- Title: Fuel shortages drive Haitians into Dominican Republic for petrol
- Date: 24th September 2019
- Summary: DAJABON, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (SEPTEMBER 23, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HAITIANS CROSSING FROM HAITI INTO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAITIANS GATHERED AROUND PETROL STATION MAN CARRYING PETROL CONTAINER PETROL STATION EXTERIOR (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HAITIAN, RAPHAEL TOUSSEIN, SAYING: "I have money in my hand, I want to buy petrol to do a job and I can't buy it, you have to have contacts to buy petrol here." MOTORBIKE TANK BEING FILLED UP (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HAITIAN, RAPHAEL TOUSSEIN, SAYING: "5,600 pesos ($108.39 dollars) in gasoline (to fill tank in Haiti). How can I afford that? I'm a technician and need gasoline to survive as I do food." YOUNGSTER SELLING GASOLINE IN STREET TROOPS LOOKING ON MAN HAVING TANK FILLED UP (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) HAITIAN, GERALD BE LOUIS, SAYING: "There is no gasoline to work and we have to come to the Dominican Republic to buy a gallon of petrol. Right now in Haiti it (a gallon) costs 1,000 Haitian Gourdes ($10.70 dollars). Imagine that? Who makes 1,000 Haitian Gourdes to work?" SOLDIER LOOKING ON TROOPS GUARDING BORDER WITH HAITI TROOPS MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARMY COLONEL RAMON BELER, OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ARMY, SAYING: "Our mission here is to protect the border area. That is what the army is for and we have a unit the size of a battalion. We also have a special force called "El Cerco" (the Fence)." HAITIANS CROSSING BORDER
- Embargoed: 8th October 2019 03:44
- Keywords: fuel shortages Haiti crossing the border Dominican Republic petrol
- Location: DAJABON, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- City: DAJABON, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
- Country: Haiti
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AY0OEO7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Facing acute fuel shortages in their own country, Haitians took a chance to cross the border into the Dominican Republic in search for petrol on Monday (September 23).
Dozens were seen crossing the border and gathering around a petrol station in Dajabon, the capital city of the Dajabon province in the Dominican Republic, on the border with Haiti.
Haitians complained they need fuel to survive, while police in the Dominican Republic tighten their grip on security.
A dispute between Haiti and a U.S. energy trading firm has lead to long blackouts and fuel shortages in the Caribbean nation, feeding anger at President Jovenel Moise's government following the collapse of a supply deal with Venezuela last year.
The Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, Haiti long relied on fuel shipments from nearby OPEC member Venezuela, which offered cheap financing to several Caribbean nations to buy its gasoline, diesel and other products through a program called Petrocaribe.
But the scheme fell apart last year due to economic turmoil in Venezuela, forcing Haiti - a nation of 11 million people - to return to international markets. The result has put upward pressure on the prices of goods.
(Production: Jesus Frias, Geraldine Downer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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