Nearly 4 years after the decree of expropriation of Port-au-Prince center, 2 September 2010 http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1156-haiti-reconstructionpublication-of-the-decree-of-expropriation-for-the-pap-downtown.html issued under the Préval administration, which then declared 200 hectares, as area of public interest, and after repeal of of this decree by the Government Martelly / Lamothe May 29, 2012, reducing the size of this area to 30 hectares, is under a cloud of dust that the bulldozers and excavators in a hellish noise, began on Sunday the demolition works of houses located in the area of public utility.

Remember that these demolition works are the first phase of the construction of the future administrative city, to the costs of 150 million dollars, funded by Petrocaribe, the Treasury and fund coming from the cancellation of Haiti’s debt (currently available funds).

If the owners agree to be aware that the area had been declared a public utility, some of them visibly frustrated, say, under the condition of anonymity, not having been compensated in the context of expropriations…

Regarding compensation, Michel Présumé, the Secretary of State for Planning, recalled on Monday at a press conference that the expropriation process was far from being a spontaneous action, claiming that there was not here, arbitrary acts nor violations of citizens’ rights “We began a series of steps with different owners for over two years and we even organized a public hearing sessions in the premises of CEFOPAFOP (INAGHEI, avenue Christophe area) last August to inform building owners concerned about the process of expropriation http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9219-haiti-notice-public-hearing-of-expropriation-for-the-construction-of-the-administrative-city.html

Adding that money to compensate landowners affected by the expropriation was available in a bank in the capital. “We deposited this money in a deposit account, owners have just to appear with their original titles, so they can receive from the expropriation Committee the value of their land or their homes in accordance with the evaluation criteria for buildings. “Until now the expropriation process works very well and we have already compensated many owners over the last 6 months and the process continues for those who have not yet submitted their original title,” said the Secretary of State.

Recall that in March 2013, Michel Présumé, ho was then the Director of Public Buildings Division, of the Unit for Housing Construction and Public Buildings (UCLBP), revealed at the time, that between 20 and 30 million U.S. dollars was available to compensate homeowners who were carrying their title and complete the expropriation process.

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