The State Sugar Council (CEA) urged Dominicans to cut sugar cane, while announcing it is importing 12,000 Haitian cutters. Cutters make about RD$3,000 a month (slightly above minimum wage) for their hard labor, and the money’s earned are only attractive to Haitians that have less options in their own country. Increasing the pay is controversial, as it would only increase the number of Haitians entering the DR to cut sugar cane, and then staying on to perform other less demanding jobs, such as construction work. Sugar cane ghettos where the Haitians live are considered the most poor communities in the DR. The CEA is in the process of being privatized.
