12639: RE: 12585: Haiti's Not-So-Free Zones - Multinational Monitor (fw d) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "Walton, Robert" <waltonr@emh1.ftmeade.army.mil>

"...( the) first two factories would employ some 1,500 Haitians within three
years." That's a minimum initial payroll of about 120,000 Gourdes per
month-- in three years.

Compare this with 500- 800,000 Gourdes per month, less the costs for
material/seed, etc., when/if the "fertile plain" (about 120 - 1980 acres is
ever planted with rice and properly irrigated.  What are the peasants
earning from this land now?

If the free zone ever employs 8500 workers, the monthly payroll would
approximate 6,800,000 Gourdes.  Why not work out a deal to IMMEDIATELY
gather, transport and distribute the "fertile topsoil" (I assume this is the
only fertile soil in the area) to another location that has been properly
prepared, graded and...provided with irrigation?  Could be a win-win for
everybody.

Bob