Above: Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe (Photo: OPM)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe visited the customs office at Malpasse near the Haiti-Dominican Republic border on Friday, inquiring about the conditions under which tax collections are carried out.

Lamothe, who was accompanied on the trip by Haiti’s Economy Minister, Director General of Customs Administration and Director General of the National Police, said he is looking to strengthen Haiti’s mechanisms in the fight against smuggling.

Lamothe said his visit to Malpasse’s customs office reflected his desire to “continue his crusade against corruption, smuggling and fraud” that he called major obstacles to development in Haiti.

The Prime Minister also said he is considering recruiting new agents in the area of Fonds Parisien, aiming to integrate them in the office at Malpasse.

Lamothe said there should be a more “rational” management of the border, in order to allow Haiti’s government to earn more money.

“There should be a coordinated management of the border,” he said, pointing to a lack of cooperation between the Customs Service and the Immigration and Emigration Police.

According to Lamothe’s office, revenue from customs at the Malpasse crossing dropped “significantly” compared to the previous year, despite an increase in the flow of goods through the border.