Last Friday marked eight years since Haiti experienced that 7.0 catastrophic Earthquake, killing almost three million people.

In the process, a quarter of a million homes and 30,000 commercial buildings were said to have collapsed, burying old and young people alike.

The Bahama Journal spoke with Haitian Johnson Jean-Jacques, who now resides in The Bahamas, about the effects this Earthquake had on him and loved ones.

“When the Earthquake passed in Haiti, I wasn’t in Haiti, I was in Nassau.  When my baby’s mother called me, she said something had happened in my country. I said, “What?”

“I heard all my country break down.  That was hard for me at the time because I have plenty friends and family still down there. My ex girlfriend was still in Haiti during that time.

“Immediately, I tried to call them and I couldn’t get anyone,” Mr. Jean-Jacques remembers.

He continued, “today makes eight years. I called my people, but all they tell me was they didn’t have time to talk right now because they were rushing out the door to head to Church to go pray to God, because Haiti suffer plenty.

It was recorded that two weeks after the Earthquake, Haiti was still experiencing aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater.

Since then, the impoverished Island nation has encountered one set back after another from vulnerable rescue efforts to hurricanes to political instability.

Mr. Jean-Jacques also offered his sentiments on the alleged disparaging remarks President of the United States of America  Donald Trump recently made not only about Haiti, but also about El Salvador and African countries referring to them as ‘shit-hole’ countries.

“He does not have a good head.

“I said what I said because Haiti is the first Black Country independent. Haiti has helped plenty countries all over the world.

“Haiti has helped Nassau, Venezuela and many more. Haitians are all over the place.  Every country you go in, y0u will find a Haitian.

“All those Haitians in the United States, some of them get residents and passports.  So, I don’t know what he (Trump) can do with that,” Mr Jean-Jacques stated.

President Trump has since said he never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country.