On Thursday, Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe, also Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, chaired a presentation and evaluation meeting of the redevelopment project for the port of Cap-Haitien, in the presence of Jacques Rousseau, Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communication, Wilson Laleau, Minister of Trade and Industry, Michel Présumé, Secretary of State for Planning, Alix Célestin Director General of the Authority port Nationale (APN) and John Groarke, Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Prime Minister announced the Government's vision for the development and adequacy of the national port system with the new perspectives of the Panama Canal and of industrial parks in the country.

The rehabilitation of the port of Cap-Haïtien provided on a 22-month period, consist of the erection of a bridge over the river leading to the port, the construction of port infrastructure to meet international standard and the development of a safety plan. As part of the realization of this infrastructure, the Head of Government believes that public-private partnership is needed hence the agreement between the Haitian government and USAID to establish a public-private partnership that must guarantee efficient and effective management of the port.

For John Groarke, this improvement project of services and customs operations in the North opens towards foreign trade ienormous opportunities for local agricultural and industrial production. USAID plans to allocate to the rehabilitation work of this port an envelope of $65 illion. According to the Director General of USAID, the entire fund for this project is already available. However, while wishing to see the start of the work in the shortest possible time, he believes it is important for the Haitian government to complete previously the construction of a bridge to help the large containers to bypass traffic, to complete the road allowing access to the bridge and declare public utility land for this project.

On this last point, Michel Présumé, has reassured USAID indicating that the problem of expropriation is about to be solved "We have identified the land involved in this project and we have funds available to compensate the owners [...] We will soon take possession of the land and make them available to USAID for the project."

Another meeting is scheduled for next week in order to resolve the last "details" before the beginning of the work.

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre