Transit Strike, Incidents And More Than 20 Arrests

Haiti - Economy : Transit strike, incidents and more than 20 arrests...
10/02/2015 11:53:19

On Monday, the first of two days of strikes in transport, launched by the National Platform of Unions Transport Faithful (PNSTF), which brings together twenty unions, paralyzed all economic activities, of Port-au-Prince, of the metropolitan region and several provincial towns with the exception of Cap Haitien and Les Cayes where activities, according to local press, were almost normal. Recall that the PNSTF requires a reduction of 100 gourdes per gallon on fuel prices, what refuses to consider the government which qualifies this claim as unrealistic.

In Port-au-Prince, the streets were almost deserted, very few vehicles were visible, much less than last Monday when many acts of vandalism were recorded http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13097-haiti-economy-violent-transport-strike.html . Most schools, banks and shops were closed. The few government offices that were open were operating with a reduced workforce. Most of the interurban transport stations to and from provincial towns were deserted. At 6 am this morning, the sidewalks were invaded by citizens, trying anyway, to go to the workplace.

In the main streets of the capital, a large police presence had been deployed throughout fixed and mobile patrols. In some neighborhoods, young people had blocked the public road with barricades of burning tires, blocking some streets with large rocks and tree trunks to deter motorists.

Several incidents have been reported between protesters and police, who were trying to clear the barricades. Clashes that have left several people injured in Port-au-Prince, according to local media, information not confirmed by the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

Commissioner Godson Orélus, Director General of the PNH, reported the arrest of 20 people accused of disorder on the streets, especially in areas of Delmas, Croix-des-Bouquets and Pétion-ville and reported the aggression in Cité Soleil of Yves André Ravin, agent 4 of the PNH, which received several stab wounds. He also deplored the threats that would have been made against some people who wanted to go about their activities, constraints to turn back. Moto-taxi drivers were forced to lower their passengers and to respect the strike watchword.

Of accusations denounced as false by the opposition, which sees it as an attempt to discredit the success of the strike... Responsible for the "Patriotic Movement for Democratic Opposition" (MOPOD) welcomed the answer to their call to strike for the first day. Dr. Louis Gerald Gilles, an executive of Fanmi Lavalas said that the strike was "a complete success".

However, several transport unions member of PNSTF, denies the existence of any agreement with the opposition in their strike. They claim that the oppositionacting on his own initiative, bringing its support to the strike launched by unions...

Pyram Sonel, Spokesperson of PNSTF, regrets that the Government has not begun negotiations with the unions of its platform, threatening in case of persistent refusal to take other measures...