On Saturday, President Jovenel Moïse, accompanied by his wife Martine and Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant, participated in the Haut du Cap, at the commemoration of the 214 years of the Battle of Vertières, a battle that concluded the independence of the Haitian Nation, January 1st, 1804.

In the presence of high dignitaries of the State, Ministers and Secretaries of State, Directors General, Members of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ), Parliamentarians, Mayors, officials and members of organizations and associations, Representatives of the Society the Head of State has proceeded to the deposit of a wreath of flowers at the feet of the monument of Vertières, as a tribute to the heroes of our independence.

President Moïse then went to the College Notre Dame du Cap-Haitien to attend the Mass of Thanksgiving followed by the Te Deum celebrated by the Archbishop of Cap, Mgr. Max Leroy Mezidor.

The Head of State then went to the Official Tribune on Carrénage Boulevard, where he proceeded, in the presence of military officials, to the presentation of the national flag to the colored escort of the battalion of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) and attended the military parade of the 150 men of troops and officers currently making up the entire armed forces of Haiti.

In his official address to the Nation, President Jovenel declared :

"[...] On this day of celebration of the conquest of Independence, the conditions are much more favorable for the national revival, the awakening of the forces of the nation of lethargy in which our internal quarrels have pushed it since for too long already.

November 18 on this piece of sacred land, our ancestors won the battle that created our nation, our beloved Haiti. Two armies were standing, facing each other. The native army, the army of our ancestors won the battle [...]

Dear heroes of Vertières, dear compatriots in my capacity as Head of State, I bow to you, illustrious Ancestors. Vertières is a source of inspiration for many countries around the world.

[...]

Grenadye Alaso ! Alaso against misery !

Alaso against instability! Alaso against exclusion! Alaso against corruption! Alaso against insecurity! Alaso dependent in all its forms.

I say it again and again, I keep saying it again, the Nation must take another direction, it must reinvent itself its future by the means of a present inscribed in positive works which favor the economic growth, the development and the promotion of citizenship.

I want and I mean that through sound works, thought and planned, the ideals of Vertières are read in the space and the political, social and economic environment of the nation. I say that poverty is not a fatality.

The Conch of concord, of the Union who makes the Force, rang. It rang from Fort Liberté to Dame Marie, from Anse-à-Pitre to Mole St. Nicolas, from Navase, to Cayemites, to Gonâve, to La Tortue.

[...]

I declare that a page of the history of this country is turned. A new chapter opens : the Reorganized, Reorganized Armed Forces, as a constitutional institution, ensure the safety and security of the lives and property of citizens.

At the same time that the armed forces will be re-established, the Government undertakes to continue strengthening the National Police, the only public security force established on the national territory. I reach out to all of you, political opponents, country people, townspeople, workers, entrepreneurs, students, teachers, Haitians from the inside, Haitians living abroad, the time has come for the national revival [...]"

Full speech of the President of the Republic Jovenel Moïse (PDF) :

https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/vertieres-214-discours-jovenel-moise.pdf

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22737-haiti-flash-president-moise-appoints-acting-commander-in-chief-of-the-army-of-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22727-haiti-flash-army-jovenel-moise-establishes-an-interim-command.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22725-haiti-politic-armed-force-and-states-general-on-the-agenda.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22694-haiti-army-the-remobilization-of-the-armed-forces-of-haiti-a-priority.html



Sl/ HaitiLibre