Economy

 

Export more tax reductions; improve products so that they can be made fit for export.

Small business opportunity:   Evaluating small business development in Haiti’s retail sector loan schemes, micro finance institutions, capacity building and training of nationals on how to run businesses, training in Income Generating Activities i.e cottage industries, metal work, craft, textile,  Improve workers salaries and remuneration to discourage brain drain and labor force migration in search of greener pastures or better employment conditions.

 

Tourism:   Tourism in Haiti has suffered from the country’s political upheaval. Inadequate infrastructure also has limited visitors to the island. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, tourism was an important industry, drawing an average of 150,000 visitors annually. Following the 1991 coup, tourism has recovered slowly. The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has joined the Haitian government in efforts to restore the island’s image as a tourist destination. In 2001, 141,000 foreigners visited Haiti. Most came from the United States. Further improvements in hotels, restaurants, and other infrastructure still are needed to make tourism a major industry for Haiti.

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Due to recent political instability, tourism - once a significant industry - has suffered in Haiti, with the exception of Labadee, a port located on the country's northern coast. Labadee is a resort leased long term by Royal Caribbean International. Although sometimes described in advertisements as an island in its own right, it is actually contiguous with the rest of Hispaniola. Labadee is fenced off from the surrounding area. The cruise ships anchor offshore, and passengers are tendered to the resort, often without being told they are in Haiti. Attractions include a Haitian Flea Market, traditional Haitian dance performances, numerous beaches, watersports, and a waterpark. Lately the city of Jacmel, due its reputation as being less politically volatile, its French colonial era architecture, its colorful cultural carnival, pristine beaches and a nascent film festival has been attracting local tourists and a small amount of international tourism.

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Despite obstacles, Haiti's rich culture and history has allowed the country to maintain a moderate and potentially rising tourist industry

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•Foreign investment: attract investors, tax holidays,

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Peace building in Haiti:

Including Haitians from Abroad

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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The absence of adequate professional staff, sufficient financial resources and efficient management at all levels of government has delayed structural reforms and economic and social programs. The country needs institutional strengthening  – Otherwise, political polarisation along traditional cleavages will reappear, as will the risk of conflict. Training civil servants and increasing their salaries are important but insufficient to produce the advances Haitians are demanding. A serious and sustained initiative to include three million Haitians living abroad could overcome historic nationalistic mistrust of outsiders, bring a missing middle class within reach and help Haiti escape its “fragile state” status.

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Most Haitians abroad live in the U.S. and Canada. Their remittances to family in Haiti reached an estimated $1.65 billion in 2006 and now account for 35 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). This direct subsidy to family incomes should not lessen the state’s willingness to develop sustainable financing for basic public services. Instead, its impact should be maximised through better access to credit and finance, and greater remittances literacy. Savings and other resources should also be leveraged through incentives programs, hometown associations (HTAs), professional organisations and diaspora investment funds. The Haitian government should facilitate greater coordination and partnerships to redirect some funds to local, departmental and national development initiatives.

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Members of the diaspora are Haiti’s first customers and investors in tourism, small business and mining but they prefer to conduct business informally, waiting for more security, greater confidence in the government and an improved investment climate. At the same time, they are becoming aware of their potential power as lobbies in their host countries and as transnational networks and actors in Haitian politics. Their economic contribution should be reflected in the political system by allowing dual citizenship and diaspora representation in parliament. These changes will require, after broad consultations and negotiations, at least constitutional amendment and possibly a new constitution . Measures to facilitate voting in Haitian consulates are also needed.

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The diaspora is ready to help but it needs government assistance to remove formal and informal barriers to expanded engagement. A reverse brain drain would bring several hundred skilled and professional expatriates back and greatly expand the nation’s management capacity. Yet to realise those benefits the government must clearly communicate to key sectors and the public the reasons for encouraging returns. As President I will personally launch a ten-year diaspora policy with full international support. A plan designed in collaboration with the diaspora, parliament and civil society that targets specific objectives and transparently addresses the downside risks of expanded diaspora involvement will help pave the way for a smooth transition at the end of his term.

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My Solution on Economic

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Infrastructure is critical for the country’s ability to compete in the global economy in Haiti. In that sense, ports and logistics, highway and electricity generation projects are the most important for country growth.  Priorities vary across Haiti, but in general these are seen as the critical sectors.

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1.  Set up a one-year mandated commission comprising Haitians from abroad, parliamentarians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the business sector, with a sufficient budget to organise three diaspora-wide consultative workshops to debate and design a ten-year diaspora policy and assess potential risks of the reforms proposed.

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2.  Consult with political forces countrywide and parliament on the quickest ways of achieving constitutional and other reforms that will include the diaspora in the 2015 presidential election process by allowing dual citizenship, permitting diaspora representation in parliament and facilitating voting abroad.

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3.  Increase the high-level staff and budget of the Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad (MHLA) to better reflect the diaspora’s economic weight and open half these new positions to well-qualified Haitians from abroad.

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4.  Pursue large-scale recruitment programs in public administration, equally open to well-qualified Haitians inside and outside the country, to promote transfer of knowledge by immediately bringing several hundred Haitians from abroad for periods of up to ten years, perhaps starting with one- to three-year commitments, coupled with sound communication and compensatory policies to avoid tensions inside state institutions.

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5.  Maximise use of remittances through better access to financial services and credit and finance literacy programs, and intensify efforts to improve the investment climate in terms of infrastructure, property protection and economic security.

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6.  Set up a diaspora development fund together with hometown associations (HTAs) and international donors and coordinated with the Local Government Management and Development Fund (FGDCT, Fonds des Gestion et de Développement des Collectivités Territoriales).

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7.  Set up an interministerial task force to prepare a law on labour force migration and negotiate bilateral agreements to better control migrations flows with countries hosting the largest Haitian populations.

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8.  Publish regular electronic and radio security bulletins with accurate statistical crime data for Port-au-Prince and the regions directed at Haitians abroad seeking up-to-date information on security risks.

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To the Haitian Parliament:

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9.  Debate and build parliamentary consensus regarding a long-term diaspora policy and the need for constitutional reform, a law on labor migration and an increased budget for the MHLA.

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10.  Consider constitutional amendments or other constitutional reform procedures to allow dual citizenship and diaspora representation in the parliament, as well as other measures to facilitate voting abroad.

 

 

To the International Community, including the U.S., Canada, the European Union (EU), International Financial Institutions and Other Major Donors:

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11.  Establish diaspora liaison centres and criteria favoring the employment of Haitian expatriates in foreign aid programs and develop public administration staffing programs in coordination with the Haitian government.

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12.  Support diaspora networks and NGOs operating in their territories and in Haiti by helping them plan, finance and implement development and investment projects in Haiti in coordination with the MHLA and other relevant public and private entities.

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13.  Support a Haitian diaspora development fund designed to finance local development projects.

To the Haitian Diaspora, Hometown Associations (HTAs) and Transnational Networks:

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14.  Pressure the chambers on voting abroad, dual nationality and representation in the parliament, as part of constitutional and other reform.

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15.  In the U.S. and Canada, encourage the development of a Haitian “community” lobby to create stronger political cohesion within the diaspora and promote better understanding of Haiti’s challenges among policy-makers in those countries to increase their engagement in Haiti.

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To the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Governments of the Dominican Republic and Haiti:

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16.  Revitalize the functioning of the bilateral commission with, if needed, more assertive mediation from the OAS or the IOM, to manage migration issues between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

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Agriculture

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 Mass food production, organic food production, cooperative societies to help protect the farmers and producers from middle men in the market, construct markets.

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Agriculture continued to be the mainstay of the economy in the late 1980s; it employed approximately 66 percent of the labor force and accounted for about 35 percent of GDP and for 24 percent of exports in 1987. The role of agriculture in the economy has declined severely since the 1950s, when the sector employed 80 percent of the labor force, represented 50 percent of GDP, and contributed 90 percent of exports. Many factors have contributed to this decline. Some of the major ones included the continuing fragmentation of landholdings, low levels of agricultural technology, migration out of rural areas, insecure land tenure, a lack of capital investment, high commodity taxes, the low productivity of undernourished farmers, animal and plant diseases, and inadequate infrastructure. Neither the government nor the private sector invested much in rural ventures; in FY 1989 only 5 percent of the national budget went to the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development (Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Resources Naturelles et du Développement Rural--MARNDR). As Haiti entered the 1990s, however, the main challenge to agriculture was not economic, but ecological. Extreme deforestation, soil erosion, droughts, flooding, and the ravages of other natural disasters had all led to a critical environmental situation.  

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Although many Haitians make their living through subsistence farming, Haiti also has an agricultural export sector. Agriculture, together with forestry and fishing, accounts for about one-quarter (28 percent in 2004) of Haiti’s annual gross domestic product and employs about two-thirds (66 percent in 2004) of the labor force. However, expansion has been difficult because mountains cover much of the countryside and limit the land available for cultivation. Of the total arable land of 550,000 hectares, 125,000 hectares are suited for irrigation, and of those only 75,000 hectares actually have been improved with irrigation. Haiti’s dominant cash crops include coffee, mangoes, and cocoa. Haiti has decreased its production of sugarcane, traditionally an important cash crop, because of declining prices and fierce international competition.

 

 

Because Haiti’s forests have thinned dramatically, timber exports have declined. Roundwood removals annually total about 1,000 kilograms. Haiti also has a small fishing industry. Annual catches in recent years have totaled about 5,000 tons.

 

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Reversing a decades-long trend of environmental destruction is essential to Haiti’s development, social and economic stability and, ultimately, security. Instability and violent conflict are not attributable solely to environmental degradation. But they are made more likely by the latter’s interaction with such factors as weak institutions and governance, political fragility, pervasive and extreme poverty, vulnerability to natural disasters, rapid population growth, urban overcrowding and social and economic inequality. Concerted national effort and international support is required to stop deforestation and land erosion; reduce energy shortages and charcoal dependence; address rural and urban pollution, including the absence of a solid waste collection and recycling system; and strengthen an inadequate capacity to cope with natural disasters.

 

 

For years, severe environmental problems have been among the roots of Haiti’s social, economic and even political crises. Following the devastating floods of May and September 2004, which killed approximately 3,000, Crisis Group warned that the ecological disaster was a “time bomb” that needed to be addressed to prevent new instability. Subsequent governments have not had sufficient commitment and strength to tackle the situation comprehensively. Consequently, Haiti in 2009 risks further economic decline and possible political destabilisation, compounded by the impact of the global financial crisis.

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Beginning to halt the depletion of the natural environment and factoring the social and economic consequences into national policy must be an integral part of the strategy to prevent new instability. While the problems can only be addressed fully in the long term, the immediate actions required by the government of President Préval and Prime Minister Pierre-Louis to begin this process should include:

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MY PLAN

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declaring the environment a national priority and linking environmental rehabilitation and preservation measures to social and economic development strategies, such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy;

relieving pressure on forest resources by encouraging the use of subsidized wood fuel substitutes, taxing the sale and transport of charcoal and wood and investing returns in environmental rehabilitation programs;

investing more external aid in rural development to stem the flow of migrants to urban slums and stepping up community-led environmental protection projects in those slums to expand access to clean water and basic sanitation; and

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strengthening institutions to better manage the environment by establishing and empowering local governance structures, including community policing; completing and enacting the organic law for the environment ministry; eliminating overlapping ministerial responsibilities for natural resources management; and ensuring more effective coordination among ministries and the international community by launching the inter-ministerial committee on the environment to be chaired by the prime minister.

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Infrastructure (public transportation, markets, roads, hospitals,)

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The mission of my infrastructure plan is to provide exemplary municipal services, quality country infrastructure and facilities and to inspire community improvements that add value to the lives of our residents and enhance businesses.

Pursuant to the 1983 Constitution of Haiti and for the purposes of promoting the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity or the general welfare of the present and future inhabitants of Haiti; of lessening congestion in the streets; securing safety from fire, panic and other dangers; providing adequate light and air; prevent overcrowding of land, avoiding both undue concentration of population and urban sprawl, facilitating the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements; protecting property against blight and depreciation; encouraging the most appropriate use of land, buildings and other structures throughout the country; securing economy in government expenditures; and for other purposes, all in accordance with a comprehensive plan for the development of the country’s cities and state. The Mayors and state leaders, will do hereby ordain and enact into the law the following Articles and Sections of the Zoning Resolution.

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ZONING

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 The country of Haiti will has a holistic approach to revitalization plans for downtown neighborhoods and the country. The centerpiece of the revitalization is the downtown area.  My administration will put together fundamental land use tools for future revitalization with Council leadership and Planning Commission support.

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Quality is a theme that threads through the country plans for the revitalization of Haiti. By entering into a partnership with residents and businesses, the country’s goal is to make Haiti an ever more beautiful country in which to live and work. This is my administration’s goal: Make Haiti the very best small country possible - a small country with great plans.

Improving the quality of life and livability of the country will mean providing for quality in all aspects of the country’s residential, commercial, and industrial development. A quality-built environment attracts quality people to the country. This is an essential ingredient of my administration’s plans.

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My administration zoning overlays will enhance Haiti development through flexible zoning techniques. Trail development along creek corridors, the preservation of historic elements, and a Public Art in Public Places program, public transportation, markets, roads, hospitals, are few of the new initiatives. These elements will improve the country’s image opportunities and above all, ensure and enhance safety in our neighborhoods, shopping areas, and transportation routes.

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Code Compliance Program

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Neighborhood Improvement is responsible for enforcing the country's zoning, nuisance, building, and property maintenance codes. Professional code enforcement services help improve and stabilize neighborhoods, protect property values and promote a healthier and safer environment.

My Government will be very serious about code enforcement. Please do your part by abating all code violations present on your property. It is not just the right thing to do; it will be  the law.

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Vision Statement - To examine the way we enforce zoning, nuisance, building and property maintenance codes and to make them as "business friendly" as possible, while keeping the country both visually and economically attractive for our residents. 

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Mission Statement - To enhance the quality of life in the country of Haiti, protect property values, preserve the public safety, and continually improve the way we do business as a coutnry government. 

Our Goal

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  Provide timely professional code enforcement to the citizens of Haiti.

  Help ensure neighborhoods are improved and stabilized through the code enforcement program.

  Help protect property values.

  Achieve a healthier and safer environment for its citizens.

 

This newly established process will allow our Code Enforcement personnel to support citizens who call us with specific code enforcement complaints. In addition, this software will help the City provide better tracking of internal/external code complaints and will assist with the streamlining of Planning and Zoning Department operations.  This line will allow the Planning and Zoning Department to deal with other City business in a more efficient and effective manner.

Haiti's Code Enforcement Program

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The country will established a code enforcement program in an effort to ensure that the quality of life is maintained throughout our community. This program will exists not to punish individual property owners, but to maintain the greater good of the community by gaining compliance with adopted codes. This program seeks to maintain the quality of life for everyone. In that regard, this is a positive program that promotes a sense of community.

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The steps listed below identify the procedure that will be used to carry out the goals of this program primarily directed toward the elimination of aesthetic and safety violations.

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Step 1
The first step in this process is when a violation of codes is perceived and a complaint is filed. Once the complaint is found to become a potential code issue, the Code Enforcement Officer will inspect the premises and determine if the issue warrants follow up.

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Step 2
A code enforcement action begins when the Code Enforcement Officer identifies a violation of City  or state regulations. The person or persons responsible for causing the violation are notified of the problem. This notice will include the nature of the violation and the date when it should be corrected. The immediacy of the corrective action will depend on the significance of the violation.

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Step 3
If the state or city cannot gain compliance through cooperative efforts and negotiation, a Citation may be issued requiring you to appear in court. Zoning cases are normally heard in Court.  After hearing the testimony and reviewing the evidence, the court will issue a verdict. A "not guilty" verdict will terminate the action, while a "guilty" action will result in a sentence. The sentence always will include compliance, possibly a fine, and court costs.