Pignon

Pignon is a commune in the Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement of Nord Department of Haiti

The town of Pignon, from its former name Hatte-Fiatte was founded in 1890 and raised to the rank of Commune in 1925. It has two Communal Sections. Because of its geographical position, it is an interior commune. Its dominant relief is the Plain and its climate is normal. The inhabitants of the town of Pignon are called Pignonnais. In 1998, the population of the municipality of Pignon was 22,269 inhabitants, projecting at 24,000 souls in 2004.

The local economy is based on growing coffee, lemon, and oranges. Livestock also participate as a sector of activity, as is the harvesting of honey by beekeepers in managed hives.

Agriculture contributes a large part of the economy. The cultivation of sugar cane, maize, beans, and the distillery industry is a big piece for the local economy. The forest industry and timber harvesting are also important economic sectors.

Regarding Economic and Financial Institutions, there is a pension, two restaurants, two reception centers and a credit union.

Transportation: The plight of the inhabitants of the town of Pignon continues because of transportation problems that cause difficulties for the movement of motorists and pedestrians. Out of all the communal sections depending on the town of Pignon, La Belle-Mere is the section that now poses more civic problems, the consequences of uncontrolled urbanization.

Since the approach of the rainy and hurricane season, many residents of this section complained about the poor condition of roads, with all the inconveniences they they are facing in order to get around.

Because of the large sanitation problems in the city especially in the section of La Belle-Mere, many streets in the city, remain for flooded for hours by runoff rain water, making driving difficult, especially for motorcycles and pedestrians often splashed by motorists. Candidates complain the municipality and MTPTC (Haiti’s DPW) make no efforts to clean up the city, especially in rainy periods where traffic is virtually impossible in some neighborhoods.

Students complain, during the rainy season, after the smallest rain, you have trouble leaving home to go to school.

Education: The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is represented in the Municipality of Pignon by an Inspector. Two schools at the Kindergaten level, several mostly private primary schools, four secondary schools and three, Technical and Professional schools were inventoried in the Commune. There are no Literacy Centers, neither University nor other Higher Schools.

Health: The Ministry of Public Health and Population is represented in the municipality of Pignon by a general practitioner. A health center without a bed, a clinic, and a hospital served by a team of doctors, dentists, and nurses, supported by ​​auxiliaries, certified matrons and laboratory technicians have been listed in the municipality of Pignon.

Utilities: As for water availability, three rivers, four springs, nine taps and over a hundred pumps were counted at the Commune level. The Commune is not electrified.

Security: At the level of the Administrative and Judicial Infrastructures, the commune has a Court of Peace. There is no police station or prison. There is a registry office.

Religion: There are six Catholic, fifteen Baptist, three Adventist, five Pentecostal, six churches of God, a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and two other churches (Body of Christ).

Communication: In terms of communication, it has no newspaper / magazine or TV station; a radio station Radio Lumière annex was located in the 2nd Communal Section of la Belle Mere.

Organizations: With regard to the Political Parties and other Organizations, there were three political parties, two popular organizations, two peasant groups, two women’s groups and three NGOs.

Leisure: As for Leisure, the Commune has no Museum nor Cinema Room. There are two Libraries, one is at the l’hôpital de la Bienfaisance. It contains specialized books and documents, available for professionals of the hospital. The other belongs to a foreign institution with documents also available for people attending this institution. The parish hall sometimes serves as a Theater Room. The only sport practiced is football (soccer). Ten gaguères were also listed in the Commune. In terms of cultural heritage, Pignon has a cave located between Hinche and Pignon and is visited occasionally. There are also a large number of Mambos and Hougans in the town.