21915: Esser: Help For Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

The Nation [Barbados]
http://www.nationnews.com

May 17, 2004

Help For Haiti
by Wendy Burke

NOW IS NOT THE TIME to say sorry to Haiti, but to try to address the
trade imbalance which that country has with the rest of the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM).

Trade is done on a very small scale at present, with Haiti importing
about US$10 million worth of goods from CARICOM, but exporting less
than one per cent of its total exports of US$1 000 000 to the region.

Earl Baccus, chief executive officer of the Business Development
Company Limited (BDCL), said his company was contracted by CARICOM to
do a competitive study of the trade needs of Haiti, and to survey
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago business people to see what their
requirements would be in order to invest in Haiti.

The objective of this exercise which the BDCL has been recruited to
undertake is to address the trade and redress the imbalance of trade
between Haiti and the rest of CARICOM.

"We are focusing on Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago and the other
group of consultants are concentrating on Bahamas and Jamaica," he
said.

Baccus was in Barbados last week to identify the opportunities for
business expansion and do a competitive study, and see what was
required for Haiti to become a competitive location for industrial
production and investment for other member states of CARICOM.

The study is now in the exploration stage.

"When one looks at the opportunities in Haiti you are looking at
fish, agricultural products, mangoes, citrus, coffee, cocoa, beer,
and rum. Mauby bark, for example, 90 per cent of what is used in
CARICOM is derived from Haiti," he said.

The companies and groups which he has spoken to in Barbados have
expressed a desire for an improved political climate and economic
stability before they invest in the French-speaking territory.

"They are willing to do business with Haiti, but there is the whole
issue of political instability that needs to be addressed to ensure
that the environment is one which is conducive to doing business and
also sustaining business. Haiti is a member of CARICOM, and one of
the major issues which has come up is the recognition of the current
government," said Baccus.

The issue of standards would also have to be addressed and the BDCL
head said that within CARICOM, any buyer in Barbados or Trinidad
would want to be able to ensure repatriation of profits and the
standard factors would also apply, especially as it related to
supply, quality and competitive price.

"f a product is coming into Barbados from Haiti, it would have to
meet the standard of the Barbados National Standards Institute.

"It would be necessary to ensure that they meet a regional and
international standard. The CSME (CARICOM Single Market and Economy)
talks about production integration and here is an ideal initiative to
promote it," he said.

Transportation issues would also have to be considered because Haiti
is not on the traditional shipping or air routes so competitive
freight rates would be necessary.
.