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Haiti to
Create Stable Environment for Business |
By: Lindsay Thompson
Bahamas Information Services
09/27/2007
 |
-Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis of the
Republic of Haiti addresses the delegation of the
Bahamas Chamber of Commerce at his office in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday, September 24 on the
possibilities of trading between both countries.
(Photo: Bahamas Chamber of Commerce)
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PORT- AU-PRINCE, Haiti – A primary goal of the Haitian
Government is to create an environment conducive for
investors to come in and boost its struggling economy,
according to Haiti’s Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis.
Addressing the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce 17-member
delegation at his office in the capital on Monday, Mr.
Alexis said that through revised laws, Haiti is trying to
create the right incentives to attract investors.
The Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce is on a five-day mission to examine ways
to form trade ties with The Bahamas through the Haiti
Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Haiti is categorised as
the poorest nation in the Caribbean. With a population of
about 8.5 million its per capita income is stated at $400 or
$5,300 per annum.
“We need to progress with the improvement of the living
conditions of the vast majority of the people,” the prime
minister said. “We need to put the accent on the issue of
investments.”
Elected to office last February, prime minister Alexis spoke
on how “stability” in Haiti has come about.
“This is the result of mobilisation by the Haitian people as
a whole, because at the February 2006 general elections,
there was absolutely no ambiguity about the vote, given
though at some point (they) tried to steal the results of
it,” the prime minister said.
He added that it was difficult in the first phase because
the problem Haiti had at the political level with peace,
adding that it wasn’t only the question of a departure of
its former President Aristide, but also of the fact that the
majority of Haitian people wanted to see things changing in
this country.
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Prime Minister Alexis said that the first approach was to
end the distrust through dialogue with Haitians involved in
violence and called on the national police to restore order
in the country.
“This is how we could establish this new situation of
security”, he said, adding that the situation is still a
fragile one because the core of problem is the social and
economic instability.
His Excellency Dr. Eugene Newry, the Bahamas Ambassador to
Haiti said that there are two goals to the proposed
arrangement: Haitian products shipped directly to The
Bahamas and which projects Bahamian investors can realise in
Haiti.
The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce said some members of the
delegation, after having met with business persons and
toured establishments of interests, still have doubts as to
whether any sustained trade arrangement could be derived at.
Philip Simon, executive director of the Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce pointed to the importance of factors such as
opportunities being identified, current investments coming
in, business facilitation measures being expedited and
bureaucracies being removed.
Chamber president, Dionisio D’Aguillar said based on what
the group has seen so far, and the stability of the Haitian
Government, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce is ready to do
business.
“We have looked to the north now we have to look to the
south. We are excited by what we see and it seems as if
possibilities are endless,” Mr. D’Aguillar said
Prime Minister Alexis said that his job is to create
conditions for men and women in Haiti to become interested
in agriculture.
In comparison to other Caribbean countries, he noted that
Haiti is still a virgin country in terms of business
development
“With improvement of the situation at the political level
and with initiatives undertaken by His Excellency Rene
Preval in terms of building solidarity in the state I think
that the conditions are being created to produce wealth and
also to better distribute the fruits of this wealth,” the
Prime Minister said.
He acknowledged Bahamians’ love for mangoes and called on
both countries to work together to remove the restrictions
to ensure that this produce is shipped directly to The
Bahamas.
“In terms of food and agriculture production, there are a
lot of economic possibilities, Prime Minister Alexis said.
“We can even develop products aimed for The Bahamas; years
ago we had a pretty fruitful trade between the northwest of
Haiti and The Bahamas. There is the potential that exists.”
He regarded The Bahamas as “champions” in the tourism
industry and that Haiti needs to import that service in
addition to cultural and religious tourism, construction,
financial services and other areas. |
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