Overview:
Cap-Haïtien authorities partially demolished at the least 17 constructions alongside The Boulevard on Jan. 9, citing violations of a rule requiring companies to be constructed at the least 5 meters from the sidewalk. The operation, overseen by Northern Delegate Marc Présumé, affected eating places, inns, and different companies in one of many metropolis’s busiest areas and sparked public backlash, together with the arrest of a person through the demolition.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Cap-Haïtien’s native authorities partially demolished at the least 17 constructions alongside The Boulevard on Jan. 9, concentrating on eating places, inns, and different buildings, officers stated, that had been constructed too near the sidewalk and failed to satisfy a required five-meter setback.
The operation, carried out with an excavator, sparked pressure on the bottom.
Metropolis officers stated the demolitions had been meant to clear sidewalks for pedestrians. However some enterprise house owners and residents questioned how authorities chosen which constructions to focus on, arguing that enforcement appeared uneven.
A number of of the affected companies, together with Barik Restaurant and Plux Lodge, had already sustained injury throughout a hearth on Might 27.
Barik’s supervisor, Henry Max Antoine, stated the restaurant revered the five-meter rule and mustn’t have been touched.
“Why did he destroy right here? We’re not on the sidewalk, we’re not occupying the sidewalk,” Antoine stated as he regarded on the particles. “I can’t say it’s as a result of he has a difficulty with me as a result of I don’t assume I’ve issues with him [Northern Delegate Marc Présumé].”
The stress escalated because the demolition unfolded.
Cap-Haitien Nationwide Police arrested a person after he pushed the town legal professional, Éno Zéphirin. Zéphirin later struck the person within the face after his arrest, in accordance with witnesses on the scene. The person, who has not been publicly recognized, was bleeding from the top after cops pushed him to the bottom whereas detaining him.
“Look ahead to authorized motion for impertinence, lack of respect, irreverence in opposition to the town legal professional,” Zéphirin informed reporters.
Residents regarded on as excavators tore into constructions alongside the Boulevard’s most frequented business areas. Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Allegations of selective demolition
Sources informed The Haitian Instances that Northern Delegate Marc Présumé might have ordered the demolition following a dispute with Eddy Salomon, the proprietor of Plux Lodge. Plux was the primary construction demolished that day, adopted shortly by Barik, which Salomon beforehand owned.
Présumé denied the allegation.
“We didn’t come right here to destroy. If we got here right here to destroy, we might’ve destroyed all the things we discovered on The Boulevard,” Présumé informed reporters. “We had been in search of sidewalks as a result of sidewalks are for folks to stroll on.”
He added that authorities plan to wash up particles and set up chairs alongside the sidewalk for public use.
It’s unclear whether or not the town authorities notified enterprise house owners in writing earlier than the demolition. Northern Delegate Marc Présumé started dismantling components of Plux Lodge on Dec. 23, however proprietor Eddy Salomon rebuilt a brief construction shortly afterward. Présumé returned to The Boulevard on the night of Jan. 8 and informed enterprise house owners he would resume demolition alongside the sidewalk the next morning at 10 a.m.
Enterprise left untouched
Regardless of the enforcement, a number of widespread institutions on The Boulevard weren’t broken, together with Lakay Bar Restaurant, Gwòg Bar n’ Grill, and Boukanye Bar & Grill—fueling additional debate about consistency.
Présumé stopped in entrance of Lakay Bar Restaurant through the operation and instructed workers to take away massive containers from the sidewalk. Shoppers normally sit on the sidewalk in entrance of Lakay. Staff at Lakay and Boukanye moved chairs and seating indoors earlier than demolition crews arrived of their areas.
Along with Présumé and Zéphirin, Mayor Angie Bell was additionally current through the operation.
“All of the work must be completed; this received’t be accomplished in a single weekend,” Bell informed reporters. “We have now to go to the mountains too, as a result of the development there isn’t good both. They should destroy them, not simply The Boulevard, all over the place, so we don’t lose the town.”
Cap-Haitien authorities carried out a demolition operation on The Boulevard on January 9, 2026
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
-
Residents regarded on as an excavator tore into constructions alongside The Boulevard, one among Cap-Haïtien’s most frequented business areas.
Some residents helped enterprise house owners transfer meals carts and tools out of the way in which, whereas others shouted at authorities in frustration.
Through the operation, one man was arrested after pushing Metropolis Legal professional Éno Zéphirin.
Here’s a itemizing of 16 recognized institutions demolished
1. Barik Restaurant
2. Plux Lodge
3. Plux Lodge restaurant
4. Potiwa Cap-Haïtien (pizza spot)
5. Aaden’s (meals carts)
6. Cap Quick Meals (meals cart)
7. Hainet’s (web service supplier)
8. Sans Souci FM (radio station)
9. Uvis (ice cream spot)
10. Kingdom of Jehovah’s Witnesses (church)
11. Orchestre Septentrional (music band headquarters)
12. Retrouvailles Lodge
13. Lottery kiosk
14. Vayb Home Bar Resto
15. BM Multi Service (copy/ printing companies)/ Bien Transport
16. Centre Windfall (sells drinks in inventory)
17. Unknown
It stays unclear when authorities will proceed demolition work alongside The Boulevard. For now, the realm appears to be like markedly totally different. The place residents as soon as moved freely between eating places and storefronts, piles of particles now line the sidewalks. The Boulevard—lengthy cherished by residents as a social and business hub—has misplaced a lot of its attraction amid the enforcement of building guidelines and lingering questions on how choices had been made.