Government in Haiti
The Haitian government, after the overthrow of the the multi-generational Duvalier presidency, has become a republic, in which the president is head of state and is directly elected by popular vote, granted a 5-year term only (The World Factbook, 2014). The Prime Minister, however, appointed by the president, acts as head of state, and both have a degree of executive power. According to the CIA World Factbook, the "civil law system" of Haiti is "strongly influenced by the Napoleonic code," which puts emphasis on government employment through qualification, the forbidding of lineage-based privileges, and was an early example of freedom of religion in government codes (Napoleonic Code). Their Legislative branch consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies; their Judicial branch has the Cour de Cassation, or Supreme Court as it is traditionally known; and their Executive branch is made up of President Michel Martelly, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, and the cabinet.
Haiti's independence day is January 1st, 1804, celebrated with traditional dances and the native squash soup (Dalembert, 2014). According to Franklin Dalembert, a Haitian native currently living in Boston, MA, they often celebrate their independence from France by eating squash, as the Haitian slaves were forbidden from purchasing or eating it in the days of the French ownership of the territory. Dalembert, of the Haitian Coalition of Someville, also explains that "their independence day is when they share," sending "squash soup to the entire neighborhood" on the first day of the year (Dalembert, 2014).
The social geography of Haiti is, overall, not as stable or as wealthy as many other countries in its stage of development. The Haitian capital is Port-au-Prince, a place of declining tourism since the civil unrest of the Duvalier regime in the 1980's. Port-au-Prince, and many historical landmarks within it, were hard-hit by the earthquake of 2010. Cité Soleil, a "shanty town" in the capital, was also affected heavily by the earthquake--but it was not fortunate enough to recover as well as the rest of the city, and remains listed as one of the most dangerous places in the world. Average life expectancy in this slum is 45-50 years (Sochor, 2009).
Economy, government practices, and labor policies of Haiti remain some of the most precarious in its region of the world. It has had 23 constitutions since its independence, the latest having been adopted March 10th, 1987, amended 2012. The possible cause for this volatility was the Duvalier presidencies, which were times of unrest, change, and a general toppling of the stable government and economy. Unfortunately, Haiti's economy in modern times has not undergone dramatic changes since then, except for the job types, as unemployment in the capitol especially is high. Haiti's industries include textiles, sugar refining, and flour milling; its exports include coffee, mangoes, cocoa, and sugarcane (The World Factbook, 2014). Their inflation rate as of 2012 is 177th worst in the world, at 6.3% per year, with a 40.6% unemployment rate--with two thirds of the labor force lacking formal training and jobs. Finally, roughly 50% of the labor force is involved in domestic service, 38% in agriculture, and 80% of the population is below the poverty line (The World Factbook, 2014).
However, Haiti's cultural history remains exuberant with tradition and distinction. The Haitian flag displays two bands of blue and red with a centered white triangle, upon which is the coat of arms including a palm tree, flags, and two cannons with the motto, "L'union fait la force," or "the union makes strength," in English. The national symbol is the Hispaniolan Trogon, a brilliant Spanish bird of gray and red, and the national anthem is called "La Dessalinienne," composed by Justin L'Herrisson and Nicholas Geffrard. It was adopted in 1904 and was named for Jean-Jacques Dessalines, an influential leader in the Haitian revolution and the first leader of the independent republic (The World Factbook, 2014).
Haiti's independence day is January 1st, 1804, celebrated with traditional dances and the native squash soup (Dalembert, 2014). According to Franklin Dalembert, a Haitian native currently living in Boston, MA, they often celebrate their independence from France by eating squash, as the Haitian slaves were forbidden from purchasing or eating it in the days of the French ownership of the territory. Dalembert, of the Haitian Coalition of Someville, also explains that "their independence day is when they share," sending "squash soup to the entire neighborhood" on the first day of the year (Dalembert, 2014).
The social geography of Haiti is, overall, not as stable or as wealthy as many other countries in its stage of development. The Haitian capital is Port-au-Prince, a place of declining tourism since the civil unrest of the Duvalier regime in the 1980's. Port-au-Prince, and many historical landmarks within it, were hard-hit by the earthquake of 2010. Cité Soleil, a "shanty town" in the capital, was also affected heavily by the earthquake--but it was not fortunate enough to recover as well as the rest of the city, and remains listed as one of the most dangerous places in the world. Average life expectancy in this slum is 45-50 years (Sochor, 2009).
Economy, government practices, and labor policies of Haiti remain some of the most precarious in its region of the world. It has had 23 constitutions since its independence, the latest having been adopted March 10th, 1987, amended 2012. The possible cause for this volatility was the Duvalier presidencies, which were times of unrest, change, and a general toppling of the stable government and economy. Unfortunately, Haiti's economy in modern times has not undergone dramatic changes since then, except for the job types, as unemployment in the capitol especially is high. Haiti's industries include textiles, sugar refining, and flour milling; its exports include coffee, mangoes, cocoa, and sugarcane (The World Factbook, 2014). Their inflation rate as of 2012 is 177th worst in the world, at 6.3% per year, with a 40.6% unemployment rate--with two thirds of the labor force lacking formal training and jobs. Finally, roughly 50% of the labor force is involved in domestic service, 38% in agriculture, and 80% of the population is below the poverty line (The World Factbook, 2014).
However, Haiti's cultural history remains exuberant with tradition and distinction. The Haitian flag displays two bands of blue and red with a centered white triangle, upon which is the coat of arms including a palm tree, flags, and two cannons with the motto, "L'union fait la force," or "the union makes strength," in English. The national symbol is the Hispaniolan Trogon, a brilliant Spanish bird of gray and red, and the national anthem is called "La Dessalinienne," composed by Justin L'Herrisson and Nicholas Geffrard. It was adopted in 1904 and was named for Jean-Jacques Dessalines, an influential leader in the Haitian revolution and the first leader of the independent republic (The World Factbook, 2014).
Bullet holes in a wall in Cite Soleil (Sochor, 2009).