The General Directorate of Migration intensifies the deportations of Haitians in the tourist province of La Altagracia, where they are the majority in constructing new hotel projects.
Different sectors agree that Haitians are necessary for these jobs. Hence, the tourism business people and the senator from La Altagracia advocate seeking a way to regularize those who come to work.
Businessman Frank Rainieri, the founder of Grupo Punta Cana, thinks that “we could do as in the United States, where there is a six-month work visa.”
He believes we are far from meeting the quota of no more than 20% foreigners and 80% Dominicans in companies, but we must begin to take the first steps. “Illegality should not be allowed under any justification; whoever does not have a document, in any country in the world, has to try to become regular,” Rainieri said.
On his side, the senator from La Altagracia, Virgilio Cedeño, believes that the employers of these immigrants can play a part.
He understands that the builders and farmers in the fields have to organize and regularize the workers.
The legislator assures that the inverse proportion to that ordered by law in the construction sector is not even achieved: 20% Creoles and 80% immigrants. To increase the participation of Dominicans, Cedeño proposes a long-term regularization plan for at least ten years.
debug them
The president of the Eastern Hotel Association (Asoleste), Ernesto Veloz, sees the deportations as a necessary “cleansing” to purify those who are productive from those who are not.
“What we must is refine who works and who doesn’t, because what we don’t want is lazy people here, but there are people who join the productive apparatus and they are necessary,” he said.
Veloz is inclined to improve working conditions so Dominicans can join the construction work.
All those interviewed spoke at the opening ceremony of the W Uvero Alto hotel in Punta Cana, which President Luis Abinader attended last Tuesday.
Migration in the East
The Migration Department has a special interest in the deportations of Haitians in the eastern zone, especially in La Altagracia.
This Wednesday, that entity reported that it had arrested, to return to Haiti, 354 illegals in that province. The operations were conducted in Bávaro, Mata Mosquito, Cortecito, Villa Pleywood, and Friusa (El Hoyo de Friusa), at the Cruce de Verón, La Cristina, La Piscina, Los Colores, and Los Manantiales.
