Over the years, the granting of visas for travel from Haiti to the DR has been fraught with corruption, with cases of PRD La Vega Deputy Radhames Ramos Garcia (charged for trafficking Chinese nationals across the DR?s border with Haiti) even being studied in the Supreme Court. Likewise, members of the military have taken advantage of the visa requirement to extort fees from Haitians caught making the crossing. Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue now has a better idea. According to the recently installed leader of the DR?s neighbor to the west, the controls should be removed so that Haitians and Dominicans may circulate freely in both countries.
The opinion is not of liking in the Senate, though. The DR?s Senate leader Jesus Vasquez Martinez told Hoy newspaper that if this idea were approved, there would not be a single Haitian left in the neighboring Haiti. In his opinion, the DR instead needs to help Haiti overcome its economic, political and social problems. Senator Mario Torres of border province Dajabon said that migration controls cannot be removed because Haiti is a country where extreme poverty affects 80% of its 9 million inhabitants. He said the DR would have to meet the social needs of 8.5 Dominicans and 9 million Haitians. Furthermore, Torres expressed his concern that such a move could bring an increase in delinquency and the smuggling of contraband and drugs from Haiti to the DR.
Nevertheless, both men favor the creation of a free-trade zone on the border. They mentioned how in Dajabon, Pedernales and Independencia informal markets already operate and allow the crossing of residents from both sides.
Senator Ramiro Espino of Samana said that it is not in the interest of DR to remove the controls because ?we are already being invaded by millions of them.?
Latortue made his open-border proposal during an interview with Hoy newspaper yesterday.
Hoy?s editorial says that the best scenario would be one of Dominicans and Haitians cooperating in matters of health and environment, and envisions the possible signing of a free trade agreement. Furthermore, the writer sees that Dominicans could invest in Haiti, if the government of that country provides guarantees for security and protection.
Hoy says that opening up the frontier would only worsen the present problems, including an acceleration of the deforestation to produce charcoal for cooking. Regarding migration matters, he says that Dominicans and Haitians need to prepare policies that allow better control of the flow of Haitians seeking to improve their living standards by leaving Haitian soil.
Hoy newspaper Coctelera column comments that the Latortue proposal would be feasible if the US in turn removes the requirement for visa for Dominicans who aspire to achieve the ?American dream.?