Last Thursday, as part of the requirements of the HOPE Act (Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement) which requires companies benefiting from this U.S. law to comply with certain international standards, the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Pamela White, visited the installation of the U.S. garment factory and export "Horizon MFG SA" located in the Park SONAPI [local division of the company Fishman & Tobin based in the United States], a factory specializing in the manufacture of pants for children and adults, that it exports to the United States and the Dominican Republic "We came here to see how workers work, how they are paid, and determine operating conditions within the plant. This is necessary for me when it comes to convincing investors and American businessmen to come and invest in Haiti because labor is encouraging and quite productive."

Horizon MFG has a unit in the Dominican Republic "Minikin Togs" which ensures the layout and cutting the fabric before sending in Haiti for the manufacture and export. 415 employees [mostly young] of Horizon MFG SA, working 48 hours per week, 8 hours a day, have 60 minutes a day break and are paid according to the minimum wage. The factory produced 6,000 pieces of clothing per day, which are distributed in U.S. department stores (Wal-Mart, Fishman & Tobin, Sears...)

"Without the HOPE Act, the plants can not be competitive. Thus I will address the U.S. Congress to raise awareness the congressmen to the need to extend this legislation so important for the textile industry, announced Ambassador White.

According to statements of Marvin Walker, the manager of Horizon MFG SA, the company wants to create more jobs in the country, but it currently lacks space to achieve this goal.

Learn more about the HOPE Act :

The Hope Act is a U.S. law authorizing arrival, without payment of customs duties, of clothing made ​​in Haiti on the U.S. market. Passed in December 2006 by Congress, the law Hope 1 came into force in March 2007, followed in 2008 by HOPE II. This law has a term of 10 years.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7387-haiti-economy-100-000-jobs-in-haiti-it-is-possible.html

TB/ HaitiLibre