The Community [CARICOM] calls on the Dominican Republic authorities” to adhere to the principles of protection of citizenship to Dominicans of Haitian descent, adding that those “persons shall not be rendered stateless – Fox News Latino
After the usual procrastination CARICOM […] delivered a statement this week condemning the deportation of Dominicans of Haitian descent by the Dominican Republic (DR). It was satisfying to listen to the strong language used by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica who labelled the action of the DR as a human rights issue and promised to robustly discuss the matter at the next HOGS to be held in Barbados next month.
If Barbadians and others in the region are serious about protesting the decision of the DR we must support the talk with action. Why not impose economic sanctions to strongly register our dissatisfaction as a predominantly Black region? CARICOM can begin the process by booting the DR out of the CARIFORUM. Ramping up the protest must be supported by the regional private sector. Why would CARICOM associate with the DR in the first place given the wide disparity in labour cost? Where is the benefit?
BU understands the leading supplier of T-shirts and polo shirts locally uses the FOXIN brand which operates out of the DR. Because of a trade pact with CARICOM the FOXIN products enters Barbados duty-free. The local distributor is Up Beat Wholesale located at the Newton Industrial Estate whose principle is Barry Mayers.
One may reasonable conclude a low labour cost in the DR contributes to the very cheap price of the FOXIN product offered locally. Is it unreasonable to also conclude Dominicans of Haitian descent AND undocumented Haitians are labouring in garment factories in the DR to produce these polo and T-shorts which have flooded the local market for the past two years? Even if undocumented workers are not being exploited by FOXIN it shouldn’t matter.
A scan of Up Beat Wholesale Facebook’s page list a who is who of the local business community who do business with Upbeat : SOL, Digicel, Cheffette, Nation newspaper, Columbian Emeralds, Simpson Motors, Carters, Structural Systems, Island Fusion and many more. Is it unreasonable for the business community to do what is just and publicly agree to stop contracting products and services which originate out of the DR? Last week the large US chain Walmart took the decision to stop selling the Confederate flag with immediate effect. Hell, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything the saying goes.
Why should Barbadians allow themselves to be exploited by local operators (in this case whose principals are White) for economic benefit off the backs of Black people who are being exploited and treated inhumanely in the DR?
The Barbados Manufacturers Association (BMA), Small Business Association (SBA) and the ever loquacious minister of Commerce Donville Inniss should also be very concerned about the flipside of this issue. Barry Mayers and Upbeat Wholesale because of a low cost base has been able to corner the market . The unwillingness of minister Inniss’ ministry to question and investigate charges of improper labelling and to place Certificate of Origins issued by the DR under scrutiny explains why a special group continues to profit at the exclusion of the others. What about the small players in the market who should be protected against unfair and illegal practices?
Would companies like Designer Décor who import furniture from the DR join the protest? What about the exporters like Automotive Art, McBride Caribbean, Kyffin Simpson and his Suzuki franchise? BU wants to encourage social media to add to the list. We are just getting started!
Bahamas is the Chair of CARICOM and Jamaica controls the Foreign Policy committee, two countries with a vested interest in the Haitian issue. Many Haitians have sought refuge in these two countries. We hope the domestic concerns of Jamaica and the Bahamas are not unduly influencing CARICOM’s position on the disgusting situation currently playing out in the DR.
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.