Ambassador White Visits Northern Haiti

August 17, 2012

A cacao farmer in northern Haiti explains harvest techniques during Ambassador White's visit.

Ambassador White visits the Laboratory of La Fossette health center in Cap Haitien.

Ambassador Pamela White made her first trip out of Port-au-Prince last week since arriving in Haiti at the beginning of August.  During her tour of northern Haiti, she visited several U.S. government-funded projects and met many local residents and officials.

During her many meetings, Ambassador White emphasized her development experience, particularly in the health sector.  Later, at a USAID-funded health program at La Fossette Medical Center, Ambassador White stated that she will be Haiti’s “best friend” on health care issues.  The SDSH (Santé pour le Développement et la Stabilité d'Haïti) program provides quality health care, family planning and health education to the local community, and allowed the ambassador to spend time with the women and children who benefit from these services.  Speaking to cacao farmers at their farms later in the day, Ambassador White emphasized that the U.S. government wants to work with them, encouraging them to work hard so that they can become successful and independent.  The next stop was Justinien Hospital to visit an HIV program supported by PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief) and CDC (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), where patients infected with HIV receive vital treatment and care.  She also met with the Haitian National Police’s Northern Department Director, Carl Henry Boucher, where she reiterated the ongoing commitment to improving the capacity of the HNP.  She concluded her first day by holding a Town Hall meeting with American citizens in the area, and dining with several Cap Haitien Chamber of Commerce members.

On her second day, Ambassador White met with the Mayor of Caracol, and visited the new Caracol Industrial Park.  Caracol will be the backbone of development in northern Haiti, bringing more than 20,000 jobs to the region in the coming years.  She then attended the graduation ceremony of the Trou du Nord Trade School, where some of the 240 graduates are already working at Caracol.  The Ambassador acknowledged the hard work and dedication of the INDEPCO training team, who lived with the students, and believed in their abilities and value. The US government chose and funded INDEPCO to do this training because their model invests in the person to ensure that they become a productive worker.  Ambassador White greatly enjoyed her visit to the North, and the opportunity to meet and engage with Haitians from all walks of life.  She plans to travel extensively throughout Haiti, and get to know Haitians from every corner of the country and experience first hand the natural beauty that Haiti is well known for.