5493: Free zones for Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Yacine Khelladi <yacine@aacr.net>

> DR1 Daily News -- Monday, 13 November 2000
> 2. Free zones for Haiti
> The president of the Dominican Association of Free Zones, Fernando
> Capellán advocates the installation of industrial free zones in the
> Dominican frontier strip with Haiti. During a visit to Haiti to
> participate in a seminar sponsored by the Center for Free Enterprise
> and Democracy, Capellán recalled that in the 70s and early 80s Haiti
> was the pioneer of free zone manufacturing operations in the
> Caribbean, way before manufacturing took off in the DR.
> He called for Haitian and DR official support to the effort to install
> the free zones that would primarily employ Haitians. He said the
> political situation in Haiti has reduced levels of employment in free
> zones in Haiti to around 18,000, about 10% of those employed in the
> DR.
> He feels Haiti can catch up. "Our perception is that Haiti can reverse
> that situation in the short range, taking advantage of new trade
> facilities, including the passing of the Caribbean Basin Initiative
> enhancement pact," he said. He said that with the support of the
> private and public sector and the international community, Haiti could
> become the emerging country of the Caribbean.
> He foresees Haiti could consolidate itself as an attractive
> destination for local and foreign investment in economic development
> projects, such as free zones.
> Others attending were former President Leonel Fernández and former
> President of Costa Rica Jose Maria Figueres.