News

Haiti’s Martelly Marks Two Years in Office

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - May 15, 2013 - 9:43 am

Above: the event in the Champ de Mars (OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti President Michel Martelly marked two years in office Tuesday with a ceremony along the Champ de Mars in downtown Port-au-Prince, a site that had been a tent city before he became President.

The former singer entered office almost a year and a half after the crippling 2010 earthquake, facing a country and an economy in shambles.

Today, Haiti’s GDP is projected to grow by 6.5 percent in 2013, according to the IMF, the fastest growth in the Caribbean, although a similar projection last year fell closer to 3 percent due in part to a pair of crippling storms and in part due to low execution of public capital spending.

Haiti’s government has seen several successes — led by the creation of a new start for the country’s long-neglected tourism sector and a free public education programme that the government said had put more than 300,000 students previously out of school back into the school system and provided, by some estimates, at least 1 million young Haitians with free tuition, according to Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe.

But Haiti’s executive, legislative and judicial branches took almost a year and a half to agree on the establishment of an electoral council necessary to hold legislative and municipal elections. (A transitional college of the Permanent Electoral Council was established last month).

That delay led to a long period of criticism from the international community — particularly the United Nations.

And the government of Martelly and Lamothe underwent two major Cabinet reshuffles and saw the recent resignations of two ministers — former Communication Minister Regine Godefroy and Finance Minister Marie-Carmelle Jean-Marie.

On the foreign policy front, Martelly has prioritized changing Haiti’s image abroad, seeking to increase the country’s profile both within the Caribbean (as current CARICOM chairman, Haiti hosted the CARICOM Heads of Government summit in February for the first time in its history), and internationally, with a series of foreign trips, including visits to the European Union and Chile, among others.

While the number of people living in tent camps stood at 1.5 million in 2010, that number has fallen 79 percent, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration. But more than 300,000 people still live in tent cities, and a number of others have reportedly been removed by forced eviction.

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


This Marriott All-Inclusive Resort Is Coming to Barbados —  And You Can Book It With Points

new brand for the caribbean

Barbados has long been a haven for adults in search of refinement — the kind of place where luxury and culture blend in quiet, confident harmony. Now, that ethos is becoming the foundation of a new resort concept that aims […]


Related Posts old san juan puerto rico caribbean cities

These 5 Caribbean Cities Are Perfect for a Quick Weekend Getaway

The Caribbean is about more than just its stunning natural beauty — it’s about culture, character, and city streets that feel like they’ve lived a hundred lives. Some of the most memorable escapes happen not on a remote cay, but […]


The Dreamiest Rainforest Resorts in the Caribbean, From Dominica to Belize

rainforest resorts

The Caribbean is often imagined as a string of sun-drenched beaches — white sand, turquoise water, and endless horizon. And while that version of the Caribbean is very real, it’s only part of the story. Move beyond the shoreline, and […]


Delta Is Adding a New Caribbean Island With Waterfalls, Beach-Hopping and Luxury Hideaways

bequia delta caribbean island st vincent

Delta is launching new nonstop service from Atlanta to the island of Saint Vincent, opening up a fresh, seamless connection between the United States and one of the Caribbean’s most untouched destinations. The new flight, which begins in late December, […]