HAITI 12TH PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

[Hanco Elenbaas]

Raoul Alias, President of the Pan American Draughts and Checkers Federation, is preparing the 12th Pan-American Senior Draughts Championship in Cap Haitienne, Haiti, in the period of January 15 – January 29, 2004.
More information:

To all Draughts Associations
Members of the PADCF




Willemstad, October 15, 2003.

Topic: 12th Pan-American Senior Championship in Haiti.


Dear Friends,


The Haitian Draughts Federation has informed us, that during the celebrations of the
200 years anniversary of the Haitian Independence (1804 – 2004), they are able to organize the 12th Pan-American Senior Draughts Championship in Cap Haitienne, Haiti
in the period of January 15 – January 29, 2004.

Each member-federation can participate with 2 players
Haiti will play with 3 players and 1 reserve
The participation fee is $100 for each player.

The Haitian Draughts Federation will pay hotel and meals for two (2) players from each country.
Their eventual coach must pay hotel and meals himself.
The costs are, including hotel and meals, $ 50 per day.

Only the reigning champion, mr. Vladimir Veytsman, is directly qualified for the championship.
All other players must qualify through their national federation.

Please let us know before the 1st of januari 2004 with how many players you will participate in this championship and if you will come with a coach or not.

Note: To go to Cap Haitienne you must fly to Port-au-Prince and there take a retour-ticket to Cap Haitienne. The retourticket costs $ 100.


With Kind Regards,

__________
Raoul Alias
President
Tel:005999-5681670 / 7375724
Email: serasi@interneeds.net

[Jacques PERMAL]

Hello Hanco,

I received same news about next pan-american championship from Raoul Alias too.


Report of our visit to Haiti
Willemstad, November 4, 2003.

As you were informed, the organizing committee of the 12th Pan-American Senior Championship, had invited me to come to Haiti in the period of October 30 - November 2.
So on Thursday , October 30 I left to Haiti with mr. Hensley Rondei, the secretary of the PADCF and also International Arbiter of the FMJD.
We arrived at 16.00 hrs at the airport where we were received in the VIP-room by mr. HermanNau, the Minister Of Sports, Youth and Public Services, Mr. Anthony Dessources, a member of the Presedential Cabinet and accredited Ambassador in Canada, Mr. Jose Ulysse, President of the Organizing Committee, member of the Presidential Cabinet and owner of the TV and Radio Station Konbit in Cap Haïtien and Mr. Spely Laventure, president of Haïtian Draughts Federation.
With these persons we had a Press-Conference in the VIP-room that lasted for about 40 minutes. In the evening we had dinner with a selected group of personalities around the swimming-pool at the hugh house of mr, Jose Ulysse.
October 31 about 11 o’clock in the morning we went together with Mr Jose Ulysse and Mr. Spely Laventure to take the plane to Cap Haïtien, in the Nord of Haïti, where the Championship will be held in January. It was a small plane for 12 people with a flight 25 minutes over mountains. At the airport of Cap Haïtien we were received by the Mayor of Cap Haïtien, mr. Wilmar Innocent and also by the representant of the government for the Youth and Sport in the Nord, mr. Donald Killick. From the airport we had an escort of police and sirens and a group of fotographers to take us to the City-Hall where we enjoyed the City-Band playing the National and the Cap-Haïtien Antems before we could enter the City Hall with a big banner on the façade sayingâ€? Welcome to mr. Raoul Alias, the president of the Pan-American Draughts Federation. After the reception in the City-Hall with some authorities, Draughtsplayers and some speeches that lasted for about one hour and a half we could go
and inspect The Hotel Kaina,where the players will be hosted during the championship. A very nice and comfort hotel indeed. Later on we walked to the Radio and TV-station of mr. Jose Ulysse that turned out to be the location where the games will be played in January. Also a good location for the championship with enough space and sufficient light.

The next morning about 10 o’clock 20 players started the qualification tournament for the Pan-american championship in January. Haiti has plenty strong draughtsplayers which are very good at especially combinations. In Cap Haïtien you have a situation a bit similar to Dakar, Senegal where you see the people play plenty on the streets.
At noon we took the plane back to Port-au-Prince where we had dinner and a party with the Draughts-elite of the capital. Next day on November 2 at 11 o’clock we went back to Curaçao With a very satisfied impression about the draughts-world of Haïti. Before the championship has started in January 2004 we can already say that this championship is going to be one of the best championship ever held in the pan-american zone.
The pasion and professionalism this organizing committee is showing in the preparation of this championship grants an exciting and succesfull championship. At this moment rest us nothing else to say then:
Haïti, welcome back to the Pan-American Draughts Arena�

Raoul Alias (President).

[Jacques PERMAL]

Some news in french language :


Port-au-Prince, le 25 Octobre 2003


Monsieur Raoul ALIAS
Président de la Fédération Panaméricaine du Jeu de Dames
Curaçao


Monsieur le Président,


Le Comité d’Organisation du Championnat Panaméricain du Jeu de Dames vous souhaite la Bienvenue en Haïti.

Nous sommes heureux de pouvoir vous annoncer que les rencontres avec le Premier Ministre et Son Excellence, Monsieur le Président de la République en vue de leur informer de la tenue de ces Jeux en Haïti ont été très fructueuses et ils ont demandé au Secrétaire d’Etat à la Jeunesse et aux Sports de prendre toutes les dispositions pour la bonne réussite de votre visite .

Ainsi, on a eu des séances de travail pour planifier votre visite et déjà nous pouvons vous communiquer le programme.


30 Octobre Accueil a l’Aéroport par le Secrétaire d’Etat a la Jeunesse et aux Sports, Un Membre du Cabinet Particulier du Président de la République, le Président de la Fédération Haïtienne du Jeu de Dames et le Président du Comité d’Organisation du Championnat.

Hôtel
Dans la Soirée une petite rencontre chez le Président du Comité d’Organisation du Championnat, retour à l’Hôtel

31 Octobre

9hrs AM Conférence de Presse à la Secrétairerie d’Etat à la Jeunesse et aux Sports (seront à la table : Le Secrétaire d’Etat, le Président de la Fédération Panaméricaine du Jeu de Dames, le Président de la Fédération Haïtienne du Jeu de Dames)

Midi Départ à l’Aérogare pour Cap-Haïtien

7hrs PM Rencontre avec des Joueurs et le Comité d’Organisation



1er Novembre

9hrs AM Lancement Officiel du Tournoi de qualification de 4 joueurs haïtiens pour le Championnat Panaméricain


Tour de la Ville et Retour sur Port-au-Prince. Dans la soirée, rencontre avec des jeunes évoluant dans la discipline


2 Novembre Retour a Curaçao.




Une fois de plus, Bienvenue


Jose ULYSSE
Président du Comité d’organisation du Championnat Panaméricain..

[Jacques PERMAL]

http://www.fqjr.qc.ca/dames/100/panam_2004.html

You can read in french language an article about Panamerican Championship.

[Hanco Elenbaas]

http://www.fqjr.qc.ca/dames/100/panam_2004.html

You can read in french language an article about Panamerican Championship.

Afro-Americans took over power in Canada, Jacques??
Where's the great white hope, the new Marcel Deslauriers?

[Hanco Elenbaas]

Hello Jacques,
In the Haïtian paper-link http://www.journallunion.com/newsprint.cfm?newsID=2801 which was added to your Canadian article I read some incredible things.
I can't believe my eyes! For example, can you please translate next part for me, to make sure that I'm not dreaming?

De ses 924 joueurs licenciés, une seule équipe (de 3 joueurs) a representé Haïti à ce championnat contre 3 équipes (de 3 joueurs) de la Hollande (5.000.000 licenciés) et de la Russie (1.000.000). Des pays comme l’Allemagne (400.000 licenciés) et la France (550.000) se sont rendus à Curaçao avec deux équipes, selon ce que nous a confié le président de la Fédération, Spély Laventure, qui faisait partie également de l’équipe haïtienne.

I hope president Spély Laventure, who informed the paper, has a big talent for predicting the future!

[Guest]

The tournament in Cap Haïtiene will start under sad circumstances.
The chief op police was murdered there after being heavily tortured, according to the Haïtian journal L'Union.

http://www.journallunion.com/news.cfm?newsID=3331

ACTUALITE NATIONALE
Cap-Haïtien/Assassinat du Chef de la Police du Nord

Le corps torturé de l’inspecteur général Edner Jeanty
Un crime gratuit, d’une extrême sauvagerie
Posté le 14 janvier 2004 11:41

Le directeur départemental a.i de la Police du Nord, l’inspecteur général Edner Jeanty a été assassiné dans la nuit du samedi 10 janvier 2004

[Guest]

From http://www.fqjr.qc.ca/dames/100/champ/panam.html


http://www.fqjr.qc.ca/dames/100/champ/panam.html

Champions of the PADCF
1980 Bernard ROBILLARD (Haiti) in Paramaribo, Suriname (June)
1981 Vladimir KAPLAN (USA) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (July 15-30)
1983 Iser KUPERMAN (USA) in Philadelphia, USA
1985 Iser KUPERMAN (USA) in Ituiutaba, Brasil
1987 Iser KUPERMAN (USA) in Amparo, Brasil
1992 Alexander MOGILIANSKI (USA) in Willemstad, Curacao
1993 Guno BURLESON (Suriname) in Goiania, Brasil
1995 Iser KUPERMAN (USA) in Aguas de Lindoia, Brasil
1997 Guno BURLESON (Suriname) in Paramaribo, Suriname
1999 Johan KOSTER (Curacao) in Willemstad, Curacao
2001 Vladimir VEYTSMAN (USA) in St. Andrew, Grenada

[Andre Leclerc]

Bonjour à tous!

Effectivement, nous sommes loin des années glorieuses de Marcel Deslauriers, Raoul Dagenais et plusieurs autres joueurs de talent de leur génération (à peu près tous disparus). La relève est difficile, mais nous y travaillons. Je prépare actuellement une historique du jeu de dames canadien (144 cases) incluant toutes les parties de grand championnat et analyses pour la plupart de Deslauriers lui-même. Cette publication jumelée à notre participation au Festival Juste pour Rire où se tiendra le 2e Mémorial Marcel-Deslauriers du 23 au 25 juillet 2004 (vous êtes invités!!), devraient contribuer à rehausser la popularité du jeu, de même que ... le retour des canadiens sur la scène internationale. Bref, la pente est haute à remonter.

Hello everybody!

Yes we are far from the glorious days of Marcel Deslauriers, Raoul Dagenais and many other talented players from the same generation (now just about all gone). The formation of new players is difficult but we're working on that. I'm preparing a book on the History of the game in Canada (144 squares) including all the championship games and analysis most of them by Deslauriers himself. This publication along with our participation to the Just for Laughs Festival where will be held the 2nd Marcel-Deslauriers Memorial from July 23-25 2004 (you are invited!!), should contribute to elevate the popularity of the game here, as also ... the comeback of Canadian players on the international scene . In resume, the hill is a high one to climb.

[Jacques PERMAL]

Hello Hanco,

1) De ses 924 joueurs licenciés, une seule équipe (de 3 joueurs) a representé Haïti à ce championnat contre 3 équipes (de 3 joueurs) de la Hollande (5.000.000 licenciés) et de la Russie (1.000.000). Des pays comme l’Allemagne (400.000 licenciés) et la France (550.000) se sont rendus à Curaçao avec deux équipes, selon ce que nous a confié le président de la Fédération, Spély Laventure, qui faisait partie également de l’équipe haïtienne.

Translation in English :

3 haitians players out of 924 affiliated played Willemstad (CURACAO)
tournament last October whom the winner was K. THIJSSEN.
There was a team classification too. And Haiti was the winner because of good results of its players (Sum of individual results).
Spely LAVENTURE (Haitian Federation President)recalls that it is a good surprising result for his country.
he compares the numbers of affiliated players per countries :
Haiti 924
Netherlands 5 000 000 (is it true Hanco ?)
Russia 1 000 000 (What does Alexander PRESMAN think about this cifer ?)
France 550 000 ( Not exact, only 1000 !!)

2) Spély Laventure, Louicéus Shang Wong et Anthony Alexandre, les meilleurs joueurs haïtiens du jeu de dames depuis quelque temps.

Spély Laventure, Louicéus Shang Wong et Anthony Alexandre are the best players of HAITI now. Remember that Antony ALEXANDRE obtained draw result against A. SCHWARZMAN in 2003 GUADELOUPE TOURNAMENT, just before 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in ZWARTLUIS.

3)

[Jacques PERMAL]

3) Translation of article of the "Québequois" site

http://www.fqjr.qc.ca/dames/100/panam_2004.html


Pour la première fois depuis 1987, le Canada sera représenté au Championnat PanAméricain du jeu de dames international (100 cases). En effet, Louis Gilles et Paulvin Simon, tous deux de Montréal, participeront sous peu au Championnat 2004, initialement prévu au Brésil à l'été 2003, mais tenu finalement au Cap Haïtien, Haïti, du 15 au 29 janvier 2004. Fait à noter le tournoi se jouera dans la ville natale de Louis Gilles, un Montréalais depuis 1973. Notre champion canadien, Vladimir Lubarski, n'était pas en mesure de participer cette année, mais pour Louis ce sera une première participation bien méritée à un tournoi international, lui qui est un joueur dominant ici depuis longtemps. Dans le cas de Paulvin Simon, il s'agit d'un jeune joueur talentueux qui sortira sûrement grandi (tout comme Louis Gilles) de cette expérience.
Nous leur souhaitons à tous deux un excellent voyage et la meilleure des chances.

Les Canadiens ayant participé à ce tournoi antérieurement sont: Anatoly Veltman (1980 et 1981), Gaetan Gagnon (1980, 1981 et 1987), Eddy Volel et Antoine Blanchard (1983), ainsi que l'Ontarien Jerry VanHalteren (1987). Ce dernier, de même que Gaetan Gagnon, sont donc les deux derniers représentants de notre pays à ce tournoi.


For the first time since 1987, Canada will be represented in Panamerican championship of 100 squares Draughts. Louis GILLES and Simon PAULVIN from MONTREAL will contest in this championship formerly scheduled in SAO PAOLO in 2003. This event is finally organized from 15th until 24th of January in CAP HAITIEN.
This town is the birthplace of ...LOUIS GILLES who lives in MONTREAL since 1973.

(A lot haitians citizens left their country to emigrate in CANADA because political regime of DUVALIERs).

Canadian champion VLADIMIR LUBARSKI couldn't participate. But it will good a good opportunity for LOUIS GILLES who is a remarkable player in CANADA for years to deliver the goods in an international tournament.


Bonne CHANCE, Good LUCK !!

[Hanco Elenbaas]

Hello everybody!

Yes we are far from the glorious days of Marcel Deslauriers, Raoul Dagenais and many other talented players from the same generation (now just about all gone). The formation of new players is difficult but we're working on that. I'm preparing a book on the History of the game in Canada (144 squares) including all the championship games and analysis most of them by Deslauriers himself. This publication along with our participation to the Just for Laughs Festival where will be held the 2nd Marcel-Deslauriers Memorial from July 23-25 2004 (you are invited!!), should contribute to elevate the popularity of the game here, as also ... the comeback of Canadian players on the international scene . In resume, the hill is a high one to climb.

Nice to read something from you Andre!
I hope you can keep us informed about the situation in Canada.
It would be great to play a tournament in your beautiful country.
As to your book: Dutch 100-grandmaster Hans Jansen will be very interested in it, as he's often extremely involved in the 144-game!!
Please tell us when you've finished it, because more people (like me) want to see it. Good luck!

[Hanco Elenbaas]

Translation in English :

3 haitians players out of 924 affiliated played Willemstad (CURACAO)
tournament last October whom the winner was K. THIJSSEN.
There was a team classification too. And Haiti was the winner because of good results of its players (Sum of individual results).
Spely LAVENTURE (Haitian Federation President)recalls that it is a good surprising result for his country.
he compares the numbers of affiliated players per countries :
Haiti 924
Netherlands 5 000 000 (is it true Hanco ?)
Russia 1 000 000 (What does Alexander PRESMAN think about this cifer ?)
France 550 000 ( Not exact, only 1000 !!)

2) Spély Laventure, Louicéus Shang Wong et Anthony Alexandre, les meilleurs joueurs haïtiens du jeu de dames depuis quelque temps.

Spély Laventure, Louicéus Shang Wong et Anthony Alexandre are the best players of HAITI now. Remember that Antony ALEXANDRE obtained draw result against A. SCHWARZMAN in 2003 GUADELOUPE TOURNAMENT, just before 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in ZWARTLUIS.

Thank you Jacques!
Unfortunately Spély is not well informed.
KNDB, Royal Dutch Draughts Federation, has around 7800 members...
But, you never can tell, maybe one day there will be 5 million, as we should have.
Probably after the predicted freedom-revolution from December 21st, 2012?!

[Jacques PERMAL]

Helleo HANCO,

I wrote to L'UNION newspaper in order to obtain the results.

Wait and see...........and hope !!!

[A.Presman]

We received (via H. Elenbaas) a lot of nice photos from Haiti made by the main arbiter of the championship Mr. Hensley Rondei. Thank you.

So you can taste the sphere of the tournament and see many players and officials by your own eyes.

http://www.fmjd.org/bb/album_cat.php?cat_id=7