Haiti’s culture ministry dismisses 2 officials after stampede that killed 25
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Following a tragic stampede at a mountaintop fortress in Haiti that claimed the lives of 25 individuals, two state officials have been relieved of their duties. The Ministry of Culture and Communication announced the dismissal of a director from Haiti’s Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage, citing “serious negligence,” as well as a director from the ministry for “biased passivity.”
The stampede took place at La Citadelle, a renowned historical fortress and tourist destination in northern Haiti, during an event organized by a local DJ through social media. The ministry emphasized that administrative negligence was a significant factor in the tragedy and pledged to take full responsibility for the incident.
Numerous individuals sustained injuries during the stampede, with 30 of the hospitalized individuals already discharged as of late Monday. Additionally, nine suspects, including five police officers, have been apprehended in connection with the incident.
Eno Zephirin, a prosecutor in Cap-Haitien, revealed that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the stampede. Among the arrested suspects are employees of Haiti’s Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage.
