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Panel: Dealing With the Plague of Insecurity

Sunday, May 28, 2023 @ 2:00 pm

On Demand (Virtual)

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Insecurity is a significant obstacle to improving living conditions in Haiti. Would sending an international force help pull Haiti out of the quagmire? This panel will explore the issue of insecurity in Haiti and its impact on the country’s ability to improve living conditions for its citizens. The panelists will discuss the root causes of insecurity, including political instability, poverty, and social unrest, and explore potential solutions. They will also discuss the possibility of sending an international force to help address the problem, including the benefits and drawbacks of such an approach.

RÉGINALD DELVA has an extensive background in security and military affairs. He completed his secondary education at the Institution Saint Louis de Gonzague in Haiti and pursued his military studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., from 1987 to 1991. After receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, Delva served as an instructor at the Military Academy in Haiti from 1991 to 1994.

Furthering his education, Delva studied investigative sciences at Florida’s Metro Dade Police Department from 1995 to 1996. In 1999, he underwent technical training in negotiations and communication technology to combat organized crime in Mexico. He has held various advisory roles in security, including serving as a security advisor for Haiti’s secretary of state for public security (1996-1998) the American embassy in Port-au-Prince (1998-2002), and Haiti’s minister of justice (2004-2005).

In addition to his advisory roles, Delva worked as a security advisor for President J.M. Martelly from 2010 to 2011, before being appointed secretary of state for public security (2011-2014). He then served as minister of the interior and territorial communities from 2014 to 2015. Delva has been responsible for the organization Alerte Haiti since 2005, and is currently a security consultant and general director of Delva Consulting.

CLARENS RENOIS is a distinguished Haitian journalist with an extensive career in both government and civic life. He earned a degree in communications from the Faculté des Sciences Humaines at the University of Haiti, and later pursued further journalism studies in the U.S. and Europe.

Rising to prominence following the fall of Jean-Claude Duvalier’s regime in 1986, Renois had already been serving as the news editor at Radio Metropole for two years; throughout his time there he taught journalism courses at various schools and conducted seminars across Haiti. He has held positions with numerous international media organizations, including Voice of America, CNN, ABC (U.S.), and CBC (Canada), as well as serving as a correspondent for Radio France International and Radio Suisse Romande. In recent years, Renois has served as bureau chief in Port-au-Prince for Agence France Presse and has managed HPNHAITI.COM (Haiti Press Network). He has also explored television, hosting shows like Perspectives and Tutti Frutti, and serving as a program director. Expanding his journalistic reach, he launched a business producing documentaries and founded Vues d’Haiti magazine.

Beyond his impressive career in journalism, Renois is a highly sought-after host and emcee for Haiti’s most prestigious social galas. As a former presidential candidate, he is the author of Sortir Haïti du Chaos and is a well-known voice actor for Mona Guérin’s Woy! Les Voilà! and Sophia Désir’s VIP. He has been married to a professional woman who works for the United Nations, and together they’ve raised three sons.

MARIE-LUCIE BONHOMME is a courageous and dedicated Haitian journalist who has spent the majority of her 42-year career hosting various shows on Radio Vision 2000. She established her reputation as a journalist during the second downfall of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004. Bonhomme is a graduate of the State University of Haiti and has studied at institutions in Paris and Belgium. She has also served as director of information for Radio Vision 2000.

Bonhomme has been recognized for her intrepid journalism and unwavering commitment to the public’s right to news, even in the face of life-threatening danger. She was recently honored as a “heroic woman” by Vital Voices Global Partnership at the Kennedy Center. Despite frequent death threats and attacks on her station, she continues to work tirelessly to inform the public, exemplifying her dedication to journalism and the people of Haiti.

In addition to her work in radio, Bonhomme has been involved in various community initiatives. She collaborated with fellow journalist Danielle Saint-Lot, now a Haitian government official, to expand the work of Vital Voices into the Americas; together they’ve reached out to thousands of women in Haiti, providing support and preparation for those seeking to run for office. Bonhomme’s unwavering commitment to her career and her country continues to inspire others and pave the way for future generations of journalists in Haiti.

ETZER EMILE is a prominent Haitian economist, business consultant, and author born September 1, 1985, in Cavaillon, who holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Université Quisqueya. He is also the founder and CEO of Haiti Efficace, a business consulting firm, and serves as president of Fondation Avenir. As a distinguished economist and consultant, Emile has worked with various public sector programs and entities, including the ministries of commerce and industry, tourism, and national education, as well as the prime minister’s office. In 2012, he began teaching at Université Quisqueya and has directed its Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation since 2015.

Additionally, Emile hosts an economic show on TV, radio, and social media, and for the past eight years has spoken at conferences in more than 100 cities in Haiti on topics such as civic education, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. In November 2017, he published Haiti has chosen to become a poor country: The twenty reasons that prove it, which has sold more than 25,000 copies.

In December 2020, Emile officially inaugurated the offices of his consulting firm, Haiti Efficace, and launched Fondation Avenir, the latter of which formalizes and centralizes his various nonprofit social activities, including free interventions, conferences, and youth support in financial education, civic education, personal development, and entrepreneurship.

Emile’s accomplishments have garnered numerous accolades and distinctions, including being named one of the 20 most influential young individuals in Haiti in 2017 by Ticket Magazine. In 2018, he received recognition from Stop Accidents for his efforts in combating road accidents in Haiti, and Challenges magazine listed him among the top 10 personalities of the year. He is also a 2019 recipient of the YoPro Prize for his positive impact on Haitian society, and was nominated by Le Nouvelliste as one of its 12 personalities of the year.

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