Spanish
SANTO DOMINGO.– Former President Hipólito Mejía assured that Haitian labor is essential for construction and agriculture in the Dominican Republic, highlighting that without their presence, many of these activities could not be sustained.
“There is no construction here without Haitians, hear it well. There isn't,” he stated during an interview on the program Verdades al Aire. Mejía underlined that sectors such as agriculture also partially depend on Haitian labor migration, which is why he called for the implementation of a regulation plan that allows for the organization and utilization of that workforce without representing a threat to national security. "I am not proposing a specific model, but there were previous schemes that worked," recalled the former president, alluding to the mechanisms that at the time allowed the legal and controlled entry of Haitian temporary workers for the harvests. "They were selected in Haiti, approved in our border governorships, and after finishing the work, they returned or stayed," he explained. Mejía warned that the real challenge lies in the absence of documentation from many migrants, which complicates establishing efficient controls. "Many don't even know their legal name. Before, they were assigned a number, but all that requires a system that the government must define," he pointed out. The former head of state also rejected the stigmas that fall on the Haitian community, calling for more humane and dignified treatment. "The business community needs that workforce, but it must also assume its responsibility: pay well, respect their rights and contribute to the health and social security system," he declared. In other news, Mejía expressed his concern about the growing insecurity in Haiti, noting that "90% of Port-au-Prince is under the control of armed gangs," which, in his opinion, represents a direct threat to the stability of the Dominican Republic.Despite this situation, the former president defended economic cooperation between both countries and cited as an example the free zone of Dajabón, where during his government more than 22,000 jobs were generated, mostly for Haitian workers. “They consume more than 90% of what is produced there: eggs, bananas, yucca… Haiti is a key market for us. What we must do is help them find stability”, he concluded.
