HAITI-STRIKE Haitian transport workers go on strike against government-controlled gasoline prices

Record ID: 341966

  • Title: HAITI-STRIKE Haitian transport workers go on strike against government-controlled gasoline prices
  • Date: 10th February 2015
  • Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (FEBRUARY 10, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EMPTY-LOOKING GRAND RUE STREET, WHICH IS USUALLY BUSTLING WITH PEOPLE DIGNITY BUS, PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, TO OVERCOME TRANSPORT STRIKE, DRIVING DOWN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) STATE DRIVER, JULIEN EMILE, SAYING: "The people are happy with the service provided, but it's not good at all because it is very dangerous for us. We are working under a lot of risks." EMPTY STREET WITH NO VEHICLES IN SIGHT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON FOOT DOWN STREET WITH NO VEHICLES (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYNDICATE, HILLAIRE JOSEPH LIZIUS, SAYING: "President Martelly and former PM Laurent Lamothe used to say this is the people's victory, so today we feel this is our victory since the strike is a success. Today the population has said they will stay home and not go out. As you can see there's no public transportation in the street. Only a few private vehicles that are in the street, it is very clear the population has mobilized." PETROL STATION MAN ON MOTORCYCLE NEXT TO PETROL PUMP MAN FILLING CONTAINER WITH PETROL MAN FILLING UP GAS TANK OF VEHICLE MORE OF PETROL STATION VARIOUS OF EMPTY-LOOKING STREETS LEADING TO THE PALACE IN DOWNTOWN PORT-AU-PRINCE EXTERIOR OF MARKET
  • Embargoed: 25th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Haiti
  • Country: Haiti
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVADOYLR59SM75J9PXP59WHRFOKK
  • Story Text: Anti-government activists shut down Haiti's capital for the second day in a row on Tuesday (February 10), in a strike over gasoline prices as the country plunges deeper into political and economic crises.
    The strike began on Monday (February 9), even as many prepare for the annual Carnival, normally a time of peaceful revelry.
    Protest organizers warned residents of the capital to stay off the streets, saying that those who ventured out would risk their lives.
    Prime Minister Evans Paul made an appeal for calm via Twitter over the weekend and said the government would guarantee security.
    Special buses were provided by the government to make up for a lack of public transportation.
    Nevertheless, state bus driver, Julien Emile, said they were risking their lives.
    "The people are happy with the service provided, but it's not good at all because it is very dangerous for us. We are working under a lot of risks," Emile said.
    The impoverished Caribbean nation is in the midst of a political crisis after the previous prime minister was forced to resign in December and parliament was dissolved over the failure to hold municipal and legislative elections.
    For three months, President Michel Martelly has faced radical government opponents calling for his removal, with students joining the protests last week.
    Haiti's government badly needs to raise cash from the sale of gasoline to pay off its mounting fuel debt with Venezuela's preferential PetroCaribe program, which has ballooned to about $1.5 billion.
    The government "cannot lower the price of gas. It's not that we do not want to, it's because we are not able to," Paul said in a statement.
    After a one-day fuel strike last week, the government announced lower fuel prices, reducing gasoline to 195 gourdes ($4.25) per gallon from 215 gourdes ($4.62).
    A member of the public transportation syndicate, Hillaire Joseph Lizius, called this week's strike a success.
    "President Martelly and former PM Laurent Lamothe used to say this is the people's victory, so today we feel this is our victory since the strike is a success. Today the population has said they will stay home and not go out. As you can see there's no public transportation in the street. Only a few private vehicles that are in the street, it is very clear the population has mobilized," Lizius said.
    More than 6 million Haitians, about 60 percent of the population, live on two dollars a day, according to a recent World Bank report.
    The U.S. State Department and the United Nations peace-keeping force in Haiti have so far stood by Martelly, praising his efforts at compromise, and urging all sides to agree to hold the overdue elections.
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