NewsWhore
08-08-2008, 04:20 PM
A helicopter, Army, Border Security Forces (CESFRONT) and SWAT team members from the Police are escorting the Caribe Tours bus on its daily Santo Domingo-Cap-Haitien route. The route was approved by the OTTT transport authority, but is strongly opposed by Dajabon mini-bus operators that do not want competition.
It is unusual for the government to escort a transport bus, and also for it to defy regional transport unions that have been able to maintain monopolies of their routes over the years through bullying tactics. Listin Diario explains why the government is backing the private bus company this time around. The newspaper's sources say that the authorities are concerned about the increase in undocumented or illegal Haitians traveling on mini-buses that cover the Dajabon-Santiago route, and feel that the express service offered by Caribe Tours (Santo Domingo-Santiago-Cap-Haitien) will allow them to have more control. A military source told Listin that Haitians whose documents are in order would now increasingly travel on Caribe Tours. Those traveling on other units to Santiago will be subject to the inconvenience of agents requesting they show their legal papers. The documentation of Haitians taking Caribe Tours will be checked prior to boarding.
The Caribe Tours bus makes a stopover in Santiago to take on passengers, and then another at the Dajabon border crossing before continuing on to Cap-Haitien. The 6-7 hour trip costs US$40 one-way and US$75 RT (RD$1300/RD$2400). The buses leave at 9am from Cap-Haitien and Santo Domingo, arriving at approximately 4-5pm. Reservation 24 hours in advance is required.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
It is unusual for the government to escort a transport bus, and also for it to defy regional transport unions that have been able to maintain monopolies of their routes over the years through bullying tactics. Listin Diario explains why the government is backing the private bus company this time around. The newspaper's sources say that the authorities are concerned about the increase in undocumented or illegal Haitians traveling on mini-buses that cover the Dajabon-Santiago route, and feel that the express service offered by Caribe Tours (Santo Domingo-Santiago-Cap-Haitien) will allow them to have more control. A military source told Listin that Haitians whose documents are in order would now increasingly travel on Caribe Tours. Those traveling on other units to Santiago will be subject to the inconvenience of agents requesting they show their legal papers. The documentation of Haitians taking Caribe Tours will be checked prior to boarding.
The Caribe Tours bus makes a stopover in Santiago to take on passengers, and then another at the Dajabon border crossing before continuing on to Cap-Haitien. The 6-7 hour trip costs US$40 one-way and US$75 RT (RD$1300/RD$2400). The buses leave at 9am from Cap-Haitien and Santo Domingo, arriving at approximately 4-5pm. Reservation 24 hours in advance is required.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)