Caracol - Haiti Observer Blog

Wilson Laleau and Jacques Rousseau will have some explaining to do in regard to money given by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) for the construction of road to access the Caracol region. After visiting the site of the project, BID had estimated that the project is incomplete, was not managed well and sufficient documentation has not been provided to justify the expenses. So far, the explanation provided by Wilson Laleau is unacceptable and the Inter-American Development Bank is actually asking for reimbursement.

You may also want to know that the firm "Agritans" that belongs to Presidential candidate Jovenel Moise was one of the companies that benefited from this project.

Read more →  

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved $41 million in grant to complete the construction of Caracol Industrial Park (CIP). IDB will be disbursing $41M for the fifth and last phase of work. Since 2011, IDB has contributed a total of $200.5 million to the project. The $41 million will finance infrastructure within the park and construction of factories. This fund also includes provision to support to SONAPI to monitor and enforce environmental, social, health, and safety rules. The objective of this project is to create 20,000 jobs by 2020.

Kreyol:

BID apwouve $ 41m pou Park Endistriyèl Caracol

Bank Devlopman Entè-Ameriken (BID) te apwouve $ 41 milyon dola nan sibvansyon pou fini konstriksyon nan Park Endistriyèl Caracol (CIP). BID pral debouse $ 41m pou senkyèm ak dènye faz nan travay yo. Depi 2011, BID te kontribye yon total de $ 200.5 milyon dola nan pwojè a. $ 41 milyon dola sa pral finanse enfrastrikti nan pak la ak konstriksyon nan faktori yo. Fon sa a gen ladan tou dispozisyon pou sipòte SONAPI kontwole e fè respekte règ nan anviwònman an, sosyal, sante, ak sekirite. Objektif la nan pwojè sa a se kreye 20,000 djòb avan 2020.

Read more →  

President of the Republic Michel Martelly visited the Ekam village in Caracol for the inauguration of the S & H School in the village. Along with him for the event was the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training Vanneur Pierre.

The school was built by the efforts of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Foundation SAE-A. The 200 students at the school are children of the employees at the Caracol Industrial Park plants. The park, which opened in October 2012, was seen by some as a boon to the village as it is hoped to provide 65,000 jobs in coming years. The park came under criticism though after the first year of operations only saw 1,388 jobs, and some of them were not filled by Haitians.

Read more →  

Caracol, Haiti, which had never been on the power grid, has been able to receive electricity service for the first time due to the Boone Electric Cooperative (BEC). The project has been ongoing for the last two years. The project really started to pick up steam when the Community Electrification Project (CEP) began their own efforts to bring electric service to rural areas in Haiti like Caracol.

Two electricians, Travis Lynn and Simon Munnik, from BEC and CEP respectively, merged their knowledge and experience to help complete the project in Caracol. Munnik discovered what a first-rate electrician service is all about when he went to see the BEC operation in Caracol. He observed the tools used and safety standards adhered to missing in Haiti's utility sector.

Read more →  

Employers in the Haitian garment manufacturing industry are exploiting their workers as a dirt-cheap form of labor, as well as forcing them to work under unsafe conditions in violation of laws governing the industry. Garment workers are drastically underpaid, on average 32% less than minimum wage requirements. The standard pay rate is $4.54 per eight-hour shift. If they make their quota for the day they receive $6.81. The quotas are set are unrealistically high, the better for employers to avoid paying an extra $2.27 per day.

Henri-Claude Muller-Poitevien, who heads the government of Haiti's Garment Sector Commission (GSC), has an explanation why garment workers can't meet the daily quota. He says they are less able, and need practice to work faster and more competently.

Read more →  

Caracol, a village in Haiti, is located in the Nord-Est Deparment which is a municipality in the Trou-du-Nord Arrondissement. At 19°41′0″N and 72°1′0″W it is located at a slight elevation and has around 6236 inhabitants. It is the least visited destination in Haiti.
Caracol is in the northern coast of Haiti and it was a fishing village stricken by poverty. It is also known to be poorest of all villages in the country.

Climate

The region is mountainous and rough and it borders with the Dominican Republic for around 360 kms. Caracol enjoys a semi arid and tropical climate. Trade winds are easily cut off by the mountains in the region. French is the official language spoken in Caracol.

Read more →  

Caracol is a village located in Haiti in the Nord-Est Deparment. In the Trou-du-Nord Arrondissement it is a municipality. It is located at a slight elevation and has around 6236 inhabitants within coordinates 19°41′0″N and 72°1′0″W. In Haiti it is a destination, least visited by travelers.

Caracol was a fishing village surrendered by mountainous. It borders with the Dominican Republic for around 360 km. Caracol enjoys a semiarid and tropical climate. Trade winds are easily cut off by the mountains in the region. French is the official language spoken by people in Caracol.

Read more →  

Opening ceremonies for Caracol Industrial Park (CIP) occurred on October 22, 2012. Michel Martelly, President of Haiti, hosted some of the biggest backers of northern Haiti's first industrial park, projected to eventually produce nearly 200,000 jobs. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with her husband, President Bill Clinton, presided over a crowd of investors and celebrities.

Haiti, the U.S., and the Inter-American Development Bank have donated a combined total of $464 million over the next six years. Other foundation and business donors are contributing to the development of Haiti's infrastructure.

Secretary Rodham-Clinton spoke before a lunch reception crowd. She told them that contributing to the sustained economic health of Haiti goes beyond sending relief aid to the earthquake-damaged island. On-going private investment in the infrastructure and economic initiatives to provide Haitians a better quality of life are key to raising Haiti out of its failed-state status. She said that although CIP was already in the planning stages before the 2010 earthquake shattered the country's infrastructure and economy, already feeble, the Obama administration has placed Haiti high on its priority list. The U.S. has followed through with a $124 million investment in CIP.

Read more →  

Haiti President Michel Martelly toured the Caracol Industrial Park grounds to see how construction is progressing, at what will be a central manufacturing site in the Caribbean. Located in North Haiti, the U.S.-financed park has been home to South Korean clothing manufacturer Sae-A Trading Co. Ltd., its first tenant. A second tenant, Peintures Caraibes SA has just been approved to occupy a site.

Peintures, a Haitian paint manufacturer, has cut a deal with paint-giant Sherwin-Williams to export its proprietary product, as well as Peintures own manufacturing brand. Penintures CEO, Pierre Yves Gardere, will hire 167 start-up employees, with the goal of reaching 350 employees in total.

Read more →