Chamber of Deputies president Abel Martinez has told reporters that Haiti is playing games with the Dominican government’s goodwill in response to the Haitian ban on the overland imports of 23 Dominican products. The ruling PLD party legislator made his comments after a meeting with President Danilo Medina at the Presidential Palace yesterday Wednesday, 14 October 2015.
Martinez said that he was convinced that the Haitian government was not interested in the creation of a healthy climate between the two nations that share the island.
Diario Libre reports that meanwhile, traders and truckers have continued their blockage of the border in reprisal for the Haitian trade ban. Yesterday afternoon the trade and transport federations in the border province of Dajabon announced that they were going to take increasingly drastic actions in response to the Haitian ban that came into effect on 1 October 2015. They said they were taking these measures because the meeting between the Dominican and Haitian presidents had failed to end the Haitian boycott on these 23 products.
Freddy Morillo of the Dajabon Traders Federation, Fernando Diaz of the Market Vendors Association and Geovanny Escoto of the Fenatrado transport union concurred that Haitian President Martelly attended the Tuesday, 13 October 2015 meeting with the intention of “playing games” with the Dominican government. A meeting has been scheduled for today, Thursday 15 October 2015 between traders’ representatives and leaders of several local associations and popular groups outside the bilateral marketplace near the Dominican and Haitian Customs Houses to decide on the next steps.
Meanwhile, dozens of heavy goods vehicles are still parked on Gaston E. Deligne Avenue blocking normal traffic flow and even pedestrian access.
Dozens of wholesale and retail traders in Dajabon are complaining of a 60 to 70% decrease in their sales as a result of the commercial stoppage.