Presidential

Haiti: 208th Year of Independence Ceremony in Gonaïves

GONAIVES, Haiti (defend.ht) - On the 208th anniversary of Haitian independence, January 1, 2012, was held a traditional ceremony in the city of Gonaives, taking part the President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Garry Conille.

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GONAIVES, Haiti (defend.ht) - On the 208th anniversary of Haitian independence, January 1, 2012, was held a traditional ceremony in the city of Gonaives, taking part the President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Garry Conille.

Gonaives, the City of Independence also had the presidents of both Houses of Parliament and the President of the Supreme Court (Court of Cassation) in attendance for the commemorative festivities.

By evoking the memory of heroes who fought in the war of independence, President Martelly reaffirmed his commitment to rebuild the armed forces of Haiti.

"The civilian commission that worked on the issue has already submitted its report and I can tell you that the commission recommends the reconstitution of the army," said the head of state to the Gonaïviens who massed in the square of arms.

To believe the head of state, the report of the commission will be submitted for the analysis of the three branches of government, civil society and the business sector.

At the same time, President Martelly said he wished to stay true to his commitment to reform the national police while remobilizing the army. Martelly invited the international community to engage in these projects.

"These two things should be done together: the reform of the police and the remobilization of the army."

The president also spoke on the elections, which should have began in November 2011, by stressing the importance of them for the communes and communal sections of the country. Without giving any time or date, the Head of State said that the new year will bring the elections.

The president mentioned four "E's" that summarize his priorities.

He defended the importance of education to any real process of national development. "When I promised to send all children to school, I did not do so to ensure a new mandate after my 5 years."

The first citizen of the nation said "40,000 gonaiviens children" had been able attend school for free and acknowledged that the program of free school transportation is facing economic problems.

Michel Martelly promised the development of fisheries sector in Haiti while announcing that the National Bank of Credit, is currently working on an agricultural credit program that will relieve farmers and growers.

A religious ceremony opened the day's activities. Bishop of Gonaives, Monsignor Yves Marie Pean commended the efforts of the government particularly in terms of security.

In his opinion, the authorities managed to restore order and peace in a country still shaken by harassment policies whose effects are still visible in Gonaives. The Bishop welcomed the new climate in the city.

"The gonaiviens are now free to go about their business, we have electricity almost 24/24, and it develops in us a tendency to make the city more clean," said the bishop who also deplored the widespread unemployment of Haitian youth.

"We must create new jobs and new opportunities for the youth," commented the celebrant who wants "a fundamental change in our thinking and our ways."

The Haitian man is reborn, said the bishop, preaching the end of the socio-economic dependency of the country and the advent of a truly autonomous Haiti. "This is what God wants for us," he added.

For his part, the mayor of Gonaives, Jean Osner Amisial welcomed the progress made ​​in the city of Independence.

"After the cyclone turpitude, life is returning here in Gonaives with a cruising speed... the road from Gonaives to Port-au-Prince takes only two hours for the best vehicles, domestic routes have also been retouched."

The mayor calls for new buildings for his city, including an international airport, a refinery, salt, oil and cement plant as well as industrial and tourism infrastructure.

On the eve of Independence Day, the restoration works been undertaken in the city of Gonaives, where traffic lights were also installed.