7837: Re: 7785: The Gourde, or, Money in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Racine125@aol.com

It's confusing for sure.

A gourde used to be tied by law to the US dollar at five to one.  It isn't 
anymore, but in Haiti we still refer to five gourdes as a dollar.

Percentages are given at the rate of *increase* over a one-to-one ratio.  For 
example when $100 US was equal to $102 Haitian, in other words to 510 
gourdes, the rate of exchange was given as "2%", meaning a two percent 
increase over a one-to-one ratio. So 400% really means a five-to-one ratio, 
five Haitian dollars or twenty-five gourdes to one US dollar.

Hope this helps!

Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra" - Good is rare
     Haitian Proverb

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