Linking Haiti, PR and DR?
It might sound like an April Fool's Day prank three weeks too late, but Listin Diario is reporting of plans that would link Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico via a railway system. The plan is being suggested by the Regional Development Council (CRD), and it proposes to unite the countries in order to promote increased trade. Regions of the DR would be connected to the international rail system by offshoot tracks located in communities throughout the Cibao, Puerto Plata and the southern and eastern regions of the DR. Adding to the plan is a second stage that proposes uniting Cuba and Florida via the same train system. International companies like Dorsch Consult, Euro American Capital Company, GMNBH, World Wide Humanitarian and even India have shown interest in the project. The project is still in its developmental stages.

I haven't heard this news from anywhere else? Any more specifics to this?

Is it feasible...yes it is. Denmark is linked to Sweden by such a system. The Chunnel links London to Paris. Plans are in the works to link Sicily to the boot of Italy.

Will there be the political and economic will to make it happen? I doubt it. Puerto Rico, the U.S. and Cuba in particular have issues that must be addressed before this becomes a reality.

I doubt that they will build a tunnel from DR to PR. I think they mean that they will build a rail that ends on the western most tip of PR and another in DR that ends on the eastern-most tip so that way it's easier for ships to just unload on a train. LOL!

The Dorsch Gruppe is known for its expertise in tunnel, rail, and water-rail construction. In any event, this is a dream far into the future.

Well I can't speak about DR-PR relations but with Haiti as part of the connection I wouldn't think so. Although I'm a rather hopeful guy, and Haiti (which I have much love for) is slowly progressing, don't you think an economically ill country such as Haiti would be able to sustain being "connected" to DR, an economically moderate country which is progressing at a rather fast pace? Especially regarding the bad politics and problems? Essentially I'm trying to ask whether you think the countries would be able to brush aside the binational tension for once and work together to achieve such a goal? How would this project develop? It would be a beneficial occurence in Haiti and would improve relations in my opinion.

Denmark and Sweden are Scandinavian countries who happen to have fraternal relations that are very close in aspect and consistently rank as one of the world's most politically stable and democratic countries. They also have very high standards of living and wealth and so it is much much easier for such a railway system to have been initiatied between the two countries. The Caribbean however and all of its history? Eh...sort of skeptical.

I'm a little skeptical too, but part of me believes that Haiti will stabilize in a couple of years and the economy will grow at a fast rate.

They weren't always that fraternal, mr. Shin. In fact, I think that their historical animosities were far bloodier and deeper than ours, specially on two periods:1- When Sweden separated itself from the Kalmar Union, " Kalmarunionen", formed by both countries and Norway on the year 1523, and 2- On the XVII century, when both of them fought for the possession of the Skaneland, Terra Scaniae or "Scania land", on the southernmost tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, which is now on Sweden's posession. Relations between them both only began to improve after Sweden was displaced as a regional power by the former Russian Empire.

I didn't know about prior hostility between them Lautaro so thanks for dropping the knowledge. Anyhow, I am assuming that the political balance, social similarity, comparability of GDP and levels of friendly interaction in the present between Denmark and Sweden would allow for projects such as these to have a higher chance of success there than if it were developed between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The railway thing sounds like it would even be feasible in at least 5 years or more. Regarding the system being implemented between Cuba and Florida? I don't think so.

The only way it could be implemented on Cuba and Florida would be for the former elites to hold power again on Cuba, which I don´t see happening anytime soon, at least not until after a bloody civil war have happened between them and the current apparatchik on power.