English Haitian News Source?

[Lucas61]

Hello,

For the R.D. I read my daily dr1 newsletter. Not only does this allow me to keep my finger on the pulse of the nation but it has practical benefits as well. Just one day after the inauguration of 911, in fact, my girlfriend had a medical emergency, and I successfully utilized this service for an ambulance . . .

Does an English news source exist for Haiti? I am NOT interested in the various secondary sources such as Miami Herald engaged more in "hand wringing" than events of the day.

I have found no English primary source for Haiti news. I am conversational in Kreyol but it is not sufficient at this point for that level of reading . . .

I suppose a Plan B could be a Google Translate copy/paste from a French primary source . . .

Thank you!

 

[La Profe_1]

Mountainannie, a poster here, is very interested in Haiti. I know that she is on several listservs. You might try contacting her via PM once you have enough posts.

 

[Major448]

These might be a start. But Mountainannie would be the best source when she replies .....

HaitiLibre.com: News Haiti Haiti news, Haitian News, the voice of Haiti
Today Haiti News | Haitian Newspaper Online in English
The Sentinel | Haitian News, Politics, Entertainment, Sports and Events

 

[mountainannie]

ok.. of the sources quoted.. I follow both the Sentinel which is good and Haiti Libre which is good but very pro Lavalas and likely to really skew the stories.

I get a lot of my information from my FB contacts. Also from the Corbet list corbettlist-request@freelists.org <corbettlist-request@freelists.org>; which does a regular round up of English stories.. and Jaqueline Charles of the Miami Herald is one of the primaries. I am not sure if Reuters or AP has someone on the ground now. But there are days when the Corbett list will be silent except for news clips and then something will spark a discussion. There are lots of folks who are "on" it but do not say much.


As for other sources, there is [ESPACINSULAR - Rep?blica Dominicana-Hait?] which covers things that are of interest to both countries and translates into Spanish.

As you probably know, most of the news in Haiti is in Kreyole, via Radio. I can't really follow spoken Kreyole. But I do follow Cyrus Sibert out of Cape Haitian Le R?.Cit. - R?seau Citadelle and then sometimes browse the two major papers in PauP which are in French.. Le Nouvelliste and Le Matin.

You can pretty much get most of what goes on by just setting a google alert for Haiti. It may swamp you with stuff you do not want, though .. so and so going on mission, such and such hotel opening.

The Corbett list may be what you are looking for although it has been very quite lately. I think that most of the folks who are on it in Haiti are down with Chinkunga. And lots of us are just discouraged and exhausted.

If you want to PM me with what it is that you are looking for specifically, perhaps I can be of more help.

 

[MpJuly]

I read lots of articles on this website, Haiti Libre is not pro Lavalas and don't skew the stories. I have not seen that

Haiti Libre which is good but very pro Lavalas and likely to really skew the stories.

 

[mountainannie]

I read lots of articles on this website, Haiti Libre is not pro Lavalas and don't skew the stories. I have not seen that

I am sorry.,. You are right.. I confused Haiti Libre with Haiti Liberte
Haiti Liberte: Hebdomadaire Haitien / Haitian weekly which is the proLavalas one

And I do not mean to say that they "sqew" *sp? the stories.. but that they are most likely to feature the stories that are anti Martelly. and focus on protests.. which has to be balanced against other sources which may not talk about protests at ALL.

Liberte came on line after the earthquake.. Seems to be down by one guy but I suspect that there is US money behind it since it is really too much work for one guy.

Thanks for the heads up

here are some other links.. HAITI NEWS NETWORK -* Sakapfet, Haiti news, haiti info, latest news, nouvelles, Fouye,,headlines, haiti radio, newspapers. Haiti chat line, Haiti forums* Haiti global village* Haiti sports football soccer, port haiti , haitian musicL'actualit? Haitie

 

[MpJuly]

@mountainannie ok i better undertand your position now

 

[mountainannie]

A Neo-Duvalierist Dictatorship la Martelly Takes Shape

here is an editorial from Haiti Liberte in English so that you can get more of the sense of things.

Here is another website.. which is also run by Aristide supporters.. two, no, three not four of his former lawyers, but has gotten very, very apolitcal and rather more "coat and tie" and "spiritual" now. Economy - Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti I do not mean to so boldly criticise their work.. except for you to know that there is indeed a political party .. no, actually more than a political party .. an interantional movement.. behind it.

Here is another site Haiti Democracy Project

legislative elections are long overdue in Haiti.

 

[Tim Smith]

See for your self Lucas. I've found no information source to be the best. All put a spin on it as to their party ect. The radio is the best source of news most times but you really need to brush up on your Creole. Unless you see it yourself talking with the locals and the foreigners will assist in cutting thru any spin doctor news. Enjoy your time there and good luck on finding affordable places to stay. From what I read about you here in the DR you seem resourceful. I spent many years working and visiting Haiti and have many friends there.

 

[Lucas61]

Thank You and Getting Back . . .

@ all:

Thank you, all, for excellent suggestions. I will be following up over the next few days and re-posting with my best result(s).

I also have other stuff that I will be sharing on Haiti and posting at a later time . . .

 

[mountainannie]

Lucas.. you may find that PauP is much more expensive than SD..that is because there is no public infra structure like electricity or much public water.

Here are some possible places to stay while getting on your feet.

https://www.airbnb.fr/s/Haïti?price...=-71.99799383848523&zoom=8&search_by_map=true

 

[Lucas61]

Here are some possible places to stay while getting on your feet.

https://www.airbnb.fr/s/Haïti?price...=-71.99799383848523&zoom=8&search_by_map=true

@ mountainannie

This will definitely be an assist in my apartment search in PAP or Jacmel or Les Cayes. For example, to my surprise, I find the occasional apartment or single room in PAP for ~ 25 E per night. This means that I could do a trial test for a few days, explore the environs, and if all is well, then sit down for a nice negotiation! If I were to stay, say, six months, this could give me good leverage for a 20 - 30% discount.

In the past, airbnb, has always felt too "boujie" for my tastes but I see there is a lower end, relatively speaking . . . Cool. Another leveraging factor I can use is that if the facility has no Internet, I can leverage paying for a Digicel modem and monthly broadband account, such that I could offer the signal to the owner for another discount. I will live in Haiti only if secure, comfortable and Internet--at least in my bedroom sanctuary, because in this case I am not planning to stay a few days (I've gone the bucket sponge bath, carry my own water, and no flush toilet route for weeks, which I can accept) but, in this case, my dream is to live in Haiti, fully immersed for a good period of time -- one half year to a year.

 

[Lucas61]

Summary of (Mostly) English News Sites for Haiti

@all --
@mountainannie --

Thank you for your many suggestions. I had been aware of haitilibre.com but was not aware of its availability in English.

The fact that these sites are disparate, maybe makes for inconvenience, but presents a nice mosaic.

For the benefit of future readers of this thread, I have summarized your suggestions here:
(I have checked all URL's and they are "live" as of 06/17/14)

Haiti News
Mostly English:

espacinsular.org
Google alert: Haiti
haiti-liberte.com (pro-Lavalas)
anselme.homestead.com
ijdh.org
haitipolicy.org
haitilibre.com/en/
haitiobserver.com
sentinel-ht
corbettlist-request@freelists.org

 

[mofongoloco]

responding to keep it in my queue. thanks

@all --
@mountainannie --

Thank you for your many suggestions. I had been aware of haitilibre.com but was not aware of its availability in English.

The fact that these sites are disparate, maybe makes for inconvenience, but presents a nice mosaic.

For the benefit of future readers of this thread, I have summarized your suggestions here:
(I have checked all URL's and they are "live" as of 06/17/14)

Haiti News
Mostly English:

espacinsular.org
Google alert: Haiti
haiti-liberte.com (pro-Lavalas)
anselme.homestead.com
ijdh.org
haitipolicy.org
haitilibre.com/en/
haitiobserver.com
sentinel-ht
corbettlist-request@freelists.org

 

[mountainannie]

Yes, Lucas, I am sure that you will be able to work something out with one of the owners of a BnB, if they like you and you are going to be staying a long time. I was surprised to see so many postings for Haiti on Air BnB,, the DR side of the island does not use it as much.. (there are none for Jarabacoa, for instance!) .. but this little listing gives you sort of a map of where and how to travel in Haiti. For instance, gives you a place to stay in Jeremie.. which, I hear, is lovely. Famous for its artists.... Not many people get there.

Here is another hotel.. down in Camp Perrin. run by a journalist that I know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzi4ytx1FOM

I think you may find other hotels that have little things like this on FB and other places ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSlLxIr1DqA

you can practice you Kreyole/ French// https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEVzYia_t0M

 

[Lucas61]

airbnb = "no go"

Yes, Lucas, I am sure that you will be able to work something out with one of the owners of a BnB, if they like you and you are going to be staying a long time. I was surprised to see so many postings for Haiti on Air BnB,, the DR side of the island does not use it as much.. (there are none for Jarabacoa, for instance!) .. but this little listing gives you sort of a map of where and how to travel in Haiti. For instance, gives you a place to stay in Jeremie.. which, I hear, is lovely. Famous for its artists.... Not many people get there.

I took a serious look at airbnb.com, registered, and so on. Alas, it is a "no go." Based on the page you sent me (in French), I was falsely assuming that Euros and dollars were equivalent. Turns out the cheapest room I can find in Haiti is $1200./month, significantly past my budget, as I am now paying $188.00 per month. For me, airbnb would be perfectly suitable for a few days here, a few days there, but not months at a time. My maximum will be $25.00 per day.

So maybe I've come to a dead-end from the point of view of being in the D.R. searching via Internet. But, fortunately, I have a Plan B. I will be travelling for one month with a close Haitian friend to major cities. There's a lot one can find on the ground, at the source, that's not on the Net, which assumes a fairly high level of functioning.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Major448]

I took a serious look at airbnb.com, registered, and so on. Alas, it is a "no go." Based on the page you sent me (in French), I was falsely assuming that Euros and dollars were equivalent. Turns out the cheapest room I can find in Haiti is $1200./month, significantly past my budget, as I am now paying $188.00 per month. For me, airbnb would be perfectly suitable for a few days here, a few days there, but not months at a time. My maximum will be $25.00 per day.

So maybe I've come to a dead-end from the point of view of being in the D.R. searching via Internet. But, fortunately, I have a Plan B. I will be travelling for one month with a close Haitian friend to major cities. There's a lot one can find on the ground, at the source, that's not on the Net, which assumes a fairly high level of functioning.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Most anywhere in the world you will find cheaper prices once you have boots on the ground. Internet prices are aimed at a more "upscale" market. I can't vouch for any of the following. But once you are there .....

Check out this set of "starter wheels": There "may" be hope for you ...
Rentals in Haiti - Available Properties - Viviun the Leader in International Property Listings
Gala Guest House - Port Au Prince - Reviews and Cheap Rates (old review, but it may still be worth checking it out)

If I were looking to "base" out of a hotel until I found something through local contacts. I might take a look at this (make sure to change the dates you want in order to get an accurate quote) I would also ask some of them "directly" if they have a cheaper "monthly" rate (some definitely do) ... after you are in country.

Port-au-Prince
Booking.com: 491,832 hotels worldwide. 31+ million hotel reviews.

Petionville
Booking.com: 491,832 hotels worldwide. 31+ million hotel reviews.

Jacmel
Booking.com: 491,832 hotels worldwide. 31+ million hotel reviews.

Cap-Haitien
Booking.com: 491,832 hotels worldwide. 31+ million hotel reviews.

And there are more in each location who don't advertise.

Good luck with your search! You will be competing with NGO staff who have deep pockets, and who have inflated a lot of the prices. Your budget just may not allow for what you want to do long term .....

 

[mountainannie]

folks who list on air bnb have to give a commission of 15% to the site. I really only figured that you would stay there for a week at most and look for another place. It was just so that you would have a secure place to stay for your first two or three nights.

I think that once you are on the ground, you will see the neighborhoods.

 

[mountainannie]

but honestly with a housing budget of $25 a night, you are going to have trouble in Haiti, I think. Even the bunk bed guest houses run around $35.

 

[mountainannie]

here is one that you missed.. for $22.. https://es.airbnb.com/rooms/2369441?s=EqZa reserve maybe two nights and then if you like it you can negotiate...