Famine lurks as Haiti enforces ban on Dominican products: EFE

Dajabon, DominicanRepublic.- Haitian and Dominican merchants warned Sunday that the Haiti governmentban by land on 23 Dominican products staring October 1 could lead to famine in Haitianvillages and towns near the border, EFE reports.

They also warned thatif Port-au-Prince doesn’t lift the ban unemployment and crime will jump inborder communities along the two countries´ border.

Roul Joseph, of the Haitimerchants Northeast Emergency Committee told EFE that several border towns inHaiti, near the Dominican border, have begun to feel the shortages of severalproducts

He said Haitianmerchants, especially those from Cap Haitien, don’t want to visit thebinational market held in Dajabon (Dominican NW) Mondays and Fridays because fromOuanaminthe to that city, Haiti´s second biggest, authorities in that countryhave set up at least four checkpoints and everyone has to pay taxes on thegoods they buy in Dominican Republic, regardless of amount.

"This is pushingup prices in my country and people are beginning to notice," the merchant warned.