Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has expressed dissatisfaction with the way Haitians are leaving Dominica in droves to neighbouring countries, and asked the Haitian community to help stem the exodus. He said the Dominican government can even issue longer work permits to enable Haitians stay and work on the island since they contribute positively to the growth of the economy.
Haitians are CARICOM brothers and sisters to Dominicans, Skerrit said, and there are a significant number of them in the country. Many of them work across various sectors in Dominica, and their “constructive activities aid the economy of Dominica” so much that “we appreciate their presence in Dominica,” he said.
The prime minister noted that while majority of Haitians in Dominica are hardworking and law-abiding, those that leave the island illegally are those that make things difficult for others in the country.
But you will also agree that there are some who engage in activities that place Dominica in some difficulty, especially those who leave our shores illegally and go into Guadeloupe and Martinique, and St. Maarten. That is something I would like the Haitian community to assist us in eliminating.
Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit: Prime Minister of Dominica
To help Haitians live and work in the country, Skerrit said his government might issue longer work permits instead of the shorter work permits many of them have been getting. He said facilitating the economic wellbeing of Haitians in Dominica will not only promote the advancement of the island, but also that of the Haiti home country.
This article is copyright © 2020 DOM767
