister, my strength, a fellow Christian, someone who made the difference in my life. O Haiti, my native country, you killed my beloved Mammy Lèlèn. Shame on you! Although living overseas in in America, I usually cried out to you for assistance, my beloved Ghis. She often replied: "Sister Ferou, I am here let's pray our Lord Almighty, he has the answer to your struggle." By now, it sounds as if I lost confidence, no one to possibly help me with my daily burden. 1 remember June 2, 1993, the day I lost my first born child Winifred Felix, Mammy Lèlèn moved me from my family home to make me dwell in hers in order to care for me. There everyone, friends and family came in to grieve and mourn the death of my daughter. She opened up not only her home but her heart to help me bear my burden. As it's said in the old adage "Simon helped Jesus bear the cross." It is kind of difficult to find someone supportive, loving, and compassionate like Mammy Lèlèn. One thing that keeps me going is that I have the assurance that my Heavenly Father has opened up the doors of the Eternal Resting Place for my lovely Ghislaine as well. May your soul rest in peace, Mammy Lèlèn!
Although wide sectors of the Haitian population continue to doubt that the general elections will take place on the announced dates, in a matter of just a few weeks, the Provisional Electoral Council (French acronym CEP), even facing a blatant lack of preparation, is determined to arouse the citizens' enthusiasm for the upcoming ballot. Having remained on the sidelines for a long time, because they doubted the will of the former to set in motion a flawless process, the political parties rushed to get in line, cramming themselves into the building complex of the electoral body, as if they were in a real race against the clock. This stage having been finally crossed, the hour of truth has inevitably come for the CEP. It is almost incredible that we have arrived at this juncture, indeed, after all the procrastination, the bungling and the stumbling, as well as the tug-of-war which was going on freely within the Provisional Electoral Council. After this long journey, the efforts undertaken and the large sums of money invested, both by the international community and by the temporary government, in order to start the process, and accompany it up to this last phase, to allow the CEP to falter would amount to treacherousness, even to treason, which certainly would discredit the members of the electoral body both individually and collectively.
In spite of an acceleration of the registration process of the voters recorded recently, the 2.4 million registered voters, from a number of approximately 4.2 million citizens of voting age, continues to show a lack of enthusiasm. Such concerns are evident, in certain cases, by the absence of Voter Registration Bureaus (VRB) in hundreds of communal sections; or by the controversial creation of Communal Electoral Bureaus (CEB) and Departmental Electoral Bureaus (DEB). In addition, the dysfunction of the CEB and the DEB triggered protests from numerous candidates. It's also worth noting the installation of Candidates Registration Bureaus (CRB), on September 11th, which should have been functional since September 5th. Keeping in mind that the registration of candidates comes to an end September 15th, it's worth wondering what conjuring the CEP will do in order to achieve the registration of about 7, 733 posts to be provided for every party, on a total of 45 approved parties.
