President Martelly Sends Lawyers to Intimidate Defend Haiti

Haiti: President Martelly Sends Lawyers to Intimidate Defend Haiti
Saturday, 14 January 2012 08:06

Written by S. Maxime . .ORLANDO, USA (defend.ht) – U.S. Attorneys representing the Office of the President of the Government of Haiti have contacted Defend Haiti (DH) in an act that we would characterize as intimidation.

Via U.S. certified mail and to DH’s company email address, Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright, P.L. wrote:

We represent the Office of the President of the Government of Haiti. We write in response to the article dated January 6, 2012 specifically “Digicel CEO Wants to Know Where the Education Money,” with respect to the Government’s Free Education initiative (“GFE”) which helps 903,000 children atten school without cost. We take exception to the inferences contained within the article intimating that the Government of Haiti has misappropriated and failed to account for monies collected for the GFE.

Firstly, GFE is a new acronym for the Haitian people. We are familiar with President Martelly’s National Fund for Education (FNE) and something completely different by the Ministry of National Education and Professional Development called the Universal Free and Compulsory Education Program (PSEUGO) but the GFE, this is new, we take this as an introduction.

President Michel Martelly’s attorneys say they “take exception to inferences contained within the article intimating that the Government of Haiti has misappropriated… monies collected for the GFE.” These exceptions are baseless.

In the article in question, the term misappropriated, nor its roots, or any such synonyms, language or assertions that monies were being spent or being re-routed to personal accounts were made. The article was completely written in the same sense as the question derived from the Digicel CEO, Denis O’Brien’s request for an audit: "where is the education money?"

The attorneys continue:

Specifically, the article alleges that the Government of Haiti is unable to account for funds collected from the international calls and money transfers generated by the diaspora. This is false. The Government of Haiti has implemented procedures and fully accounted for the receipt and use of the diaspora funds. As such, it disputes your factual misrepresentation in the article. Contrary to your wrongful assertions, the GFE is fully transparent as both CONATEL and BRH have published their collection numbers and made available to the public.
Wrong. Specifically, the article alleges that the Government of Haiti is unable to account for funds collected from the international calls generated by the diaspora and it acknowledges the government’s accounting for funds collected from money transfers generated by the diaspora.

Following the quote by Denis O’Brien, the article recounts a Tuesday, December 14, 2011 hearing held by the Haitian Senate Economy and Finance Committee that convened the Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, Charles Castel, and the Minister of the Economy and Finance, Andre Lemercier Georges, who both revealed that $4.8 million [US] had been raised through money transfers and is held at the central bank, BRH.

Both Castel and Georges, the government authorities that constitutionally have full right to information regarding government funds, could only assume that the National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL) would have information on the funds collected from international calls generated by the diaspora.

To say that the GFE/FNE is transparent is a lie on its face and not worth our response. Rather, we will let the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Jocelerme Privert (Nippes/Inite) tell it, in his own words, "...unfortunately, there is a total opacity surrounding the creation, the collecting, and the use of resources of the National Fund for Education and I will continue to say that this fund doesn’t exist.". Here is that quote's context.

The letter continues:

Defend Haiti has maliciously published the above-referenced comments knowing that Digicel has publicly clarified the scope of its comments published in your article. In fact, Digicel has never suggested that any funds were misused. Any such implication could only be derived from your defamatory article. Digicel remains proud of the Government’s commitment or transparency through its accounting of the GFE funds while acknowledging that it has deposited a total of U.S. $11.1 million collected through November 2011 from international calls and deposited those funds with CONATEL. An additional U.S. $1.945 million was collected in December 2011 and those funds will be deposited with CONATEL in January 2012.

”Defend Haiti has maliciously published the above-referenced comments knowing…” what? The article in question was published on January 6. The information mentioned in the above paragraph was first released in a Digicel press note dated January 10, and published on that day, without bias to our website. As well, a press note from CONATEL, dated January 9 was published to our website without bias.

We will furthermore take this opportunity to note that CONATEL only provided information for two of Haiti’s telecommunications companies, Digicel and Comcel/Voila. It left out, Haitel, NatCom, NoPin, CallDirek, Rebtel and any, and many other companies that would be concerned with long distance communications in Haiti.

And even furthermore, with the information provided by CONATEL and Digicel, it would seem that Digicel paid to CONATEL $11.1 million [US] during the same time frame, Voila would have only paid $2 million [US]. This is a significant drop-off between the two top carriers in Haiti, more transparency is, without a doubt, needed.

And the letter continues:

The collected funds are benefiting the children of Haiti through direct disbursements to the schools. Accordingly, the article accomplishes nothing more than to distort the comments of Digicel in order to intentionally and maliciously undermine the Government’s efforts to provide free education for the children of Haiti. The Government of Haiti will not stand idle while publications such as that of Defend Haiti’s tarnish its efforts to fund the education of the country’s school children.

It is interesting that the president’s attorneys say that “the collected funds are benefiting the children of Haiti through direct disbursements to the schools…” while on the very day this letter was written and sent, the President of the Republic of Haiti, said, stressing, that “not one penny, not one single penny” had been used in the fund, "all the money is there..." he said. This is not the first time the president has made this claim but it is the latest, recorded January 13, 2012, before the president boarded a flight to Guatemala.

President Michel Martelly
01.13.12 | Vision 2000

The letter ends with this paragraph:

Demand is hereby made to Demand Haiti, LLC for it to retract and clarify the defamatory statements it has published against the Government of Haiti and the National Fund for Education within five (5) days of this correspondence. If this smear campaign against the Haitian Government or the Free Education initiative continues, we will have no other choice but to seek redress for injury and assert our legal and equitable rights.

Nothing herein is intended to limit, waive, restrict or otherwise alter any of our client’s rights and remedies under applicable law and/or in equity, and, same are hereby expressly reserved and preserved.

PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.
Sincerely,
Miguel Armenteros, Esq. [signed]

Given that this letter is wrought with lies, inconsistencies and gross misrepresentations, we have no other choice but to amount it to an act of intimidation by the attorneys of Perlman, Bajandas, Yevoli & Albright, P.L. and their client.

We, Defend Haiti, the people of Haiti, are giving these parties five (5) days to regularize this communication and present, in full detail, to the Haitian Parliament, central bank and Minister of Finance, the accounts of the National Fund for Education (FNE). Also, in five (5) days, all funds being held in regard to the FNE must be in the coffers of the central bank, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti.

Failure to meet these demands will result in any action deemed legal against this law office and their client for their actions in regard to this matter. Success in meeting these demands are not intended to limit, waive, restrict or otherwise alter any right and pursuit of justice by other parties offended.

And if anyone in Defend Haiti even so much as has their shoes stepped on between now and then, we bring the house down. We are playing chess, you guys are playing checkers, we are 100 moves ahead of you and trust, we know more about this matter than you think.

PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELVES ACCORDINGLY.

Constitution of Haiti

ARTICLE 111-2:
However, only the Executive Branch may initiate budget laws, laws concerning the assessment, percentage and manner of collecting taxes and contributions, and laws designed to generate revenues or to increase revenues and expenditures of the Government, Bills introduced on these matters must be voted on first by the House of Deputies.

ARTICLE 200:
The Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes is an independent and autonomous financial and administrative court. It is responsible for administrative and jurisdictional control of Government receipts and expenditures, verification of the accounts of the Government enterprises and of the territorial divisions.

ARTICLE 218:
No Government levy may be established except by law. No charge or tax, whether imposed by a Department, a Municipality, or Communal Section, may be established without the consent of its territorial divisions.

ARTICLE 219:
No tax exemption, increase, decrease or elimination may be established except by law.

ARTICLE 224:
National monetary policy is set by the Central Bank jointly with the Minister of Economics and Finance.

ARTICLE 228-2:
No increase or reduction may be made in the allocation of Government funds, except by amendment of the laws relating thereto.
Defend Haiti LLC is a brand created to live up to its name by defending the interests of the people of Haiti as declared by the nation's Constitution. DH fulfills its purpose through entertainment, news, events and any other means it deems fit.
www.defend.ht is an English language website that hopes to inform with truth an integrity the people of Haiti and its descendents. It aims to help Haitians and non-Haitians make friendships, share opinions in open and uncensored debate, promote businesses and arts, for the betterment of the culture, the people and the country.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AHAHA!

Dife lan bal la.

We, Defend Haiti, the people of Haiti, are giving these parties five (5) days to regularize this communication. And if anyone in Defend Haiti even so much as has their shoes stepped on between now and then, we bring the house down. We are playing chess, you guys are playing checkers.

Si nan 5 jou yo pa mache dwat "We bring the house down" ?
Really you guys have an attitude problem!!
Hip hop gangster English style. Men neg kap fe intimidasyon

Rev

mete yon ti dlo nan kleren w.si genyen moun ki ap fè entimidatyon se avoka gouvenman an.Pa kite enterè w prime enterè peyi ya .pran san w byen pou li sa konstitutyon peyi ya di sou kestyon prelevman taks.Se yon hold-up martelly fè sou dyaspora a.e jiska presan nanpren moun ki konnen kote lajan saa sere. ki nimero kont bank la kote tout konpayi telefonn ak meson trasfer yo dwe depose lajan an.Ki depatman ki kontwole kantite apel e transfè ki fet chak mwa?eske kont saa fiskalisé?se menm bagay ak kont lajan Petroklarib la.presidan ayisyen yo volè twop.se sak fè genyen tout ONG sa yo nan peyi.Michaele jean ap rele di ke se 1% nan lajan ki debouse pou ede sinistre ki pase nan men gouvenman e ONG ayisyen men bagay saa se resilta koruptyon ki toujou eksiste an ayiti.Mwen pa di ONG yo pi onet non men fok nou avwe ke politisyen ayisyen genyen men krochi twop. yo malonet twop."We will bring the house down"means nap mete kakachat la deyor.

bagay saa se resilta koruptyon ki toujou eksiste nan ayiti.Mwne pa di ONG yo pi onet non men fok nou avwe ke politisyen ayisyen genyen men krochi twop. yo malonet twop.

Tout lajan ki antre e soti komptabilize! Si lajan depanse pou wout, lekol, l'hopital, infraktrikti e pep la ap viv "anba tant" toujou, moun malpalan ap di ke lajan fe wout chrochi.
Kritik malpalan inkonsyan itilize fenomenn "anba tant" saa pou pale gouvenman ak kominote internasyonal la mal, men yo pa jamb di ki progre ki fet deja!

Men se pa ayisyen selman ki mande kote kob kominote internatyonal la bay pase.nanpren moun ki ka di jimmy carter se yon moun ki malonet.Menm martelly o debi gouvenman an te mande kote kob yo pase.mwen pa kon si se yon milyon yo lage nan menl poul femen dyol li.Ou di tout kob kontabilise se manti chak moun bay yon kantite kob diferan ki nan brh.mwen pa kwè ou ka di Dennis O brien se yon moun ki ap pale gouvenman an mal.si martelly te yon moun onet li ta fè vote lwa saa pa palman pou legalise li e fiskalise kob la.li ta mete yon represantan;yon moun onet ki soti nan dyaspora nan yon komite ki pou kontowle konbyen lajan ki rantre e konbyen ki soti.se sa ki rele transparans.

Rozo di:Men se pa ayisyen selman ki mande kote kob kominote internatyonal la bay pase!!
Si martelly te yon moun onet li ta fè vote lwa saa pa palman pou legalise li e fiskalise kob la.

Rozo lajan saa se yon donation ke'l ye e an akor a yon proje byen espesifye e ki jere par yon "Board Members"!

W pakab mande pou Martelly mete lajan saa nan assiette fiscal Leta!

ki jan se yon donatyon li ye la?martelly te vinn mande tout moun nan dyaspora pou yo ka peye yon lajan poul edike ti moun an ayiti?eske se yon dekrè li te pran poul fè sa ki les ii ba martelly dwa poul pran lajanm sanm pa konnen sa li ap fè ak li.li di se pou edike ti ayisyen menm profesè lekol yo di sa ba yo plis pwoblem kel resoud.konbyen lekol martelly bati ak lajan saa/konbyen profesè li ap prepare?Dennis o brien mande kote lajan li peye yo pase?Li ap plenyen paske pa genyen profesè kalifye ki pou anseye ti moun yo.Gen lè martelly ba frè w ak ou yon ti losyè chak mwa se sak fè wap defann koruptyon saa konsa.Nap separe gato antre nou.Men fok nou fè atansyon nan ti lolit pou nou pa gonfle wi.Nou ka pa genyen menm chans ak JCD ya ankor .Patron nou yo ka pa la tou tan pou pwoteje nou non.

Mesye wo.Nou sonje ke lan VOYE AYITI MONTE an.Kote moun lan DYASPORA yo te fè donasyon sa yo kapab pou ti pwojè gouvènman ARISTIDE lan.Sa pa t menm 1 milyon dola ameriken menm e se te KONPLÈTMAN VOLONTÈ,
Apre 20 an ,nèg ap monte sou ENTÈNÈT lan pou mande kote LAJAN an fè.

Bagay MATELI an pa volontè ;ou paka refize peye.Se sèl si ou pa ize telefòn pou rele AYITI ou pa peye.
Se pou e se pou YO EKZIJE MATELI di kote lajan an pase.LEJISLATI an dwe gen KONTWÒL LAJAN sa a.
SI yo pa konn kote lajan an pase ,se gansterism ,se vòlò.

Rev

di nou ki bon travay li ap fè ya ;Arete Arnel belizaire se te yon bon travay?Joure manman yon depite an piblik se yon bon travay.ou di se yon don li mande dyaspora fè pou edike ti moun an ayiti gen lè ou pa konn sa yo rele don.eske si map voye yon ti chocho an ayiti mwen genyen dwa di mwen pap peye taks li mete sou transfer yo?eske sim rele yon moun an ayiti mwen genyen dwa di ke mwen pap peye $1.50 sou apel la?ki reform Martelly fè nan administratyon piblik ,nan strikti politik e ekonomik peyi ya ki montre ke li ap fè yon bon travay dim non Pomero.Mwen wè se menm clientelisme la ,menm gaspiyaj yo e menm koruptyon yo ki toujou eksiste.Mwen wè se tourism lap fè poul ka domi nan gran otel ki koute 13.000 dola pa nwit pandan ke ayisyen ap bwè dlo kk ,manje biskwit la bou e domi nan labou.Rev manje ti krout pen ke martelly ap voye pou wou tande men pa vinn bafwe moun isit la tande.

[quote="revelation"]

Joel di: Mesye wo.Nou sonje ke lan VOYE AYITI MONTE an.Kote moun lan DYASPORA yo te fè donasyon sa yo kapab pou ti pwojè gouvènman ARISTIDE lan.Sa pa t menm 1 milyon dola ameriken menm e se te KONPLÈTMAN VOLONTÈ,
Apre 20 an ,nèg ap monte sou ENTÈNÈT lan pou mande kote LAJAN an fè.

Bagay MATELI an pa volontè ;ou paka refize peye.Se sèl si ou pa ize telefòn pou rele AYITI ou pa peye.
Se pou e se pou YO EKZIJE MATELI di kote lajan an pase.LEJISLATI an dwe gen KONTWÒL LAJAN sa a.
SI yo pa konn kote lajan an pase ,se gansterism ,se vòlò.

[size=18]Nou dako ak w Joel. Baton ki bat chien nwa, fok li bat chien blan tou!
Ki wout lajan saa fe???

Mwen te fè remak a pwopo de VOAM lan paske lan chèche la ptit bèt mwen te wè KAKAKOK te mansyone VOYE AYITI MONTE e mwen tande pwopagandis anti-lavalas yo mansyone sa tou sou radyo.
Tankou m te di l ,mwen te kotize lan VOAM lan tou e si m sonje se te an ME ou JWEN 1991.Alòs pou nou menm ki te kotize yo ou kwè nou t ap gen maltèt pou yon 50 dola ou 100 dola apre TROMATIS KOUDETA 1991 lan?
Se te konplètman VOLONTÈ e te gen yon eksplikasyon ki te bay e se te mwens ke 1 milyon dola TOTAL!

Kanta bagay MATELI an limenm se pa VOLONTÈ ou paka pa bay lajan an.SE OBLIGATWA.
MATELI paka gen kontwòl lajan sa a ;fò ke LEJISLATI an konnen ki jan lajan an ap depanse.Se LEJISLATI an ki gen otorite pou li leve taks
Kanta bagay MATELI an

Non zafè VOAM lan pa t yon ""men nasyonal"".Se pa t yon envèstisman.Yo te ""vann"" li sou radyo tankou yon kout men a gouvènman ARISTIDE;pa t gen moun ki te espere yon ""return"" lan envèstisman.

Te gen yon ""giddiness"" lan dyaspora a ,apre eleksyon ARISTIDE lan.Se te donasyon lajan sa a te ye.Alòs 3 ou 4 mwa apre te vin gen yon koudeta sanglan ki pwovoke de milye de moun mouri ;moun t a ka menm panse pou yo mande lajan yo back?