21081: Esser: A sit-in to denounce poor working conditions is held at the EDH (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Agence Haïtienne de Presse

March 31, 2004

A sit-in to denounce poor working conditions is held at the EDH by
employees belonging to the union

Port-au-Prince, March 31, 2004 -(AHP)- Employees belonging to the
union of the EDH (Electric Company of Haiti) organized a sit-in this
Wednesday inside the EDH building to denounce the poor conditions
under which they work.

The EDH employees asked for three, two-week pay periods of back wages
to be paid.  

Promises made by the government to unfreeze the institution's funds
have remained unfulfilled, said Alix Clerveau.

The employees of the union of the EDH also described threats they
face constantly, they said, as a result of the generalized black-out
prevailing in the Haitian capital.

Mr. Clerveau also explained that the EDH workers have taken this
opportunity to provide details on the fuel scandal that shook the
Latortue government.

Alix Clerveau indicated that EDH officials were not informed of the
order for fuel that was placed by the new government.

He said that it was Jean Lucien Ligondé, a person close to the EDH,
who alerted the sales manager of the situation, who in turn told the
general manager, Charles Albert Jacques, that 200,000 gallons of fuel
were available.

Mr. Clerveau explained that normally, the EDH buys fuel at $1.02 per
gallon. For this delivery, the EDH must pay $1.1795 per gallon.  

According to him, this price was imposed on the electric company.  

Generally, the EDH buys its diesel from Elf. The EDH workers did not
know whether ELF was also the supplier in this case.

During Wednesday's sit-in, three EDH employees fainted due to their
poor health.
.