Haiti Student Protests over Minimum Wage

central america / caribbean | community struggles | non-anarchist press Friday June 12, 2009 00:32 by Kim Ives - Haiti Liberte haiti at wbai dot org 917-251-6057

Discussion on WBAI

This Thursday, June 11, from 9 - 10 p.m. on WBAI 99.5 FM and www.wbai.org on "Haiti: The Struggle Continues," correspondent Yves Pierre-Louis will report on the growing confrontations between Haitian police and students at the State University of Haiti.

In several days of demonstrations, students called on President René Préval to sign into law the new $4.90 per day minimum wage recently approved by Parliament. They also asked for better conditions at the State University. Faced with no response from Préval and brutal repression (shootings, tear gas firing into the state hospital, beatings, and arrests) by the Haitian National Police and U.N. occupation troops, the university students are now openly calling for President Préval’s resignation.

Just back from Miami, co-host Kim Ives will report on the funeral services held there last weekend for the late Father Gérard Jean-Juste, who died May 27 of leukemia. Lavarice Gaudin, the leader of the grassroots group Veye Yo, will also talk about plans for the Jean-Juste's funeral and burial in Haiti next week.

Recently, former president Bill Clinton was appointed United Nations special envoy to Haiti. Co-host Roger Leduc will analyze that nomination, the April donors’ conference, the boycotted senatorial elections, and the difficulties within the Lavalas Family party.

Listen to "Haiti: The Struggle Continues" for news about Haiti and Haitians around the world in our new timeslot, Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. over WBAI 99.5 FM and www.wbai.org