The following information was obtained on 13 and 16 June 2003 during a telephone interview with a radio host at Radio Mélodie 103.3 FM in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Marc-Orel (Marcus) Garcia, the owner of the station, was given the Jean Dominique Freedom of the Press Award (Prix Jean Dominique de la liberté de la presse) by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2002 (AlterPresse 3 May 2002).

The music bands known as Delta Force Compas and Image Compas still exist in Haiti (Radio Mélodie 13 June 2003). The group Delta Force Compas was formed seven years ago, while Image Compas has been around for approximately three or four years (ibid.). The group Scorpio d'Haïti was founded in the 1980s but no longer exists (ibid.). This band did, however, attempt a comeback in the late 1990s (1999-2000) but did not release a new album (ibid. 16 June 2003).

A brief examination of the album covers for the records produced by the above-mentioned groups identified the following people as current or former members of the bands (note that the spelling and order of the first and last names may vary) (ibid.). The following persons were members of Scorpio: Robert Martino (composer/guitar), Rénold Nadere (guitar), Jean-Robert Louis (bass), Mario Denis (trumpet), Saur Gelin (trombone), Beaulieu Bosile (tambourine), Mario Jean Gille (percussion), Marc Edme (conga), Jean Marty (organ), Garcia Jean-Phillippe (vocals), Leroy du Chatellier (vocals), and Mascary Maxime (vocals) (ibid.).

Current or former members of Delta Force Compas include George Duval (bass/composer), Jean Rosevelt Chapelier (guitar), Érard Jean Istaville (guitar), Rossely Paul (lead guitar), Mario Registre (drums), Ulysse Mesois (tam-tam), Aurélien Valentin (trumpet), Alnatas Wilfred (trombone), Jean Ronald (vocals), Sincilio Désir (vocals), and Verieux Zile (tambourine) (ibid.).

Finally, current or former members of Image Compas include Fontaine Dickenson (guitar), Registre Mario (drums), Verieux Zile (tambourine), Ulysse Mesois (tam-tam), André George (vocals), Édouard Jean-Baptiste (vocals), Moïse Agathe (backup vocals), Ester Iacynte (vocals), Franciste Jean-Pierre (keyboard), Symphore Wilbenf (bass), and Érard Jean Istaville (guitar) (ibid.).

Some members of Delta Force Compas have also been members of Image Compas, Érard Jean Istaville, Mario Registre, Ulysse Mesois and Verieux Zile, among others, (ibid.). Furthermore, the singer known as "Pancho" reportedly left Image Compas to join Delta Force Compas (ibid. 13 June 2003). No additional information on the names of musicians or singers who were members of the above-mentioned bands could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

According to the radio host at Radio Mélodie, a certain amount of rivalry can arise between the respective band members and agents of Delta Force Compas and Image Compas, especially if a band member leaves one group to join the other (13 June 2003). However, this rivalry does not create any [translation] "controversy" because these bands are considered [translation] "second-rate" (Radio Mélodie 13 June 2003). Furthermore, the host specified that the public usually knows little or nothing about this kind of rivalry (ibid.).

No corroborating source for this information could be found by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

AlterPresse. 3 May 2002. Pierre Gotson. "La question de la liberté de la presse au cœur des débats et des initiatives." http://www.comunica.org/medialternatif/alterpresse/article.php3?id_article=12 [Accessed 16 June 2003]

Radio Mélodie [Port-au-Prince]. 16 June 2003. Telephone interview with a radio host.

______. 13 June 2003. Telephone interview with a radio host.

Haïti en marche

IRB Databases

NEXIS

The Compa Central organization could not respond to a request for information within the time constraints.

Internet sites, including:

Afromix

Everythinghaitian.com

Haitianconnnection.com

Haitian Times

Haïti Globe

Haitionline.com

Haïti Progrès

Haïti Référence

Intervision 2000

Kompa Magazine

The Rough Guide to Music

WNC

Search engines, including:

Copernic

Google