August News from Pignon

We are grateful for the heavenly blessings and those of our true friends who encourage us every day in our journey. We never cease to thank you for your sacrifice, taking time to read, to share your assets, your achievements and in other words accept that we send you this monthly newspaper. May God bless you.

You can see that these are almost the same statements shared in the past months since our situation, especially on the socio-political level, does not change. The exams for the final year high school students took place during the month of July, which led to the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, and the learners are impatiently awaiting their results. But, for one reason or another, the head of the Ministry of Education postponed the opening of the new year to October for the 2024-2025 academic year. This situation may be due to the ideas released by the leaders (presidential council) who are trying to identify and act on the social security plan of this said country.   A recent press release (6 August 2024) from the Haitian Minister of Education reads:

“In less than two months, Haitian students will return to class. The Minister of MENFP, Augustin Antoine, declared that the opening of classes will take place October 1st, 2024. This announcement was made as he attended, in the company of Prime Minister Garry Conille, the undertakings of the second day of baccalaureate  exams at the Collège Canado-Haïtien.  The 2024-2025 school year is announced in a context of persistent insecurity throughout different regions of the country, notably in the metropolitan zone of Port-au-Prince.

Elsewhere, certain schools are occupied by displaced students as others have been vandalized and are unable to receive students. This situation has driven authorities to move certain exam centers that were formerly located in the down-town area. Last week, a task-force was created to prepare for the start of the school year. Of course, the start of the school year is scheduled for less than two months, but it remains uncertain for some parents who no longer know which way to turn. In the meantime, the exams are taking place without major incident, apart from a few problems identified in the admission forms of some candidates. Insecurity is worsening despite the state of security emergency. What will be the security plan for the reopening? What arrangements are being made for these vandalized schools?”

All this being said, the metropolitan area has been bathed in insecurity for the last four years. In all the newspapers, you can see that everything is occurring in the western department  (the other departments may have some misdemeanors) but the level of insecurity remains and continues in the metropolitan area. Now to go to Port-au-Prince, you need to pay the bandits on the road, as they make their stations to stop cars, trucks, etc.

Yes, insecurity is in full force, mainly in the metropolitan areas around Port-au-Prince.

We give our full guarantee that anyone can visit, operate in the northern department, where Pignon is located, without any worries, because structures are put in place to target armed gangs or any suspect and sometimes even exterminate them.

Every need begets another.

We are of the opinion that Mission Aviation Fellowship (who has had a program flying to Haiti, principally Port au Prince, since 1986) moved equipment and materials from Port au Prince and re-established its mission in the commune of Pignon. It already has its employees in Pignon, more specifically in the Bohoc area. It is in preparation to see when it will do its relaunch. More prayer, more strength.

All other activities function in a peaceful manner, a calm appreciated by the community of Pignon. There have been less difficulties felt at the fuel pumps. Transportation has become a lot easier as long as one has the economic means. Always with insecurity, transportation plays a significant role in the shipping of food products to Pignon as one must travel from the metropolitan area to provide Pignon with these products.  Churches continue to elevate the gospel of the Almighty without any inhibitions, constraints or hindrances.

I thank you again for your patience, will, and generosity. I promise you that the work being done through Loving Haiti to integrate and realize Pignon is never lost. We are grateful and we work for the well-being of this community and the world in its entirety.

Cordially,

Darling Seriphin

Translated from the original French by Lauren Thompson