Mont-Organise

Mont-Organisé, part of the Ouanaminthe Arrondissement, under the Nord-Est Department, lies very close to the Dominican Republic border in the north-east area of Haiti.

The municipality of Mont-Organizé is about thirty kilometers south of Fort-Liberté

Mont-Organisé, one of the thirteen communes of the Northeast Department, bore in the past the name of Lassale. The city was founded in 1900 and raised to the rank of commune in 1908. It has two communal sections, it is an interior commune. Its dominant relief is the mountain and its climate is normal (very cool in winter). Its inhabitants are called Mont-Organais. The population of the municipality of Mont-Organisé was estimated at 21,797 inhabitants in 1998. At 0.85 km2 (0.3 Sq mi), the urban area has a density of 5,629 inhabitants per sq km (or 69,910 persons per square mile).

Economy: The local economy is based on growing coffee and lime. In terms of economic and financial infrastructure, the municipality has two restaurants, a credit union and a marketing cooperative. Gold ore is mined in this region.

Mont-Organisé’s economy relies on trade activities conducted with the Dominican Republic, whose border is nearby. Not all trade is legal between the two countries. Smuggling operations exist, and both governments look the other way. Conflict between Haiti and theDR has had an intermittent history, but in some areas they show tolerance. One of them is the smuggling trade.

Resources: Mont-Organisé has pockets of gold and limestone secreted in ridges in its mountain regions. Mining operations are supervised by U.S. business firms there. The area also grows coffee for the export market.

Education: The Ministry of National Education of Youth and Sports is represented in the municipality by a school inspection office. Two kindergartens, 13 primary schools (2 public, ten private), one congregational and two secondary schools were inventoried in the Commune.

Health: The Ministry of Public Health and Population is not represented in the municipality. A health center with a bed is the only functional health facility in this municipality. It is managed by the Center for Health Development (CDS). This health center has 10 doctors, five nurses, six auxiliaries, a laboratory technician and a few dozen certified matrons.

Utilities: With respect to water availability, three rivers and 28 sources have been inventoried. In addition to these water points, there are public fountains with nearly a dozen pumps. The municipality of Mont-Organisé is partially electrified thanks to the Center for the Development of Health (CDS). The feeding frequency is 35 hours on average per week.

Religion: Nearly ten churches (chapels and temples included) were enumerated in the commune; however, the number of Catholic churches is higher than that of the other denominations, that is to say three in total.

Christianity, particularly the Catholic Church, has a strong presence, providing many basic services for the residents of Mont-Organisé. Catholicism and Vodun have a reciprocal relationship here as in other communities in Haiti. Both religions are malleable and open to outside influences.

Haiti, a Spanish- and French-settled island, absorbed Catholicism as part of its colonization process. When slaves from the Congo immigrated to Haiti, they brought Vodun with them, and the two beliefs have co-existed peacefully ever since. Vodun has endured prejudice, being banned for a time. But in 2003, it was recognized by the [[government of Haiti]] as a legitimate practice. All over Haiti, in small towns like Mont-Organisé, the meshing of Catholicism and Voodoo is viewed as a natural evolution.

Leisure: As for Leisure, three theaters have been identified in the commune; however, there is no museum or library. The commune has six gaguères which have regular activities, but about fifty have been enumerated in all the commune. There are also three public places. With regard to Cultural Heritage, two Natural Monuments and Sites have been listed in the Commune.