Haitian unionists threaten protests over fuel increase

Dominique Saint-Eloy, head of the National Coordination of Haitian Workers, emphasized that its members remain vigilant and ready to take to the streets against the government, which they blame for increasing hunger and the cost of living.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry stressed, on Wednesday, during a speech on the occasion of the first anniversary of his accession to office, that the increase will allow the stabilization of import volumes, in addition to keeping the product available.

“With the upward fluctuations in the global market, it is an effort that we still have to ask gradually to the Haitian people, because with this condition we will be able to continue to import and provide fuel permanently,” Henry said. , without indicating a possible date for the rise.

He also thanked the “intelligence and maturity” of the citizens who understood the need for the government to reduce subsidies for petroleum products.

In December, the authorities raised the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene by up to 115% and said the amount saved would allow it to invest in social programmes.

The government has been trying to cut subsidies for several years, but a similar move in 2018 sparked massive anti-government demonstrations and cost then-Prime Minister Jacques-Guy Lafontaine his job.

For experts, the new fuel increase will kick-start the basic food basket in a country where 4.3 million people are food insecure and 22 percent of children are chronically malnourished.

Indeed, without the official increase, Haiti’s inflation rate is 26 percent and food products have increased dramatically in the midst of the insecurity crisis.

m/an