Haiti officials leave truckers waiting as 3-week freight stands

Santo Domingo.-Dominican truckers association (Fenatrado) president Blas Peralta on Friday saidfor the second time Haitian authorities left them waiting to meet over the safetyof drivers who haul freight into Haiti.

"The meeting didn’thappen. We were left waiting. The Haitians for a second day didn’t talk to thetruck drivers. And this will be a question of next week. Anyway, the border remainsthe same," Peralta said, referring to the strike now in its third week.

He said they could tryto talk with the Haitians on Monday, but Fenatrado trucks won’t enter Haitiwith freight until there´s security. "We maintain our position firm."

He said the border willremain blocked by truckers from both countries, until Haitian authorities agreeto guarantee security for their rigs as well as for drivers, “because we won’t beexposed to continue being pillaged and assaulted like what happened with 28truck drivers on July 27.”