H.A.E.S. HONORS A HAITIAN SCIENTIST AND AN AMERICAN MAYOR FOR HUMANITARIAN DEEDS DURING ITS ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA OF 1998
By Noe Dorestant, E.E.
On Saturday, December 26th 1998, during a light rainy tropical fresh winter night took place in downtown Miami, to be more precise at the Wyndham Hotel Ballroom located at 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, a Socio/Scientific/cultural annual gala event programmed by the Haitian-American Association of Engineers and Scientists (H.A.E.S.).
Front row l-r Mayor Paul Novack and his wife, Ernesto Etienne, M.C. Dr. Florentin Maurasse, Dr. Gardy Cadet
Second row: HAES 1998 board of Directors l-r Max, Serge, Irving, Noe, Romain, Sylvan
For obvious reason the 1998 Chairman of HAES, Noe Dorestant, who had taken upon himself the responsibility of planning the gala, advised the gala committee that H.A.E.S. should attempt to live up to its new name of "Haitian-American Association of Engineers and Scientists" by focusing on the promotion of Haitian Scientists and further offer to seek out and recognize a Haitian born Scientist, Dr Gardy Cadet, who had made tremendous contribution to modern Science while doing research in the areas of Plasma Chemistry, semiconductor and optical fiber while working at Lucent Technologies, Bell labs.
First row: MC Dr Florentin Maurasse, HAES Chairman Noe Dorestant, Dr Gardy Cadet and wife, Garvey Jean Pierre of the Haitian consulate, Philip Derose Second Vice Mayor of El Portal
During his keynote presentation, Dr. Cadet emphasized on the need for Haiti to put together a new infrastructure base on fiber optic so that Haiti could benefit like all other nations in the Caribbean the opportunities that continue to come to all nations that are prepared for the global market during this new communication age. We have the choice to take the steps to be prepared to take the opportunity as they arise or the alternative: to do nothing and continue to miss out on new opportunities.
The Chairman also realized that HAES must also emphasize on the humanitarian aspect of the Haitian life, so he proposed that Mayor Paul Novack of Surfside should be honored for his long standing benevolent deeds toward the Haitian community before and after Hurricane Georges.
Mayor Paul Novack and his wife moment after receiving the HAES humanitarian plaque award.
During his short intervention at the gala, Mayor Novack reminded us all of the need for the Haitian community to continue to work together as they have demonstrated tonight in their testimony of inter organization work and to continue to unite to help Haiti as they have done to contribute for the benefit of the US and also for Haiti.
Science and humanity was the focus of the gala, yet there was a lot more to enjoy.
Besides the few HAES members that participated to make this event a success, HAES received diligent help and tremendous support from non HAES members and friends of HAES, such as one of the member of HANA (Haitian American Nurses association), Liliane French.
Everyone was delighted as they watched the colorful traditional Ibo/Haitian dance performed at the rhythm of the drum beat, by the beautiful and talented dancers of Sosyete Koukouy after they were introduced by Jean Mapou, who in his equally eloquent and colorful Haitian Creole seduced the crowd with his epic and poetic words about Haitian folk dances and their role and contribution in the world wide modern dance arena. The audience was later on invited to try their individual dancing talent while savoring the soothing and delighting Compas music of the local Haitian band D'Votion.
Colorful Folkloric dance by the Haitian group SOSYETE KOUKOUY of Jean Mapou
HAES members enjoying the gala in a relax and cordial atmosphere.
Jean Junior Joseph of www.belimage.com/radio/CRIC-QUARK made an interesting presentation in French where he described how and why, we as a nation have missed out on the scientific agrarian revolution, the industrial revolution and advised us all not to miss out on the third revolution of the communication age, the Internet revolution.
The HAES gala of December 26th is truly a moment worth cherishing, not only because the efforts to put it together were overwhelming, but because of the tremendous challenge encountered along the way that we had to overcome. It also helped us prove the notion that so long that we continue to care about each other as human being, there is nothing that is humanly possible that we cannot do.
l-r Haitian born: Scientist/Inventor Dr. Gardy Cadet, HAES Chairman Engineer Noe Dorestant, Science Teacher Harry Beaubrun
We hope that you have enjoyed the picture/souvenir of this event. Let's keep focuses and let's keep the momentum, so we can continue to accomplish bigger and better things as we move slowly but surely toward the new millenium.
Written by: Noe Dorestant
December 29th 1998.
