"Fòk de klòch sonnen pou konn verite-a."
[You must hear] two bells ring to learn the truth.
-Haitian proverb
Belle-Anse (Kreyòl: Bèlans; English: "Beautiful Cove") is a coastal city in the Southeast Department of Haiti. It is located on the Caribbean Sea, 82 km south of the capital, approximately halfway between Jacmel and the Anse-à-Pitres border crossing with D.R. With a population of 69,000 as determined by the 2015 Census, it is the third-most populous city in the Southeast department after Jacmel and Bainet. Belle-Anse is the principal municipality of the Belle-Anse Arrondissement, which had a total population of 158,081 in 2015.
Location in Haiti
An important center of the fishing industry and a popular summer destination, Belle-Anse consists of an urban core in the middle of its coast and the outlying neighborhoods of Mapou, Bel-Air, Mabriole, and Orange Bay. Its fishing heritage is reflected in it's quaint seaside landscape. Belle-Anse is a green city. In spite of the demand of road infrastructures, the city offers an attractive image, thanks to its greenery and its natural richnesses.
History[]
Before Europeans arrived, the area was the home of the Taino tribe of the Arawak peoples, who lived in villages around the harbor and subsisted off local fisheries and the farming of agriculture. A Law promulgated in September 14, 1881, transformed Saltrou and Grand-Gosier into a military line at the same time as a fourth class arrondissement. In November 1960, Saltrou's name was changed to Belle-Anse and the arrondissement adopted the same appellation.
Geography[]
Belle-Anse
Belle-Anse is located at 18.2383019, -72.0661883. According to the IHSI, the city has a total area of 381.27 square kilometers (147.21 Square miles). It's primary settlement, Ville de Belle-Anse, occupies an area of 0.93 km² (0.35 mi²) with a density of 4,847 inhabitants per km² (12,880 per sq. mi.)
Belle-Anse occupies most of the central third of the Southeast Department's coastline. The city is split in half by the Rivière Guimby, which flows southward through the middle of the city into the Caribbean Sea, forming much of the boundary between the 4th (Corail-Lamothe) and 5th (Bel-Air) sections. Belle-Anse rests between the sea and the mountains. In the northwest corner of town lies Parc La Visité, a large forested area on the Chaîne de la Selle Mountain range. The eastern side of the commune consists of a plateau and foothills. The land in the north and west of the town ascends toward the mountains. There are several peaks in the city, the highest of which are Tête Donasse (1510m, 4,950 ft) and Morne Bois-Pin (Mount Pinewood, 2,262m, 7,421 ft).
Belle-Anse lies between Kenscoff, Croix-des-Bouquets, and Fonds-Verrettes to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The city is bordered on the east by Grand-Gosier, and on the west by Marigot. (The town line with the northern communes is located across mountain peaks and as such there is limited land connection between the towns.) Belle-Anse lies about 72 km (45 miles) east of Jacmel and 68 km (42 miles) west of the border with D.R.
The commune has about 191 localities and 102 habitations. Its inhabitants are called Belle-Ansois. The climate is fresh.
Neighborhoods
| BLA | Belle-Anse | 75,951 | Localities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VBS | Ville de Belle-Anse | 4,508 | ||
| QMA | Quartier De Mapou | 442 | ||
| BOG | 1ère Section Bais D'Orange | 9,885 | Adieu Au Monde, Baie d'Orange, Baptiste, Bois Codine, Bois de Lenthel, Bois Pin, Cacoli, Carrefour Bordes, Coutelas, Dubois, Grand-Bois, Grande-Ravine, Herbe-Guinée, La Serre, La Source, Lisaille, Mare Kadeneau, Nan Figue, Nan Noël, Nan Pal, Plaisir, Présaille, Satorfer, Seguin, Terre-Pois, Terre-Rouge, Tête-Opaque, Ti Zorange. | |
| MBR | 2ème Section Mabriole | 10,903 | Bas la Serre, Boie d'Orange, Bois Pinpince, Calice, Caporal, Chaudry, Decabon, Fond Baptiste, Grand Bois, Grand Platon, La Serre, Macaron, Mare Brignol, Mare Plate, Matilo, Minerve, Nan Plaisir, Ti Bois Pin, Trois Mats. | |
| CAL | 3ème Section Callumette | 5,453 | Bassin Prince, Cagareau, Calumette, Ca Madame, Haut Fort, Nan l'Etang, Nan Malgré, Nan Ravine, Plateau l'abbé, Sateigne. | |
| COL | 4ème Section Corail Lamothe | 10,139 | Beland, Bourg-à-Chique, Calumette, Caporal, Commandant, Corail Lamothe, Gros l'Abime, Mare Blanche, Mare l'Etang, Nan Palmiste, Nan Porot, Rasquet, Savanne Large. | |
| BER | 5eme Section Bel-Air | 12,590 | ||
| PIH | 6eme Section Pichon | 9,326 | Ca Compè, Corail, Grande Savane, Nan Abbé, Nan Platon, Nan Poteau, Passe Lafleur, Pichon, Préchet, Roseau | |
| MAP | 7eme Section Mapou | 12,705 | Bois Tombé, Boucan Miguel, Ca Marchas, Ca Mentor, Camilus, Cibao, Citadelle, Des Angles, Falaise-Blanche, Grande-Colline, Mapou, Mare Héros, Nan Anguille, Nan Poteau, Petrier, Platon Mapou, Ridorée, Roche Blanche, Tête Donasse, Ti Place |
Orange Bay, the first communal section of Belle-Anse, is a zone delivered to itself, devoid of almost all basic infrastructure.
Demographics
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 31,958 | |
| 2004 | 51,707 | +62% |
| 2009 | 69,071 | +34% |
| 2015 | 75,951 | +10% |
Ville de Belle Anse[]
Coccky Bar & Hotel, a local restobar in Belle-Anse
Neighboring sections
5e Bel-Air |
||
|---|---|---|
West 4e Corail Lamothe |
East 5e Bel-Air | |
〰️Caribbean Sea〰️ |
Route 402 enters Belle-Anse high in the mountains at Seguin just east of the Route 108 terminus, at a height of over 1400 meters (4,000 feet) in elevation. Here, the route passes the La Visité National Park, skirting it's southern edge, just before the descent further into the Belle-Anse commune. The "road" passes through the Mabriole section before arriving at the coastal city area of "Ville de Belle Anse", population 4,508. The town square is rustic, with touches that felt modern compared to the several miles that precede it: paved streets, electricity, stores, restaurants, office buildings with working toilets and running water, a radio station and a medical clinic with an adjacent cholera-treatment facility. The men and women there are young, educated, business-minded and energetic. Within a few hundred feet, though, the road disappears and travelers step back in time. Housing then becomes a combination of wood, cinder block, concrete and tin. All of it is vulnerable during the rainy season as water sweeps from the surrounding mountains to the shore. With the cliffs, fishing boats, a beach, a lagoon, even a cliché scene of fishermen weaving nets under a cluster of palm trees, some would compare modern-day Belle-Anse to Hawaii of the 1930s.
Economy[]
Belle-Anse, along with other towns in the Southeast Department, lacks major economic and financial infrastructure. In this commune, there are no gas stations, banks, or credit unions. There is also a lack of personal services like private morgues, photocopiers, hair salons, photography studios, and dry cleaners. However, there are three pharmacies, with one in the central city and the other two in different sections of the commune. The boating industry shows promise in Belle-Anse for small businesses and crafts.
Infrastructure[]
Water transport, Belle-Anse, Haiti
Among the municipalities of the Southeast Department, Belle-Anse ranks low as to the level of education (first and second cycle of basic school), accessibility to basic health care, water and in the availability of sanitation services. The influx of population following the earthquake has further exacerbated these significant deficiencies.
Transportation
Belle-Anse local map
Route Departmentale 402 passes through the town from west to east. The roads that lead from the city to the communal sections are unpaved. Meanwhile, the roads that interconnect the communal sections themselves are in a deteriorated state.
Education
The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports does not have any representation in the municipality of Belle-Anse. However, there are three kindergarten schools, several elementary schools, and a high school in the area. The Calixte Numa Rabel Public High School was established on January 13, 1992. After the earthquake, the number of high school students increased from 590 to 729, but the resources remained the same.
Upon completion of their baccalauréat, high school students must relocate to Jacmel or Port-au-Prince to pursue further education. The exorbitant registration fees in these schools lead to a high dropout rate. Unfortunately, this municipality lacks educational institutions at the professional and university levels.
In 2012, the school committee submitted a request to the Haitian Government, specifically the Ministry of Education, to construct a library. Through local engagement and collaboration, the Ministry of Haitian Education generously donated 700 textbooks to the school library, enhancing the collection of books available.
Organizations
- HPC and Home of Hope Worldwide, Inc provides food and education for over 500 children.
- Central Park Angels of Bayonne, NJ, USA supports individuals battling severe poverty.
- Haitian Christian Outreach supports the community through church planting and health care through the use of mobile clinics.
- Parkview Christian Church of Wooster, Ohio, USA operates through Haitian Christian Outreach.
- World Relief partners with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the most urgent problems.
- Catholic Relief Services responds to emergencies, provides agriculture assistance, supports education and works to enhance the health care system.
- Return to Haiti Inc. of Lansing, Michigan, USA is dedicated to creating community-driven sustainable projects in Haiti's rural Southeast.
- ASDH (Association Sociale pour le Développement de l'Humanité) supports community development initiatives.
- Condos For Kids International supports children in need.
- ESA (Enfants Soleil d'Avenir) works with water resource management.
- Malteser International is dedicated to "serving the poor and the sick".
- ACDI/VOCA addresses the integrated issues of food security, malnutrition, and rural health care.
- FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) is devoted to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women in the Belle-Anse region.
- The Menaem Foundation supports community initiatives.
Health
The city addresses mobile emergency medicine with its first ambulance donated in 2019.
The Ministry of Public Health does not provide any representation for the municipality of Belle-Anse in terms of health. There are two public dispensaries available in the area.
The organization called New Bridges for Haitian Success (NB4HS) is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the southeastern region of Haiti, particularly in Belle-Anse. They achieve this through educational and medical interventions. In February 2019, NB4HS received an ambulance as a generous donation from Lt. Governor Dan McKee and the town of Lincoln, RI, USA.
Utilities
The commune's water supply is supported by a river, a spring, public fountains with seven taps, and four wells. The river and wells are used for household purposes, while the spring is collected and distributed. The taps are specifically used for watering animals and plants.
The urban area of Belle-Anse is powered by an electric motor for an average of 28 hours every week.
Culture[]
Religion
In Belle-Anse, there are thirty three temples of different religions, except Vodun. The majority are Catholic (27%), followed by Pentecostal (21%) and Eben-ezer (21%).
Communication
A telephone service implementation project is in progress within the communication sector. The municipality lacks a formal postal service, relying instead on personal connections for mail distribution. Belle-Anse has a community radio station that broadcasts throughout the entire area, but there is no presence of written or televised press.
Leisure
Leisure activities in Belle-Anse are in high demand. It doesn't have a library, museum, theater, or cinema. The only sport played is football (soccer). There are eight gaguères, a public square, and a cave (natural site).
Points of Interest[]
Belle-Anse's most noted landmark is the Cascade Pichon Waterfall. According to one visitor, "It’s hard to know exactly how many waterfalls there are on the side of the mountain. From my vantage point on a nearby slope, I counted at least a dozen, and that was at the end of the dry season. The rainy season in the spring, I’d been told, puts the cascade in Cascade Pichon."
References[]
Locality of Belle-Anse - [1]
In Haiti, Beauty that plays hard to get to -[2]
HPC Home of Hope -[3]
NB4HS [4]
Coccky Hôtel Bar Resto [5]
Jean Webert Casimir - Local Guide [6]
Anderson Pierre - Local Guide [7] Michael Vedrine