Santo Domingo.- The mass deportations of undocumented Haitians are raising alarms in the construction sector, as the Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small, and Medium Construction Companies (Copymecon) warns of a potential halt in operations. According to Elíseo Christopher, president of Copymecon, the industry heavily depends on Haitian labor, and if this workforce is lost, construction activities could come to a standstill.
Christopher argues that Haitian workers play a vital role in the country’s economic policies, making the government’s strict deportation measures a serious threat to the sector. He also criticizes the abruptness of these actions, suggesting that authorities should approach the issue with more caution.
The impact is already visible, with many Haitian workers refraining from reporting to job sites due to fear of being detained. Currently, over 90% of construction labor in the country consists of Haitian workers, underscoring the sector’s heavy reliance on this workforce.
Source: Noticias SIN
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The mass deportations are a necessary deed, there’s just no way around it. While Haitians play a critical role in the construction and manual labor sector, it is simply unsustainable for DR to host such a large illegal migrant population. Public services are deteriorating because of Haitians consuming so much of the country’s resources which are meant to benefit Dominicans. It is suicide for DR to continue going down that path. Now that said, the government is gonna have to come up with ways to fill these jobs that immigrants are leaving behind. They have to create policies that OBLIGATE employers and companies to hire locals and pay them DECENT salaries with benefits as it ought to be. They need to put an to those mafias that benefit and enrich themselves with cheap Haitian slave labor.
Please explain these resources that are being consumed by these “Haitians” (notice you did not use the key word “illegal” Haitians. There is plenty of empty spaces in the DR. Buying goods and services help the country to grow. You will not have growth, if there is no demand for it. This is a simple concept. Why are some people just not understanding this?
HAITIANS ARE NOT ILLEGALS IN , YOU NEED THEIR MONEY, THEIR LABOR, THEY RENT THEY CONSUME THEY PAY RENT ON TIME, THEY HELP THEIR DOMINICAN BROTHERS . KEEP YOUR HATRED TO YOURSELF IGNORANT.
Close to 90% of Haitians living in DR are there illegally. They work but most of them don’t pay taxes. They consume public services which are funded by DOMINICAN tax payers. Just in 2023 alone, approximately 35% of all recorded births in Dominican hospitals were by Haitian women. Haitians reproduce like rabbits, they have many children, which further exacerbates the strain on public resources. Having so many illegals in a country is way too costly and unsustainable. That is why Dominicans fully support the mass deportations. It is necessary.
This is one of the most stupid orders from the president. First he wants to take away the incentive for the construction sector and then deport the people who do most of the job. How is that a smart idea.
I wonder who mentioned this many weeks ago. Watch the growth of the country slow down drastically. These are the things that make people lose interest in investing (much higher costs, longer completion times of projects, and overall less convenience). Let us see how bad it gets from here.
They should hire Dominicans.
no they are lazy….its always tomorrow
Overall, construction has been a key pillar of the Dominican Republic’s economic growth, complementing other sectors like tourism, manufacturing, and services. However, Article 135 of the Dominican Labor Code (Codigo de Trabajo de la República Dominicana) outlines that companies are required to ensure that at least 80% of their workforce consists of Dominican nationals.
The construction industry and its affiliate businesses are complaining because they are losing their almost slave labor work force. Their attitude seems to be “to hell with all other sectors of the RD if it gets in the way of making huge profits by exploiting vulnerable haitians. Let them learn to adapt to the new rules. I support President Abinador and the repatriation of illegals workers.
Or give hard working foreign nationals (not criminals) a path to citizenship?
Platino frito, there is no doubt that most of the illegal Haitians in DR are hard working and very good people. The reality is that the DR does not have enough resources to take care on its own population, let alone all the Haitians that want to venture into DR.
Frustrating, who knew?. insecure border, corrupt hiring practices. police and military you can bribe. I wonder how much food, electricity, rent, gas and clothing etc, These dark skinned slave wage workers consume?. With no rights or path to citizenship since 1929. whats that?, 4 or 5 generations ? Oh oh oh they consume 1.5 % of the total GDP!!!!. its an OUTRAGE !!!!. You know construction and agriculture are approx 25% of total GDP, Right? .Thats just the public sector. Think food prices are too high?…wait for it. Think tourism and construction are booming?. Hows that peso doing? DDDDUUUUUHHHHH.
HAITI WILL NOT DIE.I SINCERELY PRAY THAT NO ONE TREAT POOR DOMINICANS THE WAY THIS GOVERNMENT IS TREATING HAITIANS.DOMINICANS NEE TO RISE UP AGAINST THIS GOVERNMENT THAT ID DIVIDING THEM WHILE 80% DOMINICANS ARE HAITIAN DESCENT . THOSE BLACK IMMIGRATION AGENTS NEED TO REBEL AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT TO SAY I WILL NOT TREAT PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THE WAY YOU WANT ME TO. GOD IS WATCHING PEOPLE.GOD BLESS HISPANOLA. UNITED WE ARE STRONG .QUE VIVA LOS DOS PUEBLOS.
thanks BBQ
Just for clarification….
“An illegal migrant is a person who enters or resides in a country without legal authorization, violating the immigration laws of that country.”
” In the Dominican Republic, illegal migrants have limited rights. They may access basic health care and education for children, but lack legal protections, work rights, and can face deportation.”