US embassy cable - 05PORTAUPRINCE1351

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/OCS/WHA: RUTH BRANSON 
ALSO FOR WHA/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, HA, ASEC 
SUBJECT: Consular Visit to Jacmel 
 
 
1.  Summary.  Jacmel, traditionally an arts center on 
Haiti's southeastern coast, now welcomes increasing numbers 
of Americans as residents or tourists.  ConOff's May 9-10 
visit to Jacmel found a city struggling with weak police and 
medical services but with a well-connected American 
community.  End Summary. 
 
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Tight-Knit Wardens 
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2.  ConOff met with all four of the Jacmel region wardens. 
It is apparent that the wardens know each other and the 
Jacmel area well.  One of the wardens, James Cadet, plays an 
instrumental part in the revitalization of the Jacmel 
tourist scene and possesses a number of useful contacts in 
the Jacmel area.  ConOff discussed with wardens the 
challenges they face in maintaining contact with U.S. 
citizens in Jacmel and updating their registration lists. 
The wardens plan to divide the single Jacmel city zone into 
three smaller sub-zones to make it easier for them to 
contact U.S. citizens living there. 
 
3.  Several of the wardens reported an increasing number of 
Americans living and visiting thee area.  Mr. Cadet stated 
that land values now surpass those of Petionville (an 
exclusive suburb of Port-au-Prince) due to the influx of 
Americans buying land.  He went on to report that a festival 
held on May 1 drew many American tourists and that the city 
is planning many similar events in the future. 
 
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A well-attended Town Hall Meeting 
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4.  Twenty-four (24) U.S. citizens attended a town hall 
meeting on Monday, May 9, 2005.  ConOff described the work 
done in the Consular Section and the ACS unit's capacity to 
help U.S. citizens living in Haiti.  ConOff stressed the 
importance of registering with the ACS unit, resulting in 
six new registrations.  ConOff also accepted Social Security 
applications from U.S. citizens afraid to travel to Port-au- 
Prince and answered wide-ranging questions on visa 
procedures, passport requirements, and services provided to 
U.S. citizens in emergencies. 
 
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Police lacking bullets, radios, and tear gas 
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5.  According to Fritz Gerald Marcel, Southern Departmental 
Director of the Haitian National Police (HNP), and Alain 
Auguste, Jacmel police chief, the police force in Jacmel 
lacks sufficient equipment to perform its work.  ConOff met 
with the two Police officials on Monday, May 9.  They stated 
they were severely under-equipped with limited supplies of 
bullets and weapons and no tear gas at their disposal.  Mr. 
Marcel, the departmental director, mentioned he lacked the 
capacity to communicate quickly with police stations in 
outlying areas due to a faulty radio system.  Mr. Marcel 
also reported that he had asked, to no avail, for more 
police equipment six months ago. In spite of their limited 
resources the two police officers described a very calm 
security situation in Jacmel.  They reported the HNP had a 
nightly presence on the streets of Jacmel.  Mr. Marcel 
stated the most frequently reported crimes were sexual 
assaults on minors and small-scale robberies with the total 
absence of kidnappings. 
 
6.  ConOff toured the Jacmel Police Station and civil prison 
on Tuesday, May 10 with Mr. Auguste.  The police station is 
clean and appears in good repair.  The holding cells in the 
police station did not appear to be crowded.  The prison 
cells have beds and the prison appears cleaner than prisons 
in Port-au-Prince.  Unfortunately, the infirmary and prison 
toilets were destroyed during the events surrounding ex- 
President Aristide's departure in February, 2004 and have 
not yet been repaired.  Justice moves as slowly in Jacmel as 
it does in Port-au-Prince. There are 122 prisoners in the 
prison of which only 17 have been formally convicted and 
sentenced. 
 
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Dedicated doctors without life-saving equipment 
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7.  The public hospital lacks life-saving equipment 
according to its director, Dr. Edmond Pierre.  ConOff met 
with Dr. Pierre on May 9 and toured his hospital the 
following day.  Saint Michel Hospital is the only public 
hospital in Jacmel.  It is a 96-bed facility with 12 
doctors.  According to Dr. Pierre, the hospital has a team 
of health care practitioners dedicated to responding to 
sexual assaults.  There is a doctor at the hospital at all 
hours; however, the hospital lacks the normal life-saving 
equipment one would find in an American emergency room. 
Additionally, the hospital's one ambulance is frequently 
employed for divers other purposes and is not available for 
emergency use. 
8.  ConOff's tour of the hospital complex revealed a clean 
facility without any noxious odors.  There are private rooms 
available for a supplemental charge.  The hospital does have 
a morgue, which, according to Dr. Pierre, is often the 
victim of power outages. 
 
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Jacmel needs continuing consular outreach 
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9.  Comment. The American population in Jacmel is large and 
continues to grow with the increasing possibility of 
sustained tourism.  The public officials ConOff met with 
appeared dedicated to their jobs and eager to help Americans 
in need in spite of their lack of resources.  The U.S. 
citizen wardens in Jacmel are well integrated into the 
community and provide valuable services to U.S. citizens in 
Jacmel.  Unfortunately, with the increasing presence of U.S. 
citizens in Jacmel, the opportunities for misfortune also 
increase.  The ACS unit will continue to build bridges to 
contacts in Jacmel who can aid U.S. citizens who find 
themselves in need there. End Comment. 
Griffiths