The Dominican government authorized a private company to export 20,500 gallons of diesel to Haiti for the use of three hospitals and a factory.
The spokesman for the Presidency, Homer Figueroaconfirmed the information released by the Reuters agency, according to which the Ministry of Industry and Commerce approved a request from a company to export from the country 20,500 gallons of gas.
Figueroa pointed out that “only the Haitian authorities were authorized to buy” and that, from now on, “it is an issue between the private company and the Haitian authorities.”
Approval
Reuters claimed to have had access to the company’s request letter and the communication in which Industry and Commerce would have given the go-ahead.
On the possible continuity of these exports, the spokesman for the Presidency of the Dominican Republic said: “I understand that it will continue as long as they have the need.”
Haiti is suffering from a fuel shortage due to the blockade by armed gangs, affecting the operation of health centers and interrupting the water treatment service, at a time when the Caribbean country is facing a cholera outbreak.
The main entrance of the Varreux oil terminal, located in the seaport north of the Haitian capital, is blocked by the head of the G9 alliance of armed gangs, ex-policeman Jimmy Cherisier aka Barbecue.
According to information from the news agency, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of the Dominican Republic describes the operation as a “re-export”, noting that the gas It was originally imported to the Dominican Republic. The note indicates that neither Industria y Comercio nor the company AFA Trading immediately responded to the request for comments on the information.
The UN expressed concern about the “net increase” in cholera cases in Haiti, which registered almost double the number of suspected cases in just a few days. “Until just a few days ago, the increase in cholera cases was progressive, but now we see a disturbing net increase, then the situation becomes more complicated,” wrote the UN humanitarian coordinator in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson.
