Aside from the very real security threat, especially now that criminal gangs are in control in Haiti, the Dominican Republic is hurting economically. Haiti is the country’s second most important export market.
N Digital reports that the binational markets in Dajabón Jimaní and Pedro Santana in Elías Piña say trade is hurting big in the border towns, where most of the land goods are sold to Haitian merchants.
The situation is grim for binational commerce. As reported in N Digital, the market of Dajabón, considered the most important, was paralyzed on Monday, 25 October 2021, according Dajabón city mayor, Santiago Riverón. This market has lost more than RD$150 million in just one week since the crisis has become uncontrollable, while the losses in perishable products amount to RD$30 million pesos.
Jimaní mayor Dionisy Méndez told N Digital that the sales in that market are down 50%.
Hipólito Valenzuela, the mayor of Pedro Santana in Elías Piña, explains that Dominican merchants have not been supplying the Los Cacaos market because of security concerns.
Valenzuela says the scarcity of fuel in Haiti is worsening the situation. He said merchants from Haiti are not buying because they cannot transport their articles back to Haiti.
For the mayors, “Haiti is a time bomb.” They fear that the DR will pay the consequences.
The country is already paying part of the price of the Haitian crisis, according to Valenzuela of Elías Piña. The mayor denounced a massive displacement of Haitians, who are crossing the countryside to reach Santo Domingo.
They warned that if the food shortage worsens, Haitian gangs will carry out looting in the Dominican Republic. The mayors urged the government step up the monitoring of the situation in Haiti.
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N Digital
29 October 2021