Erik Prince, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and founder of Academi (formerly Blackwater Worldwide), the world's largest private military company, which he sold in 2010 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45014-haiti-flash-haiti-signs-contract-with-erik-prince-founder-of-blackwater-worldwide-to-end-gangs.html confirmed to Reuters that his company, Vectus Global, had entered into a 10-year agreement with the Haitian government to combat criminal gangs and, once the security situation has stabilized, to participate in the design and implementation of a program to tax imported goods at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Prince declined to comment on the terms or amount the Haitian government would pay Vectus Global for its services, nor on the amount of customs taxes Erik Prince plans to collect for Haiti.

Prince added that he hopes to regain control of major highways and territories from gangs within about a year. "One key measure of success for me will be when you can drive from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien in a thin-skinned vehicle and not be stopped by gangs"

A person familiar with the company's operations told Reuters that Vectus will intensify its fight against criminal gangs in coordination with the Haitian police, deploying several hundred fighters from the United States, Europe, and El Salvador, trained as snipers and intelligence and communications specialists, as well as helicopters and boats. The Vectus team includes French and Creole speakers, the source said.

To be continued...

TB/ HaitiLibre