Haitian students eat, clap, dance, sing

Deep fried pork (griot), red beans and rice, fried chicken, Russian salad and fried plantain rank among traditional Haitian dishes. They were laid out for about 53 Haitian students at Sir Arthur Lewis Hall, St Augustine, on Christmas Eve (Friday night).  Occasion was a Christmas Eve dinner hosted by T&T missionary Avonelle Hector-Joseph and charitable organisation Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC). They received gifts of cellphones and key chains. Hector-Joseph said: “For most students, this is probably their first Christmas away from home. Many of them would have lost loved ones or would have known somebody who passed on.  Without most of those dynamics, these Haitian students have to face, being away from home is hard.  Christmas Eve night is the special night in Haiti.”

Hector-Joseph put the meal together with the assistance of student Paul Andre. Raised in Venezuela, he specialises in French pastries. Among those present were special guest UWI’s Prof Clement Imbert, Deputy Dean, Undergraduate Student Affairs. Along with St Augustine Campus principal Prof Clement Sankat, Imbert was instrumental in ensuring their arrival to study management and agriculture.  During the formalities, several students paid kudos to Imbert who they described as “their father.” Their tertiary education was disrupted after the devastating earthquake on January 12 which killed 300, 000 people. Before savouring the sumptuous meal, the students were entertained by calypsonians. Students were spotted clapping, dancing and singing to music from Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung and Winston Scarborough.