#4718: several DR/HT news (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Yacine Khelladi <yacine@aacr.net>

> DR1 Daily News -- Friday, 21 July 2000
> ********************************************************************
> 4. Haiti and DR governments start environmental program
> The governments of the Dominican Republic and Haiti began today an
> ambitious environmental and sustainable development program in the
> frontier area. The program is focused between the Enriquillo Lake (DR)
> and Soumatra Lake (Haiti). The program's first phase is funded by a
> donation of US$3.75 million from the European Union, as part of the
> Lomé Agreement. The program seeks to preserve the biodiversity of the
> area and create new jobs in farming and ecotourism. The office for the
> development of the program will be located at the Centro de
> Interpretacion Medioambiental, in Malpasse, in Haiti.

> DR1 Daily News -- Friday, 7 July 2000
> ********************************************************************
> ********************************************************************
> 
> 1. Haiti & DR sign strategic alliance in manufacturing sector
> Richard Coles, president of the Association of Manufacturers of Haiti
> (AIH) and Fernando Capellán, president of the Dominican Association of
> Free Zones signed a strategic alliance yesterday. "It is time to see
> Haiti as an opportunity, not a problem," said Capellán upon announcing
> the agreement. The agreement will create new jobs in Haiti and will
> enable the DR to make more of the recently passed Caribbean Basin
> Trade Partnership Act.
> Coles told the Listín Diario newspaper that the agreement is a
> positive step in the direction of achieving development in Haiti and
> consequently reducing the massive exodus of Haitians to the DR. The
> exodus of indigent Haitians to the DR is creating major social
> problems in the DR.
> Coles favors the construction of industrial free zones along the
> frontier as contemplated in the Haiti-DR plan.
> While the agreement is purely a private sector pact, it is signed
> within the framework of proactiveness set by the Dominican-Haitian
> Bilateral Comission.
> The agreement seeks to establish manufacturing links that integrate
> production and expand export opportunities now that both countries can
> benefit from the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act that goes into
> effect 1 October 2000.
> The signing of the agreement took place at a reception Adozona offered
> to honor Dominicans and foreigners who had made key contributions to
> the approval of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA).
> This treaty, approved this year by the US government, permits the DR
> to export apparel to the US under similar conditions to that achieved
> by Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

> DR1 Daily News -- Thursday, 6 July 2000
> ********************************************************************
 
> 5. European Union funds would help develop tourism in Haiti
> El Caribe newspaper publishes interviews with Madsen Cherubin, head of
> the Haitian mission in the DR, and Renzo Herrera, of the Lome IV
> office in the Dominican Republic.
> The interviews reveal that the European Union funds will be used to
> build a Dajabón-Cap Haitien highway that will provide a modern
> thoroughfare along a large part of the Dominican-Haitian frontier.
> They explained that as part of efforts of the Dominican-Haitian
> Bilateral Commission, the project was identified as priority for the
> frontier area.
> The other priority projects are the construction of a bridge over
> Masacre River and the development of the Port of Manzanillo in the DR.
> 
> This bridge and the highway would permit a flow of tourists from the
> Dominican Republic to carry out day visits to Haiti's northeast that
> has lovely beaches and the impressive Citadelle castle. This is a way
> to get around the ongoing political crisis in Haiti that has scared
> away investments, considerably affecting employment in Haiti and the
> welfare of the general population. The trip to Haiti would surely
> become one of the most popular day excursions for visitors to the
> North Coast.
> Importers and exporters of both countries would use the Port of
> Manzanillo. Studies have shown that the Port of Manzanillo has the
> best conditions of ports on the North Coast, and could become the main
> port for Santiago cargo. Santiago is the second largest city in the
> DR.
> The highway construction is expected to start in early 2001.
> 

DR1 Daily News -- Wednesday, 5 July 2000
> 
> 1. Haiti and DR industrial sectors sign agreement
> The Dominican Association of Free Zones (Adozona) and the Association
> of Industries of Haiti (AIH) will meet in Santo Domingo to sign a
> cooperation agreement. A delegation of 15 leading Haitian
> industrialists is visiting for the important event. The idea is to
> create a strategic alliance between the private sectors of both
> nations. Local companies would subcontract work in Haiti taking
> advantage of the lower cost of labor there. The agreement that
> identifies common business and trade projects is seen as a way to
> improve the island's negotiating capacity in regards to international
> trade and investment schemes.
> The agreement is motivated in part by Dominican business leaders who
> see the plan as a way of creating jobs in Haiti and thus contribute to
> the development of the western part of the island of Hispaniola.
> Richard Coles, president of the Association of Industries of Haiti,
> and Fernando Capellán, president of Adozona, will sign the agreement.
> 
> ********************************************************************
> DR1 Daily News -- Monday, 26 June 2000
> ********************************************************************
> 
> 3. Army General says justice has been lax with people smugglers
> 4. Assisting those living in the bateys
> 3. Army General says justice has been lax with people smugglers
> Army general complains traffickers find accomplices in justice
> Commander of the Second Brigade of Infantry of the Army based in
> Santiago, Brigade General Jose Almonte Sanchez denounced that persons
> that have been arrested for smuggling illegal Haitians into the DR are
> protected by persons that apparently have lots of power to avoid those
> that are infringing the law be subject to the law.
> The high ranking officer told Hoy newspaper that when the army arrests
> a person caught smuggling illegal Haitians into the DR and sends that
> person to justice, nothing happens, and in a few hours the trafficker
> is released without any penalty.
> "When one arrests a smuggler of illegal Haitians, there are 50,000
> persons that defend him claiming that his vehicle be returned. And
> when that person is taken to justice, two hours later, he is out,"
> said Almonte.
> He warned that the trafficking of Haitians, drugs and weapons along
> the frontier will have long term repercussions in the DR.
> He lamented that Dominican justice has been weak in applying the law
> to the smugglers that he said are reaping millionaire earnings.
> He denounced gangs that transport Haitian children to tourist points
> so that these can beg and they can reap earnings.
> 
> 4. Assisting those living in the bateys
> New York organization to assist Haitian sugar cane cutters
> The Ministry of Public Health signed an agreement with the Batey
> Relief Alliance non-governmental organization that will channel
> medical aid for indigent Haitian sugar cane cutters living in sugar
> cane communities, or bateys.
> BRA is a New York-based non-governmental organization that was created
> to help improve of living conditions of migrant Haitians workers that
> transport their poverty in Haiti to sugar cane communities in the DR.
> Ulrich Gaillard, executive director of BRA signed for the
> organization. Minister of Public Health Juan Octavio Ceballos signed
> for the Dominican Republic. The Ministry of Health will assist BRA so
> that it can import equipment and materials necessary for its programs
> in the DR duty free.