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Noted author, Jared Diamond's book "Collapse: how Societies Choose to Fail or Survive" - devotes a chapter about why Haiti is so different from its neighbor, the Dom Rep.
1. Haiti lies on the wrong side of the mountain range to get needed rainfall, which falls instead completely on the Dom. Rep. and none of it on Haiti.
2. Haiti has chosen to depend on firewood for its energy needs, and has totally cut down its forests. Aerial photos reveal a sharp contrast looking at both sides of the border (frontier). The Dom. Rep. by contrast, for a long time has wisely invested in other sources of energy. It has preserved its forest in a national park.
3. Haiti's government and economical/ agricultural development model was always less effective than the Dom. Rep.'s model. Haiti is very unfriendly to business - its government makes it very costly and difficult to get the permits to start businesses.
4. After winning its independence from France, Haiti was forced to pay off the French government 90 million gold francs to compensate European slave owners for their financial losses and gain diplomatic recognition from European governments. This reimbursement continued until 1946.
Most common Haitians speak not standard French, but only a patois dialect, which is incomprehensible in any other nation.
Let us not forget the U.S occupation of the country under the guise of "protecting U.S Interests" and the U.S Marines carting off with the safe and shipping it to Wall Street, basically giving birth to today's CitiGroup/CitiBank. One one hand, the U.S implemented some "modernization" but it was just a byproduct of their needs to better manage THEIR interests.
Yes, times have changed. The Dominicans AND Haitians are the modern day immigrants around the Caribbean. They come in illegally and legally and as CaribNY pointed out, they are exploited at every turn. Unfortunately, some of their women (notably the Dominican females) are pushed into prostitution or willingly engage in it to pay back "smuggling" costs. Others work the bar life and are sometimes required to do "extra" duties to keep the local men coming back. There are stretches of roads on my home island of St. Thomas where they run the nights, but their younger generations are going to be forces to reckon with as they learn the language, educate themselves better and probably start moving int the political arena like the Puerto Ricans before them did.
Then we have those who come with young children (pre teens and teens) and because of the language barrier, puts a tremendous strain on the local school system which see their success numbers stumble because of the added effort to "bring along" those falling behind or starting behind because of language.
I just looked up and noticed that some MOD closed the another old thread about some of the things we are speaking about here. Not sure why as I could see no need, but I hope this one does not end up closed too. I know the topic is super sensitive over on this Domincan site I know of and I could understand the censorship over there. Here, not so much.
Do you know why St K, Antigua, and Anguilla have net IMMIGRATION rates? Because loads of Dominicans are flocking there.
Now here is a reality. People from the English speaking Caribbean have been migrating since the 1840s when slavery ended. There is a tradition of emigration. They feel comfortable emigrating. When they emigrate they will almost certainly have networks of family and friends to ease their transition. Those migrating to the USA arrive speaking English and also having a high familiarity with the business culture.
So the higher patterns of emigration from the English speaking Caribbean is a CULTURAL phenomenon. I will say the same for Puerto Ricans, who need only jump on a plane as they are US citizens.
Dominicans do not have this tradition of migration, so fewer migrate. But we all know that the DR is tremendously dependent on remittances sent back by those who do. We also know that huge numbers of Dominicans have migrated.
What you need to focus on is that Dominicans migrate to Puerto Rico and the English speaking Caribbean. Puerto Ricans, Antiguans, and Trinidadians do NOT migrate to the DR. So if the DR is better off then why do these migration flows exist?
Please note that it isn't the educated Dominicans who migrate to these islands, where one might argue that they are starting businesses or filling gaps in professional or management niches.
Its poor people, many of them women, who are trying to eke out a living. They seem to think that they can better eke out a living in Nevis than they can in the DR.
And I can speak of St Kitts. Dominican workers demand far lower wages than do locals. Given that people don't migrate to be worse off, clearly even this lower wage that Dominicans will accept in St K is higher than what they earn in the DR. In St K the minimum wage is around US$3/hour and 70% of the population make more than that.
Actually due to current economic climate in PR there is a growing phenomenon of PR's immigrating to DR. Mostly professionals though who are looking for tourism related opportunities.
Actually due to current economic climate in PR there is a growing phenomenon of PR's immigrating to DR. Mostly professionals though who are looking for tourism related opportunities.
Yeah, read an article about this. Tells you how dire the situation in PR must be.
True...figured with Trinidad's recent economic successes that fewer people would be inclined to leave
It has done well in recent years but a recession may be hitting now. But even more, there may not be enough jobs for the number of grads/educated citizens. College/university education is free, until post-grad.
I've heard complaints from people graduating with their Master's degree, that it has become more difficult to find employment. Its competitive.
Actually due to current economic climate in PR there is a growing phenomenon of PR's immigrating to DR. Mostly professionals though who are looking for tourism related opportunities.
Americans and Europeans work in professional/management jobs throughout the Caribbean, so it is no surprise that people from the more developed islands like Trinidad, Barbados, and Puerto Rico might also be found performing similar roles.
When we see Puerto Ricans headed to the DR to work on construction sites, or in low level service jobs then that will be something.
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