A market near Anse a Pitre, Haiti. Photo goshen.ed
SANTO DOMINGO. – “Only trade can save Haiti,” whose plight is even more desperate given its lopsided US$500 annual business with the Dominican Republic, its also poor neighbor on Hispaniola Island.
Dominican-Haitian Chamber of Commerce president Rosa Maria Garcia has the cold figures but also a ray of hope for the country of an estimated 9 million: Dominican investments.
“Dominicans should invest more in Haiti; there’s a housing deficit; agribusiness can flourish,” she said in a gathering Wednesday night to present the 10th Grand Caribbean Business Forum, to be staged from October 22 to 25 with the slogan “Let’s build business associations in the Grand Caribbean.”
Garcia said the business round table hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), headed buy former president Bill Clinton shows that last years’ event opened up great business opportunities in the neighboring country for Dominican entrepreneurs.
She said the textile and renewable energies sectors are also investment opportunities, for which the Forum aims to bring together international companies in contact with those opportunities, to meet partners, customers and suppliers in Haiti.
“Only trade can save Haiti, it’s our hope that the BID’s effort can ease its unemployment and clear the obstacles on trade,” Garcia said, adding that the estimated US$500 million informal trade to total a whopping US$1.0 billion yearly, Dominicans shouldn’t complain about the massive presence of Haitians here, and instead help ease their economic woes back home.
“The objective of the Forum organized by the Association of Caribbean States (AEC) is to manage a better economic development of our countries, reinforce trade relations across the entire Caribbean region and a wider use of the benefits of Caricom, CariForum and of other regional and global echelons,” says a statement handed to the press in the event held in hotel El Embajador, with the presence of Haiti ambassador Fritz Cineas.
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
Why don´t we send out Radhames Segura as head of their electrical sector?
Written by: Cacique, 8 Oct 2009 9:40 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Garcia hits the nail on the head. We Dominicans can't complain too much, but we can demand that our government enforce the law, insistently...
Written by: BASTA, 8 Oct 2009 9:58 AM
From: Dominican Republic, = Ghetto-SPM-Barrio Blanco
whose law - the law of idiots. Dominicans go back to AFRICA
From: United States
I made three attempts to do business in Haiti, each and every time I practically lost my shirt.
One time I sent a couple of containers, left it in storage until I could get back a few weeks later. Upon my return, the warehouse was raided by local Haitian vandals. And forget about corruption, the DR is nothing, we are babies with candy compared to Haiti. You can't do anything unless you pay someone off, each and every step of the way. And if you are a non-black foreigner, they make your life a living hell. Business dealing with Haiti is next to impossible. You need to know the language well, understand the Haitian mentality and be very intimate with the culture, otherwise you will get your throat slashed. Because they have been a recipient country for decades, Haitians have a entitlement mentality. The idea of clean business dealing is a foreign concept to them. You can spend hours negociating on a deal and come to an agreement, yet the next day it was as if it never took place.
Written by: xwill7, 8 Oct 2009 11:16 AM
From: United States, Chicago
guiller,
the gringa is doing buisiness in that pic
From: United States
Yeah, the gringa is probably paying 10 times the price of what the article is worth. Anyway, instead of just giving a hand out to the Haitian, just buy their products and goods, but understand that conciously you will allow yourself to get screwed.
Written by: xwill7, 8 Oct 2009 11:57 AM
From: United States, Chicago
I was on a beach in puerto plata once and thie Haitian kid was selling dulce. I could just imagine the diarea that you would get from that candy in the hot sun all day
From: Dominican Republic, Dando pela en las 5 esquinas
I think once haiti finally reorganize its army and police and law and order is restore at least to decent levels investors are going to pour a lot of cash into haiti, that if the 1%ers that rules the nation allows law and order back into haitian society.
I like to know what the haitian constitution is like and what it says about private enterprises and foreing investment?, how it compares to the new and improved DR constitution, is it just a piece of paper like we used to say about our law of the land.
If one of our Hatian residents can share with us some information or where to get it
merci
From: Dominican Republic, Dando pela en las 5 esquinas
lol
xwill7
tu ta pasao
si te comes un dulce de mani rancio te vas en mierd*.
From: Botswana, Seatin here in Gaborone having a drink with Ms Pussy Galore
For the past 2years there have been a great deal of improvement made in Haiti.The security issues have been address,now we are moving to the next phase infrastructure development currently there is a dominican co which have gotten some of these road contract. At the same time we are working on attracting foreign investment. Currently the Haitian constitution is being revise to facilitate business
this is a key issue being address by the legislative body as we speak. I strongly believe within 5years we will be in firm footing ground, in 10 year time consider the fact our labor wage is cheaper than Bangladesh and our proximity to the US everybody is going to want to come in .so far Digicel of Ireland have invested 200 mil usd,Royal carribean is investing 55mil on their new pier at Labadie which should be open this year.
e
From: Botswana, Seatin here in Gaborone having a drink with Ms Pussy Galore
Finally the grip of the local elite on the economy is being loosen.Privatization is in play right now. With
all the infrastructure work going on at the moment,the next phase is decentralization of the Capital to create jobs in the provences. Tourist wise we are not going to be like DR,but will be a. Boutique type as we were in the 50's you can find some of those footage on YouTube. Our development will not be like DR with metro and all,but with par with the rest of the carribean. The good thing is this time no one can plunder the funds because the govement does not have direct access but unstead come up with the projects that need to be funded and int'l co bid on the countracts once approved the donor country gives the go ahead.
From: Botswana, Seatin here in Gaborone having a drink with Ms Pussy Galore
Most of the companies in textile in DR used to be in Haiti.they move their operation next door after the fall of Baby doc. Given the advantage of cheaper labor source once the energy problem is resolve
which is in the works I believe these guys will come back.
From: United States, New York City
“Only trade can save Haiti”
Change the word "trade" to "God".
From: United States, Port Washington, LI (New York)
Haitians must repent themselves and stop believing in vodoo if They want to be smart like Dominicans other than that let the americans, canadians and europeans to open ther arses
not us.
From: United States, Brooklyn
Dominicans like products from foreign countries like the US or European countries because they have the appearance of higher class status... Now if Dominicans won't consume dominicans made goods because of the lack of status that are associated with our criollo goods, why would they accept haitian goods... If there are any that we may seek to import ???
The only thing that haiti may have that Rich dominicans can profit off is cheap labor
Written by: Micaela, 9 Oct 2009 9:21 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Beautifil. Dominicans should invest more in Haiti; but as it is, rich Haitians have a lot more money than Dominicans, why they, who control 90% of the resources and know the turf don't do the investment and repay some of the money they have stolen form the people for 200 years.
And of course, Dominicans shouldn’t complain about the massive presence of Haitians here, because tthree or four rich gays are making a lot of money with they cheap labor, without a care of how the massive Haitian presence affect them. She should be ashamed of herself.
From: United States
I am happy to see a real sense of understanding because the issue of trade and commerce will be a topic that both countries deal in in the future.
Written by: dagtan, 9 Oct 2009 11:03 PM
From: United States
After all there is still some smart people on the island, this lady is one of them.
From: United States
Haitians are the largest consumer of dominican goods. They play a major role in the DR economy but have no respect. shame on you all in the DR that gives haitians no respect.
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One time I sent a couple of containers, left it in storage until I could get back a few weeks later. Upon my return, the warehouse was raided by local Haitian vandals. And forget about corruption, the DR is nothing, we are babies with candy compared to Haiti. You can't do anything unless you pay someone off, each and every step of the way. And if you are a non-black foreigner, they make your life a living hell. Business dealing with Haiti is next to impossible. You need to know the language well, understand the Haitian mentality and be very intimate with the culture, otherwise you will get your throat slashed. Because they have been a recipient country for decades, Haitians have a entitlement mentality. The idea of clean business dealing is a foreign concept to them. You can spend hours negociating on a deal and come to an agreement, yet the next day it was as if it never took place.
the gringa is doing buisiness in that pic
I like to know what the haitian constitution is like and what it says about private enterprises and foreing investment?, how it compares to the new and improved DR constitution, is it just a piece of paper like we used to say about our law of the land.
If one of our Hatian residents can share with us some information or where to get it
merci
xwill7
tu ta pasao
si te comes un dulce de mani rancio te vas en mierd*.
this is a key issue being address by the legislative body as we speak. I strongly believe within 5years we will be in firm footing ground, in 10 year time consider the fact our labor wage is cheaper than Bangladesh and our proximity to the US everybody is going to want to come in .so far Digicel of Ireland have invested 200 mil usd,Royal carribean is investing 55mil on their new pier at Labadie which should be open this year.
e
all the infrastructure work going on at the moment,the next phase is decentralization of the Capital to create jobs in the provences. Tourist wise we are not going to be like DR,but will be a. Boutique type as we were in the 50's you can find some of those footage on YouTube. Our development will not be like DR with metro and all,but with par with the rest of the carribean. The good thing is this time no one can plunder the funds because the govement does not have direct access but unstead come up with the projects that need to be funded and int'l co bid on the countracts once approved the donor country gives the go ahead.
which is in the works I believe these guys will come back.
Change the word "trade" to "God".
not us.
Dominicans like products from foreign countries like the US or European countries because they have the appearance of higher class status... Now if Dominicans won't consume dominicans made goods because of the lack of status that are associated with our criollo goods, why would they accept haitian goods... If there are any that we may seek to import ???
The only thing that haiti may have that Rich dominicans can profit off is cheap labor
And of course, Dominicans shouldn’t complain about the massive presence of Haitians here, because tthree or four rich gays are making a lot of money with they cheap labor, without a care of how the massive Haitian presence affect them. She should be ashamed of herself.