For more than a month now, more than 3,000 Haitian workers of the CODEVI in Ouanaminthe have been protesting to force the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) to withdraw its decision to levy on their salary 13% taxes (10% taxes, 1% contribution to the fund for the management and development of local authorities, 1% for the Social Assistance Fund (CAS) and 1% for the emergency fund).

The workers refuse to pay these taxes to the DGI, claiming that this money will impoverish them (average weekly wage of 1,500 Gourdes) and enrich the authorities without providing any indispensable service in the area that is in dire need of it. They do not intend to give in and threaten to take more radical measures if they do not obtain the guarantee that in return for payment of their taxes they will obtain new services in their zone (road, health, social housing, transport etc...)

Note that these taxes are not new, but in fact they were never taken from the CODEVI, although they are levied on employees of the Industrial Park of Caracol...

TB/ iciHaiti