PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haiti is a nation on the edge, slowly trying to come back from the brink of national collapse.
After years of political instability, economic hardship and gang violence, the country’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Dr. Gary Conille, faces the daunting task of restoring safety, stability and hope to a land that has seen little of any in recent years.
Local 10′s Calvin Hughes arrived in Port-au-Prince on Sunday, bringing viewers a firsthand look at Haiti’s challenges and efforts to rebuild a country that was once hailed as the crown jewel of the Caribbean.
Haiti’s nickname, “The Land of Mountains,” now feels like a distant memory. The relationship between Haiti and hope has been strained, if not severed, for far too long.
The turning point for the nation’s current crisis came in July 2021, with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
His death was more than a political murder; it was the catalyst for a descent into chaos.
In an interview just two months before his assassination, Moïse spoke to Hughes about his ongoing efforts to control the rising influence of gangs.
In the months following his death, the situation in Haiti deteriorated rapidly.
Violent gangs took advantage of the power vacuum, seizing control of large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The airport and schools were forced to shut down as gangsters raided banks, took over homes, hospitals and entire neighborhoods, leaving families trapped in a constant state of fear. Even places of worship were not spared; kidnappings during Sunday church services became a horrifying new reality.
By the time the international community began to respond, it was estimated that gangs controlled 80% of Port-au-Prince.
The nation’s fragile infrastructure buckled under the pressure, with more than 60% of Haitians living in poverty and millions facing severe food shortages. The situation grew increasingly desperate as the country teetered on the edge of collapse.
In April, Ariel Henry, who had served as the country’s prime minister during this tumultuous period, was replaced as the Caribbean nation sought a new direction. The nation was breaking, but it had not yet shattered.
A transitional presidential council, composed of representatives from Caribbean nations, selected Dr. Gary Conille as the new prime minister.
Conille, a doctor with a background in international development through his work with the United Nations and UNICEF, brings with him a reputation for rebuilding in the face of adversity.
Conille’s task is Herculean.
He has been given just two years to reconstruct a government that is currently devoid of both a parliament and a president.
He knows that democracy in Haiti is on life support, and the ultimate goal is to hold free and fair elections by 2026.
However, achieving this will require more than political maneuvering; it will require the restoration of law and order, which is now the responsibility of a multinational police force led by hundreds of Kenyan troops.
The force, which has only been on the ground for a few weeks, is tasked with the seemingly impossible—restoring security in a country where violence has become the norm.
The questions on everyone’s minds are whether they can wrestle control from the ruthless gangs that have terrorized the population and whether they can do so in time to stabilize the country before it’s too late.
For Haiti, the stakes could not be higher. The future of the nation, the well-being of its next generation and the fragile bond between hope and Haiti all hinge on Conille’s success.
The path ahead is fraught with challenges, but for a country that has been down for so long, the only way forward is up.
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