22724: Durban: Customs Strike at PAP Airport (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

Way back in his first term, President Ronald Reagan set the tone
of discussion by setting an ultimatum to striking government
workers.  When the air traffic controllers refused to call off
their strike, those who refused to come back to work were
summarily fired.  It made a powerful statement about public
interest vs the right of government workers to strike.

On a smaller scale, Prime Minister Latortue now has a chance to
make a similar statement.  The customs inspectors at
Port-au-Prince airport have been out on strike for a week for
reasons that are somewhat unclear to me.  Seems someone in
management insulted one of the inspectors, causing all of the
other inspectors to strike "in sympathy".

My guess is that word has already gotten out to the Madame Sara
community, who are probably already carrying in TV's, stereos,
telephone equipment, computers, etc. as personal effects which
can temporarily enter with no customs inspections (and thus no
duty) at all!

More serious, however, is that fact that incoming air cargo
cannot be inspected and is consequently not being released to
factories.  Since Haiti's single competitive advantage over the
Far East is geographic proximity to the North American market,
effectively shutting down the airport is akin to shooting
oneself in the foot.  Baring some resolution, factory layoffs
will commence this coming week.  Already customers are being
advised to anticipate delays in their JIT (just-in-time)
shipments, and they are starting to shift factory orders to
other countries.  Life must go on, after all.

A solution does not have to include firing the strikers, however
the immediate release of raw material entering duty free under
franchise would seem to be the minimum that should be done.
Dueling is not a common practice in Haiti, or we might
alternatively suggest that the two protagonists settle their
score on the tarmac à la Hamilton/Burr, circa 1804!

Be interesting to see how this little drama will play out in the
coming days, but in the meantime, Corbetters, be advised that
right now might be just the time to bring in that new color TV
the folks in Haiti have been asking for... if it will fit in the
suitcase, of course.

Lance Durban