Haiti, where 95% of its natural vegetation has been destroyed, represents a real potential danger for the Dominican Republic, according to the Prime Minister, Gerard Latortue. As reported in Hoy, Latortue made these statements in Santo Domingo, as he tries to strengthen ties between the two countries sharing the island of Hispaniola. As international programs to rescue the Artibonite watershed are announced, the Haitian Prime Minister told reporters that the “most terrible problem” facing Haiti is the “ecological disaster” of the destruction of its environment. Latortue pointed out that large-scale Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic could yield similar results if steps are not taken to improve conditions in Haiti. The PM expressed his wish that cooperation between the two nations should increase during the coming year. He added that one of the major infrastructure efforts of his 2005 program is the construction of the highway between Cap-Haitien and Dajabon in the Dominican Republic. This will allow better access for Dominican products to a major Haitian market as well as facilitating tourism between the two nations.