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Haiti supplies the U.S tons of affordable clothing from big-name brands like Levi¡¯s, Hanes and Polo. Its main advantage over other countries is not only its proximity to the U.S, Haiti's people work for peanut; they work for slave wages, less than $5 a day and the U.S clothing manufacturers, outsource their manufacturing to places like Haiti specifically because they can get away with paying slave wages. Recently, New York and California adopted a $15 statewide minimum wage and both the Democratic presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, had advocated extending the policy nationwide. However, Hillary had a different take on Haiti on wage increase. In 2009, when Bill Clinton was setting up one of his family¡¯s shell companies in New York, during that same year, Hillary was at the State Department working with U.S. corporations to pressure Haiti not to increase its minimum wage from 27 cents to 61 cents per hour and decided to get the U.S. Department of State involved to try and pressure Haiti¡¯s government to keep the wage raise down. In 2011, their mission was successful, the factory owners were agreed to pay only 31 cents per hour or about $2.50 a day, instead of 62 cents or $5 a day. People from the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere continued to work for worse slave wages than they otherwise would have, all so U.S. corporations could take home higher profits. As of 2008, Hanes employed 3,200 Haitians for $2 a day and paid about 1.6 million per year. Hanesbrands Inc made $211 million profit on $4.3 billion in sales in 2008 --- the profit is nearly 132 times more than what they paid to poor Haitian workers. Hillary truly deserves big thanks from the U.S clothing manufacturers.

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Here is the map for the development of Haiti Dominican Republic border by Quisqueya Economic Binational Council, CEBQ.

On Friday, April 15, 2016, at the office of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Binational Economic Council Quisqueya (CEBQ) has submitted its project on the development of Haitian-Dominican Border Trade. The proposal indicates how the border development projects can benefit the inhabitants of both the nations. The Industrial Development Corporation of the Dominican Republic involved in the project, presently has employed 8,000 of its workforce and they believe there would be job opportunities for about 200,000 people within next 10 years. Population growth in both the countries is a fact that none can ignore. IFC, a part of the World Bank, was created in 1956 with an objective to assist economic development by encouraging the growth of productive private enterprise in its member nations, particularly in the underdeveloped areas. Thus, we should make them understand the need to invest and assist the Binational Economic Council Quisqueya in every possible way.

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Here is a picture of a help wanted ad posted by company Pennysaver with the sign: "No Haitians Need Apply.

An innocent looking 'help wanted' classified has sparked a torrent of outrage because it was a blatant form of discrimination towards the Haitian community. Interim Healthcare Inc., a Florida-based healthcare company has published an advertisement on October 15, 2015, which says, "Laid back nurse, no haitians, must have strong respiratory mngt". The advertisement was published in the Rockland County Penny saver newspaper, in an area with one of the highest concentration of Haitian population in the country. According to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the advertisement has violated federal and state civil rights laws because it clearly prohibits discrimination in hiring on the basis of national origin. After an outrage among local politicians as well as the Haitian American Nurses Association, an apology has been received from the president Katherine McNally on Monday, October 19, 2015.

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New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman launches inquiry into 'no Haitian' nurses ad.

As per the Daily News dated October 19, 2015, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a member of the Democratic Party, has launched an inquiry into the nature of an advertisement published by Interim Healthcare Inc. of Nanuet on the October 15, 2015, issue of 'New City Pennysaver'. The Interim Healthcare Inc., had published a help-wanted advertisement on the above mentioned issue for a nurse that goes like: "Laid back nurse, no haitians, must have strong respiratory mngt,... The Attorney General believes, the advertisement has violated federal and state civil rights laws, because the law clearly prohibits discrimination in hiring on the basis of national origin. If the Attorney General is satisfied with the gravity of charges, would frame the said home care, hospice and medical staffing company in charges of discriminatory practices.

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Here is a picture of the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC) in North of Haiti with over 7,000 employees in 2015 and growing

The Caracol Industrial Park (PIC), sponsored by the Government of Haiti, the United States and the Inter American Development Bank, is an initiative to boost the employment conditions in Haiti. Since its birth in 2012, the PIC has seen tremendous development and progress. Within three years, there has been an increase in the number of jobs from 1300 in November 2012 to 7000 in January 2015. The industrial zone stretches for over 250 acres and has potential space for many small scale industries. Haiti's garment sector is re-emerging from this area, with the S & H Global acting as the beacon. The company provides as many as 60 jobs per week. The Haitian painting company in the PIC, the Caribbean Paintings, has recorded $51 million export in 2014. Off lately, around 700 small scale industries have had their inception around the PIC. The power plants have benefitted the Haitians living in the neighboring regions to a huge extent, providing electricity to nearly 8500 homes. The PIC is therefore considered a very efficient project for the economic growth as well as providing the Haitians with jobs.

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A bill has been introduced to US congress for the expansion of Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement

HOPE II Act likely to extend deadline until 2030

It would certainly be a shame to stop the good work being done by the HOPE II Act project that has already seen to growth of the textile sector in the country. the current deadline for the act is 2018, but Senator Bill Nelson, in US Congress on February 12, introduced the notion of extending the HOPE II Act (Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement, and the HELP Act (Haiti Economic Lift Program), which expires in 2020. Both acts seek to be extended to 2030.

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A decision that will create more jobs in Haiti. Heineken has made the commitment to buy locally sourced sorghum in Haiti.

Heineken SMASH Program Increases Sorghum Production Yields 100%

Heineken's new sustainability strategy considers local sourcing a key component of its success. It has begun locally sourcing sorghum in Haiti through the Smallholders Alliance for Sorghum Haiti (SMASH) initiative.

SMASH's funding arm, Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti S.A. (BRANA), a Heineken division, created in 2012 after a buyout of minority shareholders, has poured $3.4 million into locally-sourced sorghum. Haitian peasants' sorghum yields are up 100% and their incomes have increased almost 100% too.

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SONAPI is an industrial and commercial autonomous body under public law, which was created to implement, organize, manage and promote Industrial Parks in the Republic of Haiti. Metropolitan Industrial Park and Caracol Industrial Park located in Port-au- Prince, are the property of SONAPI. In last August, Mexican Ambassador Jose Luis Alvaro with a delegation team met President Michel Martelly to foster cooperation between the two countries. The Embassy of Mexico and the Directorate General of SONAPI have talked about several initiatives on the expansion programs under which a project will be conducted in two phases to accommodate new businesses and create around 4,000 jobs. The first phase will include construction of four buildings of 10,000 square meters each and additional six or seven buildings will be constructed in the next phase. The Mexican Ambassador has confirmed his country will disburse $20 million for the first phase.

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Here is a picture of Haitian President Michel Martelly in Trou-du-Nord for the planting of the first seedlings of organic bananas .

The picture was taken on October 10, 2014. It is part of a project to organize together close to 3,000 farmers from different associations in the country to cultivate organic bananas for export.

The plan will cover thousand hectares ant it was made possible with the support of FEPA / Agritrans consortium that has modernized agricultural equipment, pumps for irrigation, artificial lake. The project is expected to create over 3,000 jobs.

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A Total of 46,000 mans-days jobs are slated to be created as part of the job creation program undertaken by the government. The salt marsh program, which takes place in the second section of Anse-Rouge (Sources Chaudes) has already seen the creation of 10,000 of those jobs with 70% of the work going for men. The work involves cleaning out the ponds, the dams and the strengthening of the banks. The harder work, the dam cleaning, is done by the men and women harvest salt and clean the dikes.

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