For the second time, the Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE), as part of International Day of Migrants and Refugees, held last Thursday, a ceremony with release of an official certificate "Honor and Merit", to six immigrants for their contributions to the Haitian society.
The ceremony was preceded by a roundtable entitled "consider international migration from Haiti" In addition to Edwin Parison, Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, was present Silié Ruben Valdez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Haiti, Guy Alexandre, a representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Professor Jean Marie Theodates from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
Paraison Minister said that his country [Haiti] has always been a welcoming land, even if sometimes, some Haitian leaders have adopted measures and policies unfavorable to the integration of immigrants.
The Dominican Ambassador, for his part acknowledged the "significant contribution" of Haitian migration in his country, recognizing that the Haitian labor in the production of sugar, played a "vital role" in urban development of cities like Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata and San Pedro de Macoris. He stressed that the ease with which Haitians speak foreign languages, led the Dominicans to use, the Haitian staff in the field of tourism and hospitality.
During this ceremony, each immigrant honored by the Haitian government, gave a testimony of its life and its contributions in Haiti: Joan Martineau (USA), married to a Haitian has 41 years of residence. Maureen Fuekell, a Canadian nun who has worked 47 years in Haiti, Jean Sprumont (Belgium) for 44 years. Juan Martínez Ventura photographer Dominican (originally from Boca Chica) for 11 years, and his compatriot Margarita Martinez (originally from Azua), in Haiti for 18 years who both belong to organizations of Dominican residents in Haiti.
