AMERICAS PRESS REVIEW
In the spotlight: the Prime Minister of Haiti calls for calm, the barricades continue
People run after clashes erupted during a protest against rising fuel prices and to demand that Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. © AP - Odelyn Joseph
Text by: Stefanie Schüler Follow
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After a week of protests, violent riots and widespread looting in Haiti, the interim prime minister has finally come out of his silence.
This Sunday evening, Ariel Henry held a
televised speech
.
But those who expected the head of government to reverse his controversial decision to raise fuel prices sharply were disappointed.
"
The Prime Minister maintains the rise in fuel prices
", headlines
Le Nouvelliste
.
But Ariel Henry “
condemned the acts of violence that blocked roads and targeted schools, foreign embassies and banks
,” summarizes the
Miami Herald
.
“
The WFP warehouse in Gonaives has not been spared, nor have the private residences of government allies and members of the business community
.
»
“
Faced with the evolution of the situation, I ask you all to calm down
”, launched the head of the provisional government.
“
Together we can solve all the problems.
I understand your frustration.
I want to say to those who have lost things they have spent a lifetime building
: I share your pain
.
»
For Ariel Henry, the demonstrations, looting and violence of recent days have nothing to do with the anger of the population, but are sponsored: “
We have taken several measures concerning Haitian customs.
These measures should enable the State to better control what enters the country, to limit arms and drug trafficking and to increase revenue.
But some people are very unhappy with these measures.
They are the ones behind the movement in the streets
,” said the Haitian Prime Minister.
►
To read also:
Haiti: Prime Minister Ariel Henry comes out of silence after a week of riots
The Prime Minister also made promises, further details
Le Nouvelliste
, such as new social programs to support the most vulnerable families, the revival of the agricultural sector or the distribution of fuel in service stations across the country.
For this, the barricades must be dismantled, explained Ariel Henry.
“
The state is working all day to unblock major highways so that life can return to normal.
Your assistance to all of you is essential.
Unblock streets in all your neighborhoods and prevent others from rebuilding barricades
!
Because pregnant women have to go to the hospital, sick people need to go for treatment, merchants have to be able to sell their wares in the streets.
And the trucks must be able to use the roads to distribute fuel in all the provinces of the country
.
»
“
If Henry and others hoped his speech would calm the streets, it seems to have had the opposite effect.
Since in the same night new barricades were erected in several areas across the country, aggravating the blocking of roads
, ”notes the
Miami Herald
.
"
This morning, the country wakes up in 'lock' mode
, '
blocked'
," writes
Radio Metronome
on Twitter.
For the editor of the
Alterpresse
agency , there is no doubt: "
The de facto government of Ariel Henry ignores the cries of despair of the population
".
"
Today, the country has neither a formed opposition nor a strong institution capable of making anyone listen to reason
," writes
the editorialist
for Le
Nouvelliste
, who considers it "
difficult, if not impossible, to predict how the current events will unfold. end.
Only one certainty
: the bill will be salty.
We also know that it is the poorest who will pay for it
.
»
►
Also to listen: Haiti: Ariel Henry calls for calm and maintains his decision on the price of fuel
Hurricane Fiona continues its path through the Caribbean
After causing torrential rains in Puerto Rico, where Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for floods and landslides, Hurricane Fiona has been crossing the Dominican Republic since the early hours of Monday.
“
Fiona's passage puts the whole country on hold
,” headlines
El Nuevo Diario
.
The Dominican government has ordered a work stoppage in both the public and private sectors, all schools and universities remain closed.
Access to beaches, lakes and waterways has been prohibited.
Ports and airports are closed.
Despite all these precautionary measures, the situation is very difficult this morning,
Listin Diario
reports .
“
Particularly in the province of La Romana where the hurricane has been practically standing still for several hours with winds now blowing at more than 150
km / h and especially with rains that promise to be catastrophic.
Several localities are already surrounded by water and cut off from the rest of the country
.
»
In this context, the government announced that schools would be used as emergency shelters only as a last resort.
A circular to this effect was published yesterday evening by the Dominican Ministry of Education.
“
School principals must ensure that their institutions are not used as shelters by potential victims
,” reports
Diario Libre
.
Dominican authorities want to ensure that schools can quickly reopen their doors to students.
While we do not yet know the extent of the damage that will be caused by the passage of Fiona in the Dominican Republic, the editorialist of
El Dia
is already worried about the reconstruction after the disaster.
“
In developing countries like ours, natural disasters are adding to a crisis situation that has lasted since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic and which is today further aggravated by the war in Ukraine and its consequences.
The sum of the critical situations can only be surpassed by the sum of the will of all the Dominicans
.
»
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Haiti: Ariel Henry calls for calm and maintains his decision on the price of fuel
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