Overview:
A part of Resort Le Flambeau is being demolished after officers warned that it was too near Cap-Haïtien’s Canal of Vertières, a key flood-control waterway. Throughout a go to on Feb. 7, Delegate Marc Présumé gave the resort’s administration and the house owners of different properties alongside the canal seven days to hold out the demolition.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Administration of Resort Le Flambeau has begun demolishing a part of its construction, situated lower than three meters from the Canal of Vertières, in Cap-Haïtien, following a seven-day ultimatum issued by metropolis officers.
Throughout a February 7 go to to the positioning, Departmental Delegate Marc Présumé ordered the resort and different property house owners to take away buildings constructed too near or over the canal. This canal is a key flood-control waterway that runs from the hilly neighborhood of Des Charriers all the way down to Vertières.
The canal is designed to divert water and stop flooding. However residents say building alongside its banks has obstructed its stream, contributing to frequent flooding in Vertières throughout heavy rains — generally leaving residents unable to depart their properties. Buildings erected inside just a few meters of the canal are additionally susceptible to landslides through the wet season.
Whereas residents in Des Charriers nonetheless use sections of the canal for bathing and washing, the water beneath in Vertières is closely polluted and unusable.
Resort Le Flambeau’s administration agreed with The Haitian Instances to remark for this story, however had not made a consultant obtainable by publication time.
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Water from the Canal of Vertières flows proper subsequent to Resort Le Flambeau’s wall. Photograph by Onz Chéry / The Haitian Instances
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The Canal of Vertieres as seen on Feb. 11, 2026. Photograph by Onz Chery/ The Haitian Instances
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A person stands by the doorway to Resort Le Flambeau on Feb. 11, 2026, close to the construction below demolition. Photograph by Onz Chéry/The Haitian Instances
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Partial view of demolition work at Resort Le Flambeau on Feb. 11, 2026. Photograph by Onz Chéry/The Haitian Instances
A revived demolition effort
Présumé’s order follows an identical discover issued by Metropolis Corridor authorities in January 2024, when property owners were given seven days to remove structures built less than three feet from the canal. The order was never enforced.
At least 10 structures in Vertières and Des Charriers are on the current demolition list, including homes, small businesses, a lottery shop, the Shalom School — a private preschool through high school — and Hotel Le Flambeau.
The northern delegate’s latest action comes about a month after he oversaw the demolition of 17 structures built within five meters of the sidewalk along The Boulevard on Jan. 9. Plux Hotel, owned by Eddy Salomon, was the first building torn down, fueling speculation that the crackdown stemmed from a personal dispute — an allegation officials have not addressed.
Présumé, who took office in March 2025, has drawn both praise and controversy for enforcing regulations that previous administrations left untouched.
However, he has yet to return to Vertières following the Feb. 14 deadline. Rumors circulated that he fell ill on Feb. 10 and was hospitalized, but he did not respond to requests for comment from The Haitian Times regarding his health or the demolition plans.
“We need to support Présumé because the city needs leaders who are not afraid to make certain decisions.”
Sandley Calixte, Vertières resident
After clearing The Boulevard road’s sidewalk, Présumé ordered trucks not to park along the roadway and announced plans to install public seating where structures once stood. Trucks, however, continue to park there, and the seating has not yet been installed.
Residents voice support — and concerns
Many Vertières residents back the demolition effort, saying it is necessary to reduce flooding.
“Someone needs to say no to people building anywhere they find space — that’s what Présumé is doing,” said Sandley Calixte, 40. “We need leaders who are not afraid to make certain decisions.”
Rony Israël, 36, who operates a tricycle repair shop near the canal and is unsure whether his structure will be affected, also supports the initiative.
“The work is necessary,” Israël said. “When the canal flows properly, we won’t have trouble when it rains.”
Still, residents say clearing buildings alone will not solve the problem. The canal is clogged with plastic bottles, food containers and other waste. What was once clear irrigation water in the 1990s is now dark brown.
Peterson Forges, 30, supports the demolitions but urges broader action.
“They need to deal with the sand buildup in the canal,” he said. “And people need somewhere to throw away their trash. The garbage problem is severe. Truck drivers need to start coming.”
As of publication, it remains unclear whether Présumé will return to enforce additional demolitions along the Canal of Vertières.