Visit to the Iles Cayemites

By Donna M. Forde

15/9/95 - Micivih-Zen

Les Cayes has its Ile à Vache, Port-de-Paix, its Ile de La Tortue. Ile de La Gonave lies off Port-au-Prince. Well Jérémie has the Iles Cayemites. These islands lie approximately 35 kilometers from mainland Jérémie and three and a half hours by boat. Last July, Jérémie base Observers Marguerite Garcia and Donna Forde hitched a ride with Marins Sans Frontières on the Tatou to investigate some cases on the islands. Marins Sans Frontières, a French NGO makes weekly trips to the islands to transport humanitarian supplies and medical personnel to conduct clinics. The closest doctor is several hours away by boat.

The islands are dependencies of the commune of Pestel. Its 18,000 inhabitants are spread out among Pointe Sable (1,600), Anse à Macon (Capital 2,500), Les Bases (500) and Boukan Philippe (350). Of the islands Pointe Sable is the most prosperous. A fisheries project owned by the Frères Simon in Port-au-Prince has brought the island a maternity clinic, electricity and a school.

The other islands are not so fortunate. Observers witnessed some of the most difficult living circumstances in Haiti. The almost entire lack of running water, electricity only available on Pointe-Sable through the generator of the fisheries project), isolation, lack of health facilities, schools and arable land.

On some of the islands there is limited agriculture, especially of corn, sugar cane, fruits. The lack of arable land and the low rain fall are not enough to ward off the hunger, malnutrition, orange hair, seemingly more prevalent here than in most places in Jérémie, Haiti's bread basket. In spite of this gloomy picture, the future bodes well for the Iles Cayemites once development finally arrives. Its inhabitants feel forgotten and anxiously long for better days. Once Haiti's tourism industry revives, the Iles Cayemites are perfectly poised to offer up their beauty in exchange for development. With adequate facilities, these islands can be a major drawing card.

In spite of the hot sun, long treks, hard work and difficult to locate witnesses, Observers spent an enjoyable two and a half days on the islands. Sleeping on the boat "à la belle étoile" by night and soaking up the exotic scenery of white sand beaches while visiting the islands by day. Unfortunately we cannot boast of boldly going where no MICIVIH has gone before. Observers Tom Riess and Michael Wilson had already visited the islands in April to investigate a murder.

Hopefully, MICIVIH Zen will fall into the hands of developers or Government agencies with a few dollars to spend on the islands. They really need the help.

Jérémie