Dominican truckers demand safety in Haiti as walkout hits 2nd week

Santo Domingo.- The ministersof Foreign Affairs, Andrés Navarro, and Interior and Police, Jose Ramon Fadulon Tuesday net with Blas Peralta, head of the country´s biggest truckers union (Fenatrado),and other government officials to seek a solution to the more than one week walkout by drivers andrisks they face when hauling freight to Haiti.

In the meeting at theForeign Ministry Navarro said the various agencies which operate along theborder assess the risk to Dominican truckers together with the Haitiangovernment, to adopt the measures needed to resume freight service.

Peralta the currentconflict over freight transport to Haitihas led them to temporarily halt service due to lack of guarantees of safety.He said the Dominican government guarantees safety for Fenatrado truckers atthe border, but the risk is from the constant threats once they cross intoHaiti, where drivers are attacked and their merchandise stolen by groupsoperating in that country.

Likewise Navarro saidthe lack of safety to haul freight to Haiti affects businesses and transportersin both countries, and urged the Haitian government to guarantee security for driversand their rigs.