Haiti boycotts Dominican Republic’s push to regularize aliens: Deputy

Santo Domingo.- Deputy Vinicio Castillo on Friday accused Haiti’s government of openly boycotting Dominican Republic’s Plan to Regularize Foreigners, bear international pressure on Santo Domingo to extend it and a ban on the deportations of illegal aliens, once the deadline to register expires on June 15.

The lawmaker of the conservative FNP party said Port-au-Prince’s offensive is evidenced by failing to give its citizens the necessary documents so those who live illegally in the country can qualify for legal residency.

He said Haiti’s government also stokes an international campaign to force president Medina to extend the Plan and prolong the main objective, a ban on deportations of undocumented Haitians.

"The statement by Copardom (Dominican Employers Association), published in every newspaper hits the nail on the head when it notes that despite the companies’ interest to regularize Haitian workers, this has been impossible to do with the Haiti Government at a snails’ pace and obstruction," Castillo said.

He warned the government not to yield to blackmail and pressure from international organizations to extend the Plan.

Haitians also complain

Haitians living in the country have also complained that their country’s authorities are too slow to provide documents required by the Plan.

Social and human rights groups have asked the Government to extend the deadline to help citizens living illegally in the country.

Diplomats

A delegation from the embassies of the United States, Britain, the European Union and Peru visited the Interior and Police Ministry on Thursday and lauded Dominican government’s effort to provide documents for immigrants in the country.