Belle-Anse

Belle-Anse Bèlans
Municipality
Country	Haiti
Department	Sud-Est
Arrondissement	Belle-Anse
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (7 August 2003)
• Total	51,707

Belle-Anse (Creole: Bèlans) is a municipality in the Belle-Anse Arrondissement, in the Sud-Est Department of Haiti. It has 51,707 inhabitants.

The previous name was Saltrou, a name that is still commonly used by some old timers. Belle-Anse is located at the bottom of several hills, a position that makes it vulnerable to flash floods. Flash floods are more common during the hurricane and the rainy seasons, which are between the months of March–June and the months of August–October. The name Saltrou was changed during the 60's through the efforts of a well-known Deputy (Congressman) named Hugo Paul. He served during the early years of the presidency of Dr. Francois Duvalier. He died in office, and the circumstances of his death are still questionable. According to most, he died of a stroke. One cannot name of the new name Belle-Anse without referring to Hugo Paul. The inspiration came to Mr. Paul when coming down the hill of Tapion. The panoramic view thrilled him and he called it, Belle-Anse. (Mr. Paul was a graduate of "l'Universite de Paris-Sorbonne".) Though many claim that Belle-Anse is a new town, this is far from the truth. There is at leat one house that goes back to colonial time, if not destroyed by hurricanes or the recent earthquake of January 2010.

Transportation:

The motor boats (chaloupe) remain the most important travel methods between Belle-Anse and other nearby cities and towns. Though there is a road that links Belle-Anse to Thiote and Port-au-Prince, there is no regular scheduled bus travel. Your best bet to get from Port-au-Prince to Belle-Anse is to travel from Port-au-Prince to Jacmel by bus or plane. Sometimes the bus can take you all the way to Marigot. From Marigot or Jacmel, you can sail on of these motor boats straight to the port of Belle-Anse.

Travel on these boats can sometimes be risky. They operate in the dark of the night without any light.

Education:

There are several elementary schools: one that is run by the government and a couple other ones that have been established through partnerships with foreign organisations. Education, beyond elementary level, still remains a challenge. For many years, L'Ecole Vocationelle de Belle-Anse was the only means to obtain a partial secondary education. At that school, the focus was and is still on the trade skills, not sot much on the academic subjects. Those who wish to obtain a solid secondary school education had to travel to Port-au-Prince or Jacmel. A complete and solid secondary education still remains a need and a challenge for many Belle-Ansois, (residents of Belle-Anse)

Economy of Belle-Anse:

Though Belle-Anse is one the poorest cities of Haiti, many people survive by fishing. It is a fishing town that sell fish to other nearby towns and Port-au-Prince. During the 60's and 70, there was a group of middlemen who did very well by buying coffee from the local peasants and selling it to exporters in Jacmel and Port-au-Prince.

Health Care:

There is not a hospital in Belle-Anse. A clinic in Belle-Anse provides basic medical care. It is only staffed by only one nurse most of the time. People rely on the St. Michel Hospital in Jacmel for acute medical care. In some rare circumstances, it is the local Hougan who provides medical care by using his knowledge of natural medicine.

References

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