The first fay day was held without major incident [no fatalities reported], with the participation of a huge crowd. For safety, all the arrangements were in place to facilitate the smooth running of three fat days. Agents of the National Police of Haiti, were mobilized and ensured a permanent presence on the course in order to ensure the security of festival goers. Few interventions "muscular" to calm some excesses of the crowd, have been reported.

According to official sources, during this first fat dayy, 26 people were slightly injured or fainted [heat and dehydration], have benefited from on-site health care, thanks to an emergency unit set up near the stand of the Presidency, at the initiative of the Office of the First Lady, Sophia Martelly, with support among others: of the Ministry of Public Health and Population, of the Office of Workers' Compensation Insurance, Sickness and Maternity (OFATMA), among others. Of agents of the Red Cross were placed in several parts of the route.

President Michel Martelly and the First Lady, Ms. Sophia Martelly, attended the first day of the traditional carnival parade, marked by the presence of dozens of masked groups, walking bands, of allegorical floats and musical in a decor putting in value our cultural identity, our history and tourism potential of the North. Incentives messages on reforestation and environmental protection [Carnival theme] have been widely conveyed during this first day.

The crowd cheered the Head of State to to have chosen the second largest city of country for the holding of National Carnival this year, as part of its decentralization policy, and has also welcomed the completion of major infrastructure projects undertaken in the region.

The boulevard of Cap-Haitien, official parade route, was the scene of a festive atmosphere in which choreography masterfully executed have marveled the visitors. Despite the rain, the atmosphere was not disrupted and hundreds of thousands of revelers from the four corners of the country and abroad, were able to entertain normally on a route of 1.9 km.

The Head of State welcomed, like the revelers, the smooth running of the first fay day, and was satisfied [although there is always room for improvement] to have met the expectations of northerners in particular, and Haitians in general.

HL/ HaitiLibre