Rebuilding Southern Haiti's Economy...

Sugar-cane plantations along with livestocking have strengthened Hispagnola’s economy and served as a strategic pylon upon which French’s colonialism in the island has settled. In the Mid 1900’s, those two economic-driven-forces have created a new middle-class “population” in Southern and Western Haiti (with limited education) when “Centrale Dessalines, IDAI, FACOLEF, Daborne, etc.” came into existence. A gradual accumulation of wealth and the improvement of the region’s (Southern Haiti) well-being were observed by local citizens, the Haitian government and overseas’ commercial partners. However, despite the creation of a local “Union”, certain economic and social needs _ such as life insurance, retirement plans, disabilities/compensations, among others (for those who worked in those factories)_ have never been addressed comprehensively. Additionally, the region’ school or education system did not benefit from that short-breathed-explosive-economy.


From 1985 to 1990, the factories/industries have collapsed and the region has felt into an economic-state-of-shock, followed by the workforce dispersal, plantations’ abandonment, etc. About 10 years later, agricultural lands were tuned into construction lots, farmers became “traders” (machann pèpè, kola, liv, bolèt), machineries turned into industrial wastes, factories (facilities) into drugs and crime’s cribs and the “middle-class” into self-employed, unemployed and/or poor retirees.


What were the fundamental causes related to that collapse? What are the measurable social and economic indicators of that collapse? After such a long time, can the region overcome this economic distress? What would it take to rebuild those factories? Would it be a sustainable approach? What are the potential economic stimuli that can be used to reflate the economy?


HAIMUSIQUE and MRTG would welcome your comments and analyses vis-à-vis the above issue. They can be reached at 646-462-1339 or info@aux-cayes.com or just reply to this message.


Thanks for your contributions!


Macceau Médozile
http://www.haitionline.info/