On Monday, Haitian carriers blocked the entrance to the Malpasse border crossing with their trailers and trucks, causing the access door to and from Haiti to be closed, causing long lines of more than 300 m on both sides of the border…
Haitian transporters and merchants demanded the lifting of the ban on the importation of 23 products of Dominican origin, imposed under the Martelly government in September 2015.
The binational market that takes place every Monday and Thursday in this sector of Mal Paso, had started early but trade was affected by seizures of goods on the Haitian side. Several Haitian traders who had already bought products nevertheless succeeded in transporting them on the Haitian territory by alternative routes…
Trade unionist Jerald Desi, the Vice-President of the Carrier Association of Fond Parisien, said the Moïse to remove the ban on products of Dominican origin, qualifies as a joke. He pointed out that this ban was detrimental to the poorest Haitians living in the utmost poverty along the border, while the richest in Haiti import goods from the Dominican Republic without any concern.
Jerald Desi warned that if Haitian merchants and haitian transporters do not meet their demands, they were able to close the entire border as long they did not win.
In addition, Jerald Desi protested against the Land Border Security Corps (CESDRONT), which he accuses of seizing 24 Haitian taxi motorbikes Saturday and Sunday, on the pretext that they had no papers in order to make transportation in the city of Jimani.
On Monday, following a meeting between Mrs. Thérèse Longchamp, Minister Counselor and Cheffe of post at the Haitian Consulate in Barahona and Dominican authorities, 16 motorcycles were returned to their Haitian owner in the afternoon.
