Avellon Williams
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC- As gangs continue to block a key fuel terminal in Haiti, the Dominican Republic has approved an export request by a trading firm for 20,500 gallons of diesel for hospitals.
Since Haiti’s power grid has been plagued by chronic outages for years, Haitian hospitals have been unable to power their generators due to fuel shortages created by the gang blockade.
As a result of cholera outbreaks and shortages of food and water, most hospitals have curtailed or ceased operations in recent weeks.
On Oct. 17, AFA Trading asked the Dominican industry ministry for permission to export the fuel via the land border between the two countries, with the intent of supplying three hospitals and one manufacturing facility.
The industry ministry granted the request in a separate letter on the same date. According to the letters, the fuel in question was originally imported to the Dominican Republic and is being re-exported.
A request for comment was not immediately responded to by the Dominican industry ministry.
The Haitian government is under attack by a coalition of gangs demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, which is resulting in acute fuel shortages. UN representatives have discussed sending a military force to confront the gangs.
Since the fuel shortages became widespread, almost all economic activity has been halted. Virtually all forms of transportation have been halted, and a number of hospitals have been forced to shut down.
