Arniquet

Arniquet (Kreyol: Anikè) is a commune located in the Port-Salut Arrondissement, under the Southern Department of Haiti. With an estimated population of 30,000, it lies 178 meters (583 feet) above sea level. Its position on the southwestern tip of the Tiburon Peninsula, facing the Caribbean Sea, allows it feast on an abundance of sunlight.

About[]

Located near 15 km (9 miles) from the city of Les Cayes, Arniquet forms a district with Port-Salut and Saint-Jean-du-Sud. This verdant and predominantly mountainous municipality is adjacent to the communes of Port-Salut, Torbeck and Saint-Jean-du-Sud. This corner of Haiti has the virtue of charming its visitors with its attractive landscape.

The town of Arniquet was elevated to the rank of commune in 1980. By its geographical position, it is an interior commune. Like most small villages across Haiti, Arniquet has few paved roads, no air strip, and electricity is infrequently delivered. Because of this undependable service, the villagers retire when the sun sets and get up when the sun rises.

Geography[]

Arniquet is located at 18.1472° N, 73.8757° W. According to the IHSI, the town has a total area of 59.29 square kilometers (22.89 mi2), of which 41.32 sq. km (70%) is rural, 17.27 sq. km (29%) is suburban, and 0.70 sq. km (1%) is urban. The land area consists primarily of highlands and a tropical climate.

Arniquet ranks 125th in land area of 145 communes in the Republic, and is the fourth-smallest town (behind Île-à-Vache, Roche-à-Bateaux and Port-Salut) in the Southern Department. It is bordered by Chantal on the northeast, Torbeck on the east, Port-Salut on the southeast, and Roche-à-Bateaux on the northwest. Arniquet is considered to be an coastal town on the western edge of the Les Cayes Plain, and is located approximately 16 km (10 miles) west of the city of Les Cayes.

Arniquet is mostly a rural setting, lying along the L'Acul River, which waters the plain of Les Cayes to the west. Its waters are abundant and also serve the neighboring communes of Port-Salut and Torbeck. To the southwest lies the Caribbean Sea, attached to the southern end of the Tiburon Peninsula. There are several localities throughout the city, but the most significant being Pointe Sable, a popular tourist area.

Demographics[]

The inhabitants of the town of Arniquet bear the name of Arniquois/e.

Year	Population	Change
1998	13,767^{88% Rural}
2009	26,536	+93%
2015	29,180	+10%

Neighborhoods[]

The commune has three communal sections:

ARN	Arniquet		29,180
VNQ	Ville de Arniquet	Urban	1,907
	1re Section Lazare	Rural	2,300	Chateau, Duclerc
	2ème Section Anse-à-Drick	Rural	15,685	Berger, Bergera, Blondin, Bouroux, Camori, Carpentier, Ca Stable, Desglacis, Dumeau, Gauthier, La Ferme, Lebon, Marshall, Maucas, Nan Bois, Nan Calou, Nan Garde, Nan Rue, Ravette, Vancol
ANQ	3ème Section D'Arniquet	Rural section	9,288	Antoine, Bassin, Cazeau, Griffon, La Hatte, Maillard, Mont Gérard, Ravette, Romain, Tampis

Economy[]

The local economy of Arniquet is based on agriculture, livestock, and commerce. In order of importance, the farmers cultivate corn, millet, bitter cassava or manihot utilisissima, sweet cassava or manihot opi, yam, sweet potatoes, beans of many varieties, plantain, real tree, breadfruit, and vetiver roots.

Livestock rearing include, in order of importance, goat, sheep, cattle, horse, mules, donkey and other domestic animals.

With regard to economic and financial infrastructures, a restaurant, a credit union and a marketing cooperative were counted in the municipality. For commercial establishments, the municipality has two large shops, a building materials shop, a cornmmill, cold drink vendors, and a bakery. Vendors in the town also import items for resale.

Exploitation of resources

The commune of Arniquet is enriched with resources that allow the manufacture of baskets with coconut leaves, Latanier Brooms {Crafts}, Vetiver and Latanier straw hats, Pine and Mahot ropes, Mats with banana leaves, Wooden chairs upholstered with palm leaves, blacksmith's tools, animal saddles, charcoal, and honey syrup. Workshop booths at Dunois (kay Boss TiTi) and at Ti Jean, sawing boards (mahogany and cedar) make it possible to diversify the commercial offer of the Commune.

Government[]

Since its rise to the rank of commune in 1976, Arniquet ignores its territorial and legal limits. Maurice Château, professor of the area and former mayor, explains, "Since 1976, one of the major problems of our community is the thorny issue of delimitation. Arniquet was initially the 3rd communal section of Port-Salut. By a decree of President Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1976, it became a municipality. This decree provided for a parish boundary until the final delimitation. Until today, no delimitation is yet done. This 3rd section starts from the Acul River, and ends at Pointe Sable, a well-known tourist site in the Southern Department. It is divided in two, a parish part and a legal part. The legal limit ends at Favette (a locality of Arniquet).

According to the spirit of the decree, the municipality of Arniquet also includes part of the 4th section of Port-Salut which ends between Babois and Douyon. "Territorial and juridically speaking, Arniquet is not a commune. Because its only communal section is separated", regrets Maurice Château. This situation is not without consequences on the development of the municipality and on the life of the citizens.

According to Professor Château, "Arniquet can not yet elect Casec or Asec in the localities provided for by the decree. These peasants are not interested in elections. The state is absent in their locality. There are no roads, no health centers, no schools. The various electoral laws give Port-Salut the prerogative to elect local authorities. Once elected, the authorities ignore their needs. The inhabitants of the communal sections situated between Port-Salut and Arniquet are generally in the embarrassment to benefit from the principal public services, in particular the health care, the justice, the documents of identity. They are obliged to seek these services from the nearest commune.

Infrastructure[]

Transportation[]

Arniquet rests at the end of connector route Route 205-B, which links it to the Route Nationale 2.

Since 2006, the municipality has worked to carry out its project of adoquinage (road building, using concrete slabs).

Another major concern of the Arniquois is the road that should link their locality to other municipalities in the department, including Les Cayes. The river was once a problem for Arniquois who wanted to access other communes, especially during rain and floods. To mitigate this situation, the National Equipment Center (CNE) had made a detour to the Cayes-Port-Salut Road near the Acul River bridge. Since then, the road is not maintained. It remains impracticable in rainy weather due to gullies that are not corrected.

Education[]

The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is not represented in the commune. Three kindergarten, several (25) primary schools (preschool level included), four secondary schools and two technical and vocational schools were identified in the commune. There is no literacy center, university, or other higher schools.

Health[]

The Ministry of Public Health is not represented in the municipality of Arniquet. The medical staff is composed of three nurses, seven auxiliaries and two certified matrons.

Utilities[]

The commune of Arniquet has three rivers, three sources, and public fountains equipped with twelve taps. With regard to electricity, only Downtown Arniquet is electrified by an electric motor, under the direction of the Electricity of Haiti (EDH). It also faces its difficulties. The electrical installations are 40 years old and have never been renovated.

"La plus belle commune"; Arniquet, , — "La plus belle commune"; Arniquet, SD, Haiti

Culture[]

Woman holding Vetiver roots; Arniquet, Haiti

Religion[]

On the religious side, 19 Catholic churches, two Baptist churches, one Adventist church, three Pentecostal churches, three churches of God, one Hall of the Kingdom of the Witnesses of Jehovah and another church (Eben-Ezer) were enumerated in the commune.

Communication[]

Arniquet has a radio station. The postal service exists only in the city. Mail delivery is done by the Post Office employee on foot.

Leisure[]

As for Culture and Leisure, the municipality of Arniquet has a theater, a cinema, a soccer field, two night clubs (Carmella and Osita), two libraries, five gaguères, and a public square (Place d'Armes). The town also hosts restaurants, a supermarket, a flea market, and a socio-cultural center. The town has natural sites like Acul du Sud, the ravine, Lake Mauritius, the Ranjha source, and the Figaro source.

Although some residents have deplored the lack of recreation for young people in this community, this town can charm visitors in a period of time. It has a green blanket. From the Morne Zephyr, one can explore the area, Torbeck and the city of Les Cayes. It is rich in food, including bananas, yams, and real tree. In addition, the Arniquois are famous for their hospitality.

Organizations[]

Many aid organizations operate in Arniquet, and several projects are in progress.

Catholic Relief Services has a long-term agreement to provide essential services to the community through the Multi-Year Assistance Program.
The Global Red Cross is also very active, running two initiatives: the Network Cholera Prevention and Treatment program and the Network Text Message Campaign. The first program aims to educate Haitians on how to purify drinking water and adopt cholera-prevention practices. The second initiative is a nationwide effort that allows Haitians to manage banking transactions using mobile phones, starting with an initial investment of just $7.00.
The Salvation Army is funding the repair and rebuilding of 24 of its schools through its Salvation Army World Service Office.
UNICEF Works with the Ministry of Health to provide healthcare services to vulnerable populations.

Peace Winds supports vocational training programs for youth in Arniquet Commune, including sewing, entrepreneurship, career planning, and marketing
AGRER Company implements the Agricultural Extension Services Fund (FSV), which provides subsidies for projects in technology transfer, agricultural research, and agricultural product storage and processing.