June in Pignon: Ice water and trends that continue to evolve
Welcome to the monthly newsletter of June 2024 from Loving Haiti and their Haitian partners from Pignon.
We set our sights on the trends that continue to evolve in our country, such as those concerning education, economics, and sociopolitics.
From a meteorological point of view, our weather becomes hotter and hotter each day, despite warnings of cyclone season. The population has been consuming ice water as much as possible. Ice is a very costly product here as there are not many enterprises that can produce it. The scarcity of fuels causes the non-production and the increase of this product which is so useful these days.
Pignon is experiencing a season of new beginnings as the rain falls, making our mountains and fields more and more green as our trees receive the element the most important to life. It reminds us of the beauty of the earth, and presence and responsibility of God and His Creation.
The plantations that the farmers launched during the month of May are changing in scale. These people continue to complain not because they are losing their plantations but because they are not able to sow more. Seeds are worth a lot. The economic and social situation of people prevents the storage of products that favor the next planting.
The Pignon community and its surrounding areas (the two municipal sections and neighboring areas) are in the process of evaluating students to end the 2023-2024 academic year. Evaluations will end the last week of June for some grades but not until July for the grade levels which will have to take tests administered by the Minister of National Education and Professional Training.
Today, Saturday, June 15th, I have the opportunity to receive and see the distribution of fuel at the gas pumps of Pignon, which has faced non-stop difficulties with the transport of fuel from Port-au-Prince for the last three months. This is a problem that extends throughout the country. The population has been in the habit of purchasing contraband stocks of fuel at inflated prices from those selling on the street. The price paid was at least $14.28 a gallon, but today we are able to buy it at $4.56.
We are led to believe that in Port-au-Prince, the situation is no longer deteriorating while we know that its population is being destroyed in large numbers every day. Armed people are dedicated to the extermination of citizens whether they are in their homes or on the streets. According to the news, I don’t think we have any service offices available in Port-au-Prince. Everyone lives in fear, fear before leaving their house, fear all along the way to go on the trails, get services or other things that they need. Yes, the bandits continue to sow terror. Quite a few police officers lost their lives last week while they were on the streets and were victims of VIV ANSAM bandits, according to new views on social networks.
Commercial banks, large-scale commerce, and medical institutions operate as they are able. Those who want to serve the community are impeded by difficulties in transports, which often make decisions for them. The Presidential Commission continues in preparation and has had the chance to appoint several ministers, such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc.
We cannot stop thanking you for consecrating your time to reading this monthly newsletter, and we are so happy to have you. We hope to one day see palpable changes in Haiti like the ones that you hope for in your hearts.
We are continually blessed by our dear readers for your support and encouragement each day. To continue supporting Loving Haiti is to give life to those who have been deprived. To support a student or an orphan is to see God in His loyal nature, worthy and wonderful.
Your friend,
Darling Seriphin
Translated from the original French by Lauren Thompson