New
Preval Government in Haiti denounces Heritage looting
Haiti Denounces Heritage Looting, by Prensa Latina (Latin American
News Agency), July 19, 2006
Havana, Jul 19 (Prensa Latina) Haitian Culture Minister Daniel
Elie, presently visiting Cuba, denounced the looting of treasure
from a ship lying in his country´s territorial waters since
1669.
The ship, belonging to Welsh pirate Henry Morgan, has remained
sunken since the 17th century and is now being ransacked by modern-day
pirates from the US and Europe, declared the Caribbean minister.
He added that the stolen objects are being sold through the Internet
for exorbitant prices.
In relation to the objectives of his visit to Cuba, he pointed
out it is to generate exchange of experience regarding the protection
of underwater heritage.
According to historical information, Morgan´s ship was returning
to Haiti from Cartagena de Indias carrying treasures looted in
that Colombian city in 1669. An explosion caused by the fire used
to grill meat caused it to sink.
hr/ccs/isn/ydg
Robbing Haiti blind: pillage and plunder -gold, bronze cannons,
emeralds stolen (article in French & English)
Source: AHP, April 27, 2006
Bronze
cannons, gold and emerald pieces stolen at certain sites in
Ile-à-Vaches: A representative of Sub Sea Research company
confirms that
these thefts would have never occurred without the complicity
of the
interim regime
Port au Prince, 27 April 2006 (AHP) - The co-manager of the American
company Sub Sea Research LLC, Greg Brooks, who signed a contract
with the
Haitian state to carry out underwater research in the region of
Ile-à-Vaches, denounced on Thursday the theft of 4 bronze
canons at the
research site.
The theft occurred, he said, in November, when he and other members
of his
team were in the United States carrying out rescue operations
for the
victims of Hurricane Katrina.
"Some individuals brought the canons, which can be worth
up to 2-million
dollars each, on a boat to Panama," said Mr. Brooks, underlining
the fact
that the theft couldn't have occurred without the knowledge of
the interim
regime.
He highlighted the fact that a representative of that government,
a
certain Ernest Wilson, was present at the research site during
that time.
According to Greg Brooks, Wilson had asked technicians working
for Sub Sea
Research not to inform the public of the results of their underwater
discoveries.
Brooks also confirmed that a witness had filmed the plundering
of the
cannons that were intended for Panama and eventually Canada.
Gold and emerald plaques were also stolen, he said.
The representative of this American company explained to us that
the
interim government cancelled the contract signed in 2003, while
forcing it
to initial a new document with the provisional Prime Minister,
the
Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture.
At the same time, Mr. Brooks continued, "a new company, Caribbean
Marine,
directed by the historian Jean-Claude Fignolé entered the
picture, even
though it didn't have the appropriate equipment for this type
of work."
On the eve of the coming to power of a new government, Greg Brooks
says
that the members of his team are now being asked to leave the
country.
"We're not going to leave, because if we leave, the pieces
that we've
found and handed over to the interim regime will take the same
route as
the cannons," he stated, adding that all light must be shed
on the case of
the stolen pieces.
Mr. Brooks also accuses the current regime of not having respected
the
terms of the contract that was signed, according to which Sub
Sea Research
should have received 50% of the sales of the found pieces.
"If we have invested 4-million dollars in the context of
our underwater
research, we haven't received anything on our end," Greg
Brooks continued
to complain.
***********************
FRENCH
***********************
Canons en bronze et pièces
en or et émeraude volés dans des sites sous-mains
de l'Ile-à-Vaches:Un responsable de la compagnie Sub Sea
Research affirme que ces vols n'auraient jamais pu être
commis sans la complicité de membres du regime intérimaire
Port-au-Prince, 27 avril 2006- (AHP)- Le co-manager de la compagnie
américaine Sub Sea Research LLC, Greg Brooks qui a signé
un contrat avec
l'Etat haïtien pour effectuer des recherches sous-marines
dans la région de
l'Ile-à-vâches a dénoncé jeudi le vol
de 4 canons en bronze sur les sites des
recherches.
Le pillage a été commis, a-t-il dit, en novembre,
au moment où des membres de
sa compagnie et lui-même se trouvaient aux Etats-Unis avec
leur bateau pour
porter secours aux victimes du cyclone katrina.
"Des individus ont transporté à bord d'un bateau
à Panama des canons pouvant
coûter jusqu'à 2 millions de dollars chacun",
a dit M. Brooks, soulignant que
ce vol n'aurait jamais pu être mis commis sans l'aval de
membres du régime
intérimaire.
Il a souligné qu'un représentant du gouvernement,
un certain Ernest Wilson,
était toujours présent sur les sites des recherches.
Selon Greg Brooks, Wilson aurait demandé aux techniciens
de la Sub Sea
Research de ne pas informer le public des résultats de
leurs découvertes
submaritimes.
Brooks affirme aussi qu'un témoin a pu filmer l'opération
de pillage des
canons qui devraient ensuite être envoyés de Panama
au Canada.
Des plaques en or et en émeraude ont également été
volées, a-t-il dit
Le responsable de la compagnie américaine a expliqué
que le gouvernement
intérimaire a également annulé le contrat
signé en 2003, tout en le
contraignant à parapher un nouveau document avec le premier
ministre
provisoire, et le Ministère des finances sur du Ministère
de la culture.
Dans le même temps, "une nouvelle compagnie, la Caribbean
marine, dirigée,
a-t-il dit, par l'historien Jean-Claude fignolé" entrait
en lice, quoiqu'elle
ne dispose pas des équipements appropriés à
ce type de travail.
A la veille de l'entrée en fonction d'un nouveau gouvernement,
Greg Broks
affirme que les membres de sa compagnies sont sommés de
quitter le pays.
" Nous n'allons pas partir, car si nous nous en allions,
les pièces que nous
avons trouvées et remises au régime intérimaire
pourraient prendre le même
chemin que les canons", a-t-il fait savoir, ajoutant que
toute la lumière
devrait aussi être faite sur le dossier des pièces
volées.
M. Brooks accuse également le régime en place de
n'avoir pas respecté les
termes du contrat signé, selon lesquels la Sub Sea Research
devraitt recevoir
50% de la vente des pièces trouvées.
Si nous avons investi 4 millions de dollars dans le cadre ds recherches
sous-marines, par coontre nous n'avons rien reçu",
s'est-encore plaint Greg
Brooks.
***********************
The General Director of the Bureau of Mines and Energy struck
by the announcement of the plunder at the sea-beds of Ile-à-Vaches
Port-au-Prince, 27 April 2006 (AHP) - The General Director of
the Bureau
of Mines and Energy, Dieuseul Anglade, said he was struck by information
according to which goods belonging to the Haitian state where
stolen from
the sea-beds of Haiti.
Mr. Anglade points out that he had found the contract relating
to underwater research at the Ministry of Mines in April 2004.
Judging that this contract held few advantages, his bureau began
to work
on the case in order to allow the Haitian state to draw more profits
from
the project he stated. The Bureau of Mines was seeking to increase
the
profits of the Haitian state from the 50% agreed upon before by
the two
parties to 55%.
He confirmed his surprise when the dossier was suddenly taken
from the
Ministry of Mines in order to be signed over to the Ministry of
Finance
and Culture.
"At the time we made a lot of noise about this change in
order to inform
the public that we wouldn't be responsible for any eventual new
developments," he recalled further.
He indicated that his position at the time brought him a lot of
reprimands.
The General Director of the Bureau of Mines says he regrets the
absence of
synergy between the various state entities that brought this case
to the
point where it is today.
AHP, 27 April 2006 4:20 PM
***********************
FRENCH
***********************
Le directeur général du Bureau des Mines et de l'Energie
sidéré par l'annonce de pillages dans les fonds
marins de l'Ile-à-Viache
Port-au-Prince, 27 avril 2006- (AHP)- Le directeur général
du Bureau des Mines et de l'Energie, Dieuseul Anglade, s'est dit
sidéré des informations selon lesquelles des biens
appartenant à l'Etat haïtien ont été
dérobés des fonds mains d'Haïti.
M Anglade rappelle qu'il avait trouvé le contrat relatif
aux recherches submarines au ministère des Mines en avril
2004.
Jugeant que ce contrat était peu avantageux, non bureau
avait commencé à
travailler sur le dossier pour permettre à l'Etat haïtien
d'en tirer le meilleur profit, a-t-il fait savoir, soulignant
que le bureau des Mines était sur le point de faire passer
les profits de l'Etat haïtien des 50% convenues antérieuement
par les 2 parties à 55%.
Il affirme avoir été surpris du fait que le dossier
a été retire soudainement du Ministère des
Mines pour être signé par les Ministères des
Finances et de la Culture.
" Nous avions à l'époque fait grand bruit autour
de ce changement pour informer l'opinion que nous ne serions responsables
d'aucun éventuel nouveau développement", a-t-il
encore rappelé.
Il indiqué que cettte prise de position lui avait valu
à l'époque des réprimandes.
Le directeur général du bureau des Mines, dit regretter
que l'absence de synergie entre les diférentes entités
de l'état ait conduit le dosssier où il en est aujourd'hui.
AHP 27 avril 2006 4:20 PM
***********************
Fleecing Haiti 1)
Latortue continues to fleece Haiti at $15,000 per month? (See
July 23AHP report below) 2) Multinational corporation wants $2
million in damages from Haiti's new government for stolen canons
and heritage looting under the Latortue IMPOSED government
Commission of inquiry
formed concerning the theft of cannons and precious stones from
the Ile-à-vâches seabed
Port-au-Prince, 20 July 2006 (AHP) - The deputy for the ridding
of Ile-à-vâches, Jean David Génesté,
was informed on Thursday by the new authorities that a commission
charged with inquiring into the disappearance of several gold
and emerald pieces and bronze canons from the sea-beds of this
commune had been formed.
According to Mr. Génesté, one of the companies that
had signed the exploitation contract, Sub Sea Research, still
at Ile-à-Vache, demanded from the Haitian state compensation
in the amount of 2-million American dollars.
It is in the absence of this company's representatives, who had
left for the United States with their boats in August 2005 to
assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina, that the pieces were
reportedly stolen.
Several other precious metal pieces were also returned to the
interim regime, within the framework of this contract.
Greg Brooks, the General-Director of the company, stated that
research had been undertaken for some 4-million American dollars,
according to the deputy. Jean David David stated that it is up
to the courts to say if the Haitian state effectively owes this
amount to the company.
Clear explanations concerning this case will soon be furnished
to the press, announced M. Génesté.
The former interim Prime Minister, Gérard Latortue had
sworn that he knew nothing about the sub-aquatic exploration contract
in the region of Ile-à-vâche and that it was ministers
in his government that had undertaken this responsibility.
However, photos show him savoring Champagne in the company of
the local and international signatories of the said contract.
Furthermore, steps are being taken to ensure that Mr. Latortue
repatriates two luxury vehicles that he had just bought in Florida
with funds from the public treasury, while these vehicles should
be returned to the service of the Prime Ministers office.
Mr. Latortue took 90,000 American dollars before his departure
to purchase two Lexuses.
AHP 20 July 2006 1:00 PM
***********************
AHP
News - July 23, 2006 - English translation (Unofficial)
Former Prime Minister Gérard
Latortue turns over two luxury vehicles to the Haitian Consulate
in Florida; they had been purchased using public funds from the
Haitian treasury
Port-au-Prince, July 23, 2006 (AHP); Former interim Prime Minister
Gérard
Latortue, yielding to pressure from a variety of sources, has
agreed to turn
over to the Haitian State two luxury automobiles purchased with
funds from
the Haitian treasury and which he was keeping for his own personal
use in
Boca Raton, Florida.
Prior to his sudden departure to Florida, Mr. Latortue had arranged
for the
withdrawal of $90,000 (US) for the purchase of these vehicles
that were
supposed to be used for official business of the Haitian government.
However he later decided to keep them after he had returned to
Boca Raton.
Following pressure from a variety of sources, Latortue has finally
returned
the two luxury vehicles to the Haitian Consulate in Florida from
which they
are to be returned to Haiti.
Shortly before his departure, the interim government had decided
to grant Mr.
Latortue the sum of $15,000 per month, describing the payment
as being under
the classification of fees paid by the State to former prime ministers.
AHP July 23, 2006 1:35 PM
**********
Recommended Links:
Expose The Lies
1.
Stealing Haiti's Gold, Copper and Uranium under cover of regime
change - The Exploitation of Gold and Copper in Trou Du Nord
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/expose1.html#gold
-Gold
and Copper Exploitation Resumes in the North and Northeast Departments
of Haiti
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/expose1.html#gold2
2.
Plundering Haiti's Under Water Treasures: Authorities in Florida
are opening an investigation into the origins of emeralds stolen
from an interim Haitian dignitary's home
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/expose1.html#Ile
3.
Audit of State Institutions continues: Valuable objects stolen
from the National Palace
http://www.margueritelaurent.com/pressclips/expose1.html#audit
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