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WORLD NEWSTuesday 9 February 2016

Haiti: Police: 2 dead,
6 hurt at political
Martelly departs to make way for interim government rally in Jamaica

Haiti’s outgoing President Michel Martelly delivers a goodbye salute to supporters before tucking U.N. peacekeeping force DAVID McFADDEN
into his vehicle outside the parliament building in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Mar- came to stabilize the coun- Associated Press
telly made his farewell address to Parliament Sunday, leaving office with no leader yet chosen to try. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)
fill the void left by his departure. Lawmakers are beginning a process to patch together a short- This time, with quarrelling — Two men were killed and
term interim government. political factions throwing six others were wounded
Haiti into an electoral and when gunfire broke out at
(AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) constitutional crisis, a last- a rally of Jamaica’s main
minute deal was forged opposition party during the
DAVID McFADDEN tion was postponed.” Ad- a process to patch togeth- by Martelly and lawmakers opening of this year’s cam-
Associated Press dressing the Haitian people, er a short-term interim gov- less than 24 hours before his paign season, island police
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) he said he worked as hard ernment to smooth political scheduled departure from said Monday.
— President Michel Martelly as he could to improve the divisions and fill the void left office. A special mission The Jamaica Constabulary
made his farewell speech country and was “ready to by Martelly’s departure. from the 35-nation Organi- Force has not released a
to Haiti as he departed of- answer before the court of Prime Minister Evans Paul zation of American States motive but said there was
fice late Sunday with no history.” remains in office for now, was in Haiti to observe last no sign that the violence
successor yet chosen be- Martelly, who took office in awaiting a provisional pres- week’s negotiations and at the crowded rally in the
cause a runoff election May 2011, is departing on ident to be chosen by Par- help foster dialogue. northern city of Montego
was delayed for a second what was scheduled as the liament in the coming days. The deal announced Sat- Bay was politically motivat-
time last month amid vio- first day of Port-au-Prince’s Haiti last created a transi- urday says an interim gov- ed. No shots were fired at
lent protests and deep sus- annual three-day Carni- tional government in 2004. ernment will rule until an a podium where Jamaica
picions about vote rigging. val celebration. However, That interim administration, elected leader can take Labor Party leader Andrew
In a nearly 20-minute authorities called off Sun- which lasted for two years, office May 14. The twice Holness was speaking at
speech before a joint ses- day’s festivities because of took power in the chaotic postponed presidential the time.
sion of Parliament, Martelly a tense atmosphere amid days after President Jean and legislative runoff is re- “Based on our investiga-
said his “biggest regret is the political uncertainty. Bertrand-Aristide was oust- scheduled for April 24. tions so far, there is no evi-
that the presidential elec- Lawmakers are beginning ed by a rebellion and a Martelly expressed satis- dence to suggest that the
faction with the agree- incident was politically mo-
ment, saying lawmakers tivated. The shooting result-
“gave me a guarantee ed from a dispute among
that the country is going to known persons who were
be stable.” in attendance at the pub-
He handed over his presi- lic meeting,” said Police
dential sash after his ad- Commissioner Carl Wil-
dress and embraced many liams.
of the 23 senators and 86 One of the dead men was
deputies in the National As- identified by police as a
sembly. The senators wore gang member from Flank-
black suits and hats while ers, a troubled community
the deputies wore white. near the resort town’s inter-
Seven legislators were ab- national airport.
sent. When the gunshots rang
Senate President Jocel- out, Holness was hustled off
erme Privert said Parlia- the stage in a city square
ment will accept nomi- as many of those who at-
nations for a provisional tended the late Sunday
president over the next five rally scattered in a panic.
days. q Jamaica is awash in illegal
guns and has long been
Tattoos rebound in Cuba after years underground ranked as among the most
violent countries in the
ANDREA RODRIGUEZ Guatemala. The studio where Coca has done some 600 tattoos world.
Associated Press During the sinful heydays works, La Marca, or The for a mix of Cuban and for- Local media has reported
HAVANA (AP) — Bent in of the 1950s, tattoos were Brand, is the most salient eign clients. It’s been used that three people were
concentration beneath for the sailors prowling Ha- example of Cuba’s new as a space for government- killed, but investigators
the vaulted ceiling of his vana’s waterfront and acceptance of tattooing. sponsored art events and were putting the fatalities
Old Havana studio, Mauro boozy tourists lurching from The studio sits on two floors its managers say they’ve at two late Monday morn-
Coca draws a tropical bird sex shows to gambling of a refurbished colonial never had any trouble with ing.
in blue ink down the length dens. building in the middle of the state despite their lack Jamaica will hold early
of Julivic Marquez’s arm. Old Havana, the govern- of a license explicitly per- general elections on Feb.
“That’s really good,” the The socialist revolution ment-restored heart of the mitting tattooing. 25. The contest will pit the
21-year-old art student drove tattooing even fur- city, giving it the clear if Like so many other activi- ruling People’s National
says, and Coca presses his ther underground, with tacit endorsement of the ties in Cuba, tattooing is Party of Prime Minister Por-
electric needle to her fore- health inspectors and po- City Historian’s Office, the neither illegal nor explicitly tia Simpson Miller against
arm. She winces as the nee- lice raiding studios seen as agency overseeing every permitted and regulated, the faction led by Holness,
dle buzzes across her skin, health hazards and vestig- aspect of development in leaving it operating in the who led Jamaica for just
inking the first centimeters es of capitalist immorality. Havana’s most important gray area Cubans refer to over two months before his
of what will take nine hours Now skin art is on the re- tourist attraction. as “alegal,” meaning sim- party lost 2011 elections by
to become a red, blue and bound in Cuba, with hun- La Marca opened a year ply that something lacks a 2-1 margin.q
green quetzal, the brilliant- dreds of tattoo parlors op- ago on one of Old Ha- any legal status, positive or
ly colored national bird of erating largely unmolested vana’s busiest streets and negative. q
across the country.