NewsWhore
01-20-2010, 12:30 PM
Economist Bernardo Vega writes that tourism to the DR has declined after the quake in Haiti. He says that foreigners are under the impression that the quake hit here too. The Dominican government is also extracting RD$231 million from its budget for aid to Haiti, at the expense of public services locally. Our private sector is donating more than RD$200 million that reduces their own spending availability here.
Public works construction is affected because of the heavy machinery that has been sent to Haiti to help with the removal of rubble. Repatriations are on hold. An increase in drug trafficking, crossing of escaped Haitian criminals and increase in health issues are of concern, he writes.
But there is a positive side. Many Haitians will find work in Port-au-Prince in the reconstruction of government buildings and housing for the poor. This will probably detain the exodus of Haitians to our country.
An estimated 1.5 million Haitians are homeless and 70% of the buildings in the capital are destroyed. Given the lower transport cost, it is more probable that construction materials and food in general, including water, will be purchased by the donor agencies in the DR, benefiting local companies and our exports. Dominican transport services stand to gain. Barahona will become a hub for collection of goods and distribution. Fuel will flow from here to Haiti. Dominican engineering companies will have work in rebuilding the capital. In the recent past they have already won international tenders for contracts.
And finally, there is a positive political side: most of the international news reports have mentioned the important and early role of the Dominican government and the private sector in helping Haiti.
He writes that now there is needed a Marshall Plan. "This tragedy, with its enormous human and economic cost, could achieve that, at last, the world opens its eyes and pockets, in a timely manner, for our neighbors," he concludes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
Public works construction is affected because of the heavy machinery that has been sent to Haiti to help with the removal of rubble. Repatriations are on hold. An increase in drug trafficking, crossing of escaped Haitian criminals and increase in health issues are of concern, he writes.
But there is a positive side. Many Haitians will find work in Port-au-Prince in the reconstruction of government buildings and housing for the poor. This will probably detain the exodus of Haitians to our country.
An estimated 1.5 million Haitians are homeless and 70% of the buildings in the capital are destroyed. Given the lower transport cost, it is more probable that construction materials and food in general, including water, will be purchased by the donor agencies in the DR, benefiting local companies and our exports. Dominican transport services stand to gain. Barahona will become a hub for collection of goods and distribution. Fuel will flow from here to Haiti. Dominican engineering companies will have work in rebuilding the capital. In the recent past they have already won international tenders for contracts.
And finally, there is a positive political side: most of the international news reports have mentioned the important and early role of the Dominican government and the private sector in helping Haiti.
He writes that now there is needed a Marshall Plan. "This tragedy, with its enormous human and economic cost, could achieve that, at last, the world opens its eyes and pockets, in a timely manner, for our neighbors," he concludes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)