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Shots Fired, Cars Burned as Haiti Police Officers Hit Streets to Demand Back
Pay

Sandra Lemaire

   WASHINGTON/PORT-AU-PRINCE - Dozens of police officers took to the
   streets of Port-au-Prince Monday to demand the government pay them the
   money it owes them. The group, who fanned out on motorbikes, pickup
   trucks, SUVs and on foot, were accompanied by some civilian supporters.
   "We're out in the street today because we still haven't received what
   we asked for," a policeman, dressed in uniform, wearing a black face
   mask and holding a rifle told VOA Creole. He saidheis part of a group
   that calls itself "Fantom 509"and who represent thosekilled on the job.
   Fantom means ghost.

     Earlier this afternoon in [1]#Haiti shots fired as police from a
     group calling itself Fantom 509 hit the streets to protest. No
     social distancing in Port au Prince, where there are over 70
     [2]#COVID19 cases. ð¹Matiado Vilme [3]pic.twitter.com/tZTXpje5CC
     -- Sandra Lemaire (@SandraDVOA) [4]April 27, 2020

   The officer said they are asking the government to puta credit
   of25,000Haitian dollars on their debit cards and pay them
   a50,000Haitiandollarbase salary.Overall,they want better work
   conditions and a better salary.
   The officer, who did not give his name, also accused the Office
   National d'Assurance-Vieillesse(ONA),a
   governmentagencythatoverseesretirement benefits for government
   employees, ofcorruption and favoritism.
   "We know ONA doesn't provide loans to poor people like us, they only
   know lawmakers (and their relatives) like Youri's mother (Senator
   Latortue), senators and deputies," he said.
   "The living officers asked us to join them in the street today," a man,
   dressed in black clothing, a black hat, dark sunglasses and a black
   face mask told VOA. Asked who exactly the 'living officers' are, the
   masked man said they are the officers who work out of the police
   stations, responding to 911 calls, direct traffic and perform other law
   enforcement duties.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   3. https://t.co/tZTXpje5CC
   4. https://twitter.com/SandraDVOA/status/1254872402841960449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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