Haitian Government Implements Security Measures for Merchant Ships in Port-au-Prince
Haitian authorities have announced new security measures for merchant ships entering and leaving Port-au-Prince due to increasing insecurity in the country. Interim Prime Minister Garry Conille took action after four ships left to avoid gang violence.
Three 110-foot vessels will now escort ships, with one at La Gonâve to a halfway point, another to the port, and a third at departure from Port-au-Prince. Recent incidents, including the kidnapping of Filipino crew members, have highlighted the dangers posed by armed gangs targeting shipping companies to maintain their smuggling operations to the Dominican Republic.
As a result, shipping companies are considering suspending operations in Haiti, impacting imports and threatening economic stability. Conille, in his first 100 days in office, is focused on reforming governance in an effort to improve the country’s situation and attract foreign investments.