import - Haiti Observer Blog

Following the decision of the Haitian government to put some restrictions and conditions on certain Dominican products arriving in Haiti in order to insure quality and that the imported products are taxed appropriately, many who have been benefiting from the status quo are putting out all kind of arguments to convince the government to go back to its decision. We who love Haiti and want the situation to be changed have an obligation to support our government.

Effective October 1, 2015, a total of 23 Dominican products will no longer be allowed to enter Haiti by land but either by boat or plane. In addition, only two cities are designated to receive these imported products, Port-au-Prince or Cap Haitian.

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After years of conducting uncoordinated politic toward the Dominican Republic; after so many years of Master/ servant relationship between the two countries, I am feeling a little bit hopeful with this decision of the Haitian government to put restriction on 23 Dominican-made products in direction to Haiti. This marks a turn in decades of allowing the Dominican Republic to export everything they want to us with any restriction.

Haiti accounts for $1 billion annually of Dominican imports. I want to make an important correction in that figure; this is an official number which does not take into account the illegal trades. In addition, Haitians currently studying in the neighboring country also contribute largely to the Dominican economy.

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The Haitian government has decided to put restrictions on some Dominican products. In another word, for the sake of better control of its border, Haiti´s Economy and Finance Ministry just submitted a lost of Dominican products that can only arrive in Haiti by either sea or air.

The ban which took effect on Wednesday (9/16/15) includes the following products: wheat flour, cooking oil, soap, detergent, foam packaging, water, pasta, household utensils ( plastics), cookies, bodywork products, butter, shortening, powder juice, soft drinks, beer, snacks, milled corn. Also cement, auto paint, rebar for construction, , PVC pipes, , mattresses and heavy construction equipment (even rentals).

The Ministry warned the public that in case of violation of this new regulation, these named products will be confiscated by the General Administration of Customs.

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The government of Haiti (GOH) is maintaining a stance to avoid applying sanctions against the Dominican Republic (DR) for its High Court ruling to displace up to 250,000 Haitians of illegal immigrants. The DR is willfully withholding identity documents for Haitians born in the DR, retroactive to 1929.

The GOH delayed its response to the ruling, but has finally come forward to say it wishes to maintain close ties with the DR. However, CARICOM has suspended the DR's membership in the regional Caribbean body. CARICOM will consider reabsorbing the DR if a bi-lateral commission can resolve the issue of the deportation of Haitians. In response, the DR has refused to continue discussions with Haiti since their suspensation from CARICOM.

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Do we really know how important the Haitian market is to the Dominican Republic? Maybe if we really know our forces, we would act differently. Haiti's dignity is once again attacked by the Dominican Republic. We need to react with force by closing our border to Dominican Products.

Mezanmi, Dominikin Ap Manje Mange'm Min Li Pa Vle Ban'm Bon Jan

Dominican Republic has much to lose from an eventual border closure with Haiti. Did you know that of all the products consumed in Haiti, Dominican Republic furnishes at least 30% of them?

Some of these products furnished by the Dominicans to the Haitian market are the most ridiculous because we have full capacity to produce them ourselves: They make money with us by exporting to Haiti: Cement, Bread, Chicken, Salami, Egg, Mango, Beans, Canned Food, Coconut, Rhum, Alcohol, Cigarette and Used clothe (Pèpè) just to name a few.

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Haiti is experiencing an imminent food crisis, which has at its core the destruction of rice farming. The agricultural sector of Haiti, made up of subsistence farmers, cannot compete in an international market overrun with poor quality imports, especially rice, Haiti's number one staple.

Back in the 1970s, rice cultivation was a thriving industry, requiring no foreign imports to meet domestic needs. But that changed at the start of the 1990s. An attempted coup against then-President Aristide set off global trade embargos, stifling Haiti's export market. At this juncture, cheap imports from abroad came in droves. Haiti, a desperately poor country, has needed development banks' aid. They drove a hard bargain, enforcing a lower import tariff, from 50% to 3%. This negatively impacted the economy, because it became more affordable to import U.S. rice than to farm it domestically.

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Danilo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic focused on having an agreement for free trade with Haiti. He stated this in the meetings. In May, he won the election in the country.

Agreement On Free Trade

On taking office on August 16, 2012, Danilo Medina stated that efforts would be made towards an agreement in free trade with neighbors of the Dominican Republic in Hispaniola. Such an agreement would help producers at the domestic level to take advantage of services and goods available in Haiti.

He made this announcement after a courtesy call with Albert Ramdin, the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States. The meeting was attended by Michelle Cohen, Ambassador and Shelly Dass-Clark, the policy advisor of Ramdin. Ramdin also happens to be the Chairman of Group of Friends, in Haiti.

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