Members of the planning committee of the just concluded 16th All African Students Conference (AASC) held at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies, May 20-22 met with former Haitian President, Jean Bertrand Aristide at his residence in St. Ann on Labour Day. The eight students and faculty advisor Professor Verene Shepherd presented Mr. Aristide with a plaque and a citation designed to recognise his presence in Jamaica, his efforts to seek reparations for the Haitian people and for being the “Titid” of the poor. The plaque was presented to Mr Aristide by Aiwekoe Iyahen, the out-going president of the Marcus Garvey Movement.
The organising committee felt that the recognition was important in light of the bicentenary of the Haitian Independence and the United Nations year for the recognition of the fight against slavery. The 16th All African Students’ Conference was held under the theme “The Bicentenary of Haitian Independence and the Historical Significance of the Haitian Revolution; Prospects, Possibilities and Perspectives”. Mr. Aristide was also presented with abstracts of the papers presented at the conference by Ryan Williams the current President of the Marcus Garvey Movement.