Overview:
Residents of Port-de-Paix hope a new interim council will reverse years of poor governance, restore sanitation and improve living conditions. For many, the leadership change represents a long-awaited opportunity to restore order and dignity in a coastal city increasingly described as unlivable.
PORT-DE-PAIX— A newly installed three-member interim municipal council is raising cautious hope in Port-de-Paix, where residents expect urgent action to reverse years of mismanagement that have left Haiti’s Northwest capital struggling with severe sanitation problems and deteriorating living conditions.
Sworn in March 27 and installed on March 31, the new council replaces the administration led by former mayor Josué Alusma, whose decade in office was widely criticized by residents and observers as ineffective. During that period, basic public services declined sharply, waste management systems collapsed, and urban planning was largely absent, contributing to chronic flooding, environmental degradation and growing piles of trash across the city.
For many residents, the leadership change represents a long-awaited opportunity to restore order and dignity in a city increasingly described as unlivable.
A city strained by years of neglect amid new leadership, high expectations
Over the past decade, Port-de-Paix has faced mounting challenges: from limited access to potable water and basic sanitation services to poor drainage infrastructure and unregulated urban expansion. Flooding has become frequent, while public spaces have been overtaken by informal markets, worsening sanitation and congestion.
Residents and local observers say successive municipal authorities failed to implement sustainable solutions, leaving the city to deteriorate.
“After more than 10 years of inertia and mediocrity in municipal governance, this change feels like a breath of fresh air,” said Johnson Jean-Baptiste, a university professor.
Some municipal employees say the dysfunction extended internally, with workers going more than two years without pay. One employee, speaking anonymously, said staff are owed up to 30 months in salary but remain willing to collaborate with the new administration.
The interim council is led by Ralph Moreau, an entrepreneur and town educator for over three decades. Alongside Moreay, who is also a journalist and has been the CEO of Radio Planète FM for over 20 years, is IT specialist Barbara Dolanda Wendy Mertilus and deputy mayor Jamesky Jeanty, a lawyer and journalist. With both Mertilus and Jeanty in their mid-thirties, the interim council combines experience and youth.
“Together, with determination, we will lead our city on the path to recovery and progress. Let’s stay united: victory is ours.”
Ralph Moreau, Council president
Moreau has pledged to prioritize transparency, citizen participation and accountability.
“Our administration will be built on trust, communication and public service,” he said in his inaugural speech. “We will be a team of unifiers.”
Residents say expectations are high, particularly on sanitation.
“This council must decongest the city and make it livable,” said Dieuna Marcelus, 35.
Others hope the city can regain its former reputation for cleanliness.
“When they leave office, they must leave a better municipality than they inherited,” said attorney Lavaroche Rock.
Fritzner Myrtil agreed. “Under the previous municipal administration, the city sank deeper into unsanitary conditions,” he said. “Our beloved coastal town completely regressed. The former mayor acted more as a destroyer than as a visionary.”
Immediate priorities: sanitation and urban order
Moreau has outlined initial measures, including restoring waste collection, reclaiming public spaces occupied by street vendors and relaunching civic practices such as residents cleaning areas in front of their homes.
“We must be able to walk and sit in our public spaces again,” he said, acknowledging that some decisions may be unpopular but necessary.
“Unpopular measures will be implemented gradually, alongside public education campaigns,” the council president added.
Authorities are also considering relocating City Hall back to its original building as part of broader efforts to restore institutional stability.
Community involvement seen as key
Local leaders and residents emphasize that reversing a decade of decline will require collective effort.
“All sectors must contribute — merchants, religious groups, civil society — to transform the city,” said agronomist Monfort Télusnord of the Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES) in an interview with The Haitian Times.
Entrepreneur Guy Macena also pointed to the role of the diaspora in supporting recovery efforts.
“The diaspora will lend a hand to help change the face of the city,” he said.
Despite renewed optimism, challenges remain significant. The city’s infrastructure deficits, environmental damage and institutional weaknesses will require sustained investment and governance reforms.
For now, residents are watching closely to see whether the new council can deliver on its promises.
“Progress will only be possible if we change our mentality,” Moreau said. “Without that, nothing will improve.”
For many in Port-de-Paix, the transition marks not just a change in leadership, but a test of whether meaningful governance can finally take hold after years of decline.
“We are ready to work with the new team to bring about effective change in our city. For a long time, we have shown our willingness to work, despite being owed about 30 months’ salary,” said an employee who requested anonymity to avoid potential retaliation.
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