On Monday, the Private Sector Economic Forum condemned with the utmost severity the acts of violence and vandalism that have hit businesses, private and public institutions and many Haitian and foreign citizens over the last three days.

"The Economic Forum wishes to express its sincere sympathies to the victims of these acts of barbarism, detrimental to the social climate, the national image and our ability to attract private investment generating sustainable employment and economic prosperity. "

The Forum wishes to underline its conviction that "these acts largely reflect the high degree of frustration, even disarray" of the majority of our fellow citizens, faced the deterioration of their living conditions for many years. While deploring the fact, he considers, however, "that such frustration, however justified, can not excuse such an increase of violence, destruction and violation of the fundamental rights of the entire population."

In addition, the Economic Forum "is astonished at the inaction characterized of the forces of order face this new and unacceptable overflow of delinquency, contrary to their mission of maintaining order and protecting lives and property." He estimates that "this situation results above all from a lack of leadership by the highest authorities of the Haitian State, including the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and his Government. This is evidenced, among other things, by the apparent lack of planning of security measures that would logically precede the adoption of the drastic price adjustment measure for petroleum products decreed by the Government on 6 July 2018." https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24881-haiti-flash-the-price-of-gas-explodes-at-the-pump.html

While taking note of the recent decision to withdraw this measure taken by the Executive Authority, "the Economic Forum is of the opinion that the President of the Republic should draw the logical conclusions of this deplorable situation and ask the Prime Minister to submit without delay his resignation and that of his Government, in order to offer a way out to the current political impasse."

The Forum wishes "that the choice of the new Government is made in the widest possible consultation and is associated with the adoption of a realistic plan of action, aimed at satisfying the basic needs of the population within the limits of the ways and means available. "

The Forum appeals to the sagacity of our elected representatives, both the Executive and the Parliament, to adopt a more realistic and responsible budget to collect the tax revenues where they are, especially through an effective fight against the double scourge of smuggling and tax evasion. The Economic Forum believes that a significant reduction of this scourge would certainly have helped to mitigate the magnitude of the price adjustment of petroleum products.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24897-haiti-flash-3rd-day-of-riots-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24892-haiti-flash-demonstrations-violence-balance-of-2-days-of-chaos.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-24887-haiti-flash-hausse-des-carburants-au-moins-deux-morts-et-de-nombreux-degat-dans-la-capitale.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24883-haiti-flash-all-new-public-transport-rates.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24881-haiti-flash-the-price-of-gas-explodes-at-the-pump.html

HL/ HaitiLibre