14668: Durban comment on 14652: Dominican Republic exports (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

As I understand the figures cited from that Dominican paper,
Haiti's imports from the DR went from US$72  million in 2001 to
US$ 88.1 million in 2002, an increase over 22%.  If correct,
that's pretty amazing, and even more so when you realize that it
is in U.S. dollars, which have gotten steadily more expensive in
Haiti.

I would be curious to know the level of exports from Haiti to
the DR, and if that has shown any growth.  Economists would tell
you that a cheaper gourde should be helping Haitian exporters.

Anecdotal evidence tells me that there are very few people in
Haiti interested in either manufacturing or cultivation
(agriculture) FOR EXPORT.  However, you have Haitians of all
economic and social strata involved in IMPORTING and
distribution of all manner of IMPORTED goods.  Why the
imbalance?  I'm not going to try to answer that question here,
but it certainly seems that Haiti's economy (and the gourde)
would benefit if EXPORTS could be stimulated (and IMPORTS
stanched).

Lance Durban