The President Michel Martelly, accompanied, among others, of Ministers Laurent Lamothe of Foreign Affairs [also designated Prime Minister], Me Thierry Mayard Paul of the Interior, as well as the Goodwill Ambassador for Haiti Sean Penn, went, Wednesday, March 14, to Jean-Rabel [Northwest] where he attended a forum under the theme "Prospects for Regional Development". This important event took place at the Hotel Nouveau Kiskeya to Port-à-l'Ecu, in the presence of regional authorities, parliamentarians including Senators Evalière Beauplan and Lucas St-Vil, and numerous local and regional stakeholders operating both in the public and the private.

This colloquium was an opportunity for the Head of State to collect the grievances of each locality of hat department, and know in detail, the extent of the problems faced by the population of the Northwest. The President Martelly, took the time to listen with an open heart that population, who, devoid of basic infrastructure, lives in a difficult situation.

In his speech before the representatives of 39 communal sections of the Northwest, the President announced he was ready to gather all the projects currently running and those to come in an perspective of coherence for a dual alignment, first, with the country's needs, and then between all the projects implemented at the departmental level.

In this sense, the President of the Republic has promised to support the construction of tourist complex of Nouveau Kiskeya to Port-à-l'Ecru, a project initiated by the Pastor Robert Illusse in order to make of this locality a planned community. Once completed, this project will facilitate the development of tourism and will attract thousands of tourists in this region where there are many kilometers of beaches.

The Head of State said he was in favor of the construction of the International Airport of Northwest, of a Port, a wharf to the Baie des Moustiques, of the stretch of road Port-de-Paix/Jean-Rabel (52 kms) and the strengthening of agricultural production. He asked the parliamentarians and other officials of department to get together with him, in the center of decisions, to carry out serious plans for the benefit of citizens. He announced that "Approximately $ 6 million are available in the Treasury to carry out infrastructure projects in the country" and reiterated his determination to bring change to the Haitian people.

The various parliamentary and municipal authorities who have spoken expressed their willingness to accompany the President Martelly on the voice of change. For his part, Isaac Civil, the Mayor of Jean-Rabel, has congratulated the President for the important steps already taken towards the development in the country and stressed the commitment of the Head of State to decentralize the country.

HL/ HaitiLibre