Cap-Haïtien experienced a day of high tension this Thursday as protesters erected barricades and burned tires, paralyzing public transport and local commerce. The unrest, centered in the southern and eastern entrances of the city, stems from frustration over decaying infrastructure, stagnant water, and waste accumulation. A ministerial delegation was forced by protesters to tour the affected neighborhoods on foot to witness the dire conditions firsthand.
Public Works Minister Almathe Joseph Pierre-Louis declared that “there is no time to waste,” promising canal cleaning and waste removal operations within a week under the “Haiti Zero Waste” program. Additionally, Deputy Mayor Patrick Almonor highlighted a major World Bank-funded project to rehabilitate a four-lane section of National Road #3. While a 10-month contract has been signed with the firm T&C S.A., the local population remains skeptical, waiting for immediate improvements to their daily lives.
