Bartley... band performed to rapturous applause

JAMAICA was well represented at the recent ceremonies marking the 200th anniversary of Haitian independence from France, even though the country only sent its non-resident ambassador to Haiti, Peter Black, to January 1 Port-Au-Prince celebrations.

The C Sharp band, comprising current and former students of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, also attended the ceremonies, which were marred by violence.

The Haitian ministry of culture specially invited the group, which reportedly gave stirring renditions of various Jamaican musical forms to a capacity crowd in front of the National Palace.

Black... represented Jamaica at Haiti's bicentennial celebrations

Fresh from representing the country at Carifesta earlier in 2003, the group played a variety of current hits and folk music alongside bands from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and a dance group from Benin to "rapturous applause", according to Sydney Bartley, director of culture in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture. Bartley accompanied the group to Haiti.

The celebrations were, however, marred by clashes between supporters of Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide and government opponents who accused the president of trying to establish a dictatorship and using the bicentennial for his own purposes.

Last Sunday, more than 15,000 Aristide supporters chanting "Aristide is king", clashed with an estimated 5,000 government opponents who shouted, "down with Aristide".
Haiti is the first black republic to be established in the Western Hemisphere when former slaves led by Toussant L'ouverture overthrew the French colonisers in 1804.

Up close with Heineken Green Synergy finalists

Merritone looks to the future

Beenie Man arrives late for function to honour athletes; apologises