Leaders allege 'systemic issues' at Little Haiti Complex as manager is fired
By Joshua Ceballos
February 9, 2026 at 2:45 PM EST
Three days before she was fired by the City of Miami Parks Department, Little Haiti Cultural Complex (LHCC) manager Dasha Saintremy called for an investigation into the leadership practices of the department.
Now former managers of the LHCC claim Saintremy's firing, and the discipline she received beforehand, are part of a systemic pattern of retaliation by the Parks Department against LHCC leaders.
" Had I known what I know now, being in this role, I would still be in Philadelphia enjoying the winter breeze," Saintremy said during a Civil Service Board meeting on Feb. 3.
Prior to her termination, Saintremy, who was hired last February, was reprimanded twice by department leadership for speaking to members of the media without seeking approval from the city's Office of Communications. Saintremy said during the Civil Service Board meeting that she was promoting programming at the LHCC for Haitian Heritage Month and other community events, and did not realize she needed clearance to do so.
" My position is to uplift the cultural center complex, which I was doing on that day," she told board members.
The Little Haiti Cultural Complex is a landmark for Miami's Haitian community that features a distinctive Caribbean Marketplace, Haitian Gingerbread-style architecture, and programming spaces for artistic exhibitions and community activities. It was envisioned as part of a regional park for Little Haiti by the late City of Miami Commissioner Arthur Teele. Today, it serves as an anchor point for many in Miami's Haitian diaspora.
"It's a place where people can see their culture and heritage, and it's a really important symbol to the community. So when there's confusion around the fate of the Little Haiti Cultural Center, it essentially becomes like a symbol of: 'What's the fate of Little Haiti?'" Little Haiti resident Ashley Toussaint told WLRN.
Former Little Haiti Cultural Complex Manager Dasha Saintremy, pictured here at a Civil Service Board hearing on Feb. 3, 2026. (1140x641, AR: 1.7784711388455539)
Double punishment
Saintremy claimed on Feb. 3 that she was being doubly punished for the same offense. Her 1-year probationary period was extended by four months in response to her second instance of speaking to the media, yet she was punished again for the same infraction when the Parks Department suspended her for three days without pay. She argued this was unfair because there had been no additional offense, but the department placed two types of discipline on her.
At the civil service hearing, an attorney for the city claimed the extension of her probation period did not count as a form of discipline, so this did not count as double jeopardy. City employees on their probationary period can be fired without cause and do not have the right to appeal discipline with the Civil Service Board.
READ MORE: As director resigns, City of Miami is accused of neglecting the Little Haiti Cultural Complex
Helena Poleo, a spokesperson for the City, told WLRN that the city does not comment on personnel matters, but remains committed to the LHCC.
"The Little Haiti Cultural Complex is an essential cultural asset for our city. We remain committed to working with the community and stakeholders to ensure the complex continues to grow, serve, and succeed well into the future," Poleo said in a statement.
The practice of extending probationary periods and punishing managers for promoting the cultural complex is something former LHCC manager Qunyatta Warren claims is a pattern of behavior from the Parks Department.
"I'm confused as to why this is still going on and why this has been allowed to go on with the Parks Department. I think that the city should assess if Parks is the best department to manage the Little Haiti Cultural Complex," Warren told WLRN.
Warren served as manager of the complex from June of 2023 to July 2024. He said the department attempted to extend his probationary period for six months for "lack of communication," but when he showed the Civil Service Board that he was in fact communicating with Parks leadership, the extension was denied. Warren said that after that denial, his supervisor in the Parks Department wanted to put him on a performance improvement plan. Warren resigned shortly thereafter.
Speaking to WLRN in 2024, Warren and other Little Haiti leaders claimed that the City of Miami was neglecting the complex and its maintenance needs.
Sandy Dorsainvil, who served as director off and on from 2013 to 2022, said former directors have all been frustrated over not having the support they needed to succeed. She said the city needs to follow through and be more accountable.
“They have the resources, they have the wherewithal and staff at the cultural center that's willing to do the work and that love this," Dorsainvil said in 2024. “So [the city] just need to follow through [and] put their money and their resources where their mouth is."
Warren said he frequently sought help from the Parks Department for mold remediation in the Cultural Complex, roof repairs and HVAC replacement. He said his requests for help would often go ignored, and he would have to seek his own contractors to perform mold surveys.
A choir performs at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex in 2023 during Free Gospel Sundays. Choirs will be doing pop up performances like this one for Gospel Fest Miami. (1536x1024, AR: 1.5)
In 2023, the City of Miami's unsafe structures division placed a violation notice — a property the city itself owns — because a required 40-year recertification had not been completed on the property.
Warren, Dorsainvil and other former managers have consistently claimed the LHCC has been chronically understaffed and underfunded.
"Infrastructure-wise, the complex has been under-resourced and unsupported by the Parks Department and the challenges have been pervasive," Abraham Metellus, LHCC manager from 2016 to 2019, told WLRN.
According to a city spokesperson, Miami allocated nearly $6 million to the repair of the roof of the Caribbean Marketplace in Fiscal Years 2023 and 2025. Repairs are expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
Funding challenges date back to the early days of the complex, according to former manager Rasha Cameau.
Cameau served as property manager from 2009 to 2011, a few years after the cultural complex first opened its doors in 2006. She told WLRN when the property was first opened, it did not have an operating budget, and she had to seek outside grants to fund cultural programming for the community.
"I made due with what I had. I hustled. We were creative in getting funding," Cameau said.
With the firing of Saintremy, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex has now lost four leaders within a period of six years, leaving residents concerned about the property's uncertain future.
Now former managers of the LHCC claim Saintremy's firing, and the discipline she received beforehand, are part of a systemic pattern of retaliation by the Parks Department against LHCC leaders.
" Had I known what I know now, being in this role, I would still be in Philadelphia enjoying the winter breeze," Saintremy said during a Civil Service Board meeting on Feb. 3.
Prior to her termination, Saintremy, who was hired last February, was reprimanded twice by department leadership for speaking to members of the media without seeking approval from the city's Office of Communications. Saintremy said during the Civil Service Board meeting that she was promoting programming at the LHCC for Haitian Heritage Month and other community events, and did not realize she needed clearance to do so.
" My position is to uplift the cultural center complex, which I was doing on that day," she told board members.
The Little Haiti Cultural Complex is a landmark for Miami's Haitian community that features a distinctive Caribbean Marketplace, Haitian Gingerbread-style architecture, and programming spaces for artistic exhibitions and community activities. It was envisioned as part of a regional park for Little Haiti by the late City of Miami Commissioner Arthur Teele. Today, it serves as an anchor point for many in Miami's Haitian diaspora.
"It's a place where people can see their culture and heritage, and it's a really important symbol to the community. So when there's confusion around the fate of the Little Haiti Cultural Center, it essentially becomes like a symbol of: 'What's the fate of Little Haiti?'" Little Haiti resident Ashley Toussaint told WLRN.
Former Little Haiti Cultural Complex Manager Dasha Saintremy, pictured here at a Civil Service Board hearing on Feb. 3, 2026. (1140x641, AR: 1.7784711388455539)
Double punishment
Saintremy claimed on Feb. 3 that she was being doubly punished for the same offense. Her 1-year probationary period was extended by four months in response to her second instance of speaking to the media, yet she was punished again for the same infraction when the Parks Department suspended her for three days without pay. She argued this was unfair because there had been no additional offense, but the department placed two types of discipline on her.
At the civil service hearing, an attorney for the city claimed the extension of her probation period did not count as a form of discipline, so this did not count as double jeopardy. City employees on their probationary period can be fired without cause and do not have the right to appeal discipline with the Civil Service Board.
READ MORE: As director resigns, City of Miami is accused of neglecting the Little Haiti Cultural Complex
Helena Poleo, a spokesperson for the City, told WLRN that the city does not comment on personnel matters, but remains committed to the LHCC.
"The Little Haiti Cultural Complex is an essential cultural asset for our city. We remain committed to working with the community and stakeholders to ensure the complex continues to grow, serve, and succeed well into the future," Poleo said in a statement.
The practice of extending probationary periods and punishing managers for promoting the cultural complex is something former LHCC manager Qunyatta Warren claims is a pattern of behavior from the Parks Department.
"I'm confused as to why this is still going on and why this has been allowed to go on with the Parks Department. I think that the city should assess if Parks is the best department to manage the Little Haiti Cultural Complex," Warren told WLRN.
Warren served as manager of the complex from June of 2023 to July 2024. He said the department attempted to extend his probationary period for six months for "lack of communication," but when he showed the Civil Service Board that he was in fact communicating with Parks leadership, the extension was denied. Warren said that after that denial, his supervisor in the Parks Department wanted to put him on a performance improvement plan. Warren resigned shortly thereafter.
Speaking to WLRN in 2024, Warren and other Little Haiti leaders claimed that the City of Miami was neglecting the complex and its maintenance needs.
Sandy Dorsainvil, who served as director off and on from 2013 to 2022, said former directors have all been frustrated over not having the support they needed to succeed. She said the city needs to follow through and be more accountable.
“They have the resources, they have the wherewithal and staff at the cultural center that's willing to do the work and that love this," Dorsainvil said in 2024. “So [the city] just need to follow through [and] put their money and their resources where their mouth is."
Warren said he frequently sought help from the Parks Department for mold remediation in the Cultural Complex, roof repairs and HVAC replacement. He said his requests for help would often go ignored, and he would have to seek his own contractors to perform mold surveys.
A choir performs at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex in 2023 during Free Gospel Sundays. Choirs will be doing pop up performances like this one for Gospel Fest Miami. (1536x1024, AR: 1.5)
In 2023, the City of Miami's unsafe structures division placed a violation notice — a property the city itself owns — because a required 40-year recertification had not been completed on the property.
Warren, Dorsainvil and other former managers have consistently claimed the LHCC has been chronically understaffed and underfunded.
"Infrastructure-wise, the complex has been under-resourced and unsupported by the Parks Department and the challenges have been pervasive," Abraham Metellus, LHCC manager from 2016 to 2019, told WLRN.
According to a city spokesperson, Miami allocated nearly $6 million to the repair of the roof of the Caribbean Marketplace in Fiscal Years 2023 and 2025. Repairs are expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
Funding challenges date back to the early days of the complex, according to former manager Rasha Cameau.
Cameau served as property manager from 2009 to 2011, a few years after the cultural complex first opened its doors in 2006. She told WLRN when the property was first opened, it did not have an operating budget, and she had to seek outside grants to fund cultural programming for the community.
"I made due with what I had. I hustled. We were creative in getting funding," Cameau said.
With the firing of Saintremy, the Little Haiti Cultural Complex has now lost four leaders within a period of six years, leaving residents concerned about the property's uncertain future.