On Wednesday, a group of municipal employees claiming 22 months of salary arrears closed the town hall of Petit-Goâve to force the administration to pay them their due.

Barricades and flaming tires were erected in front of the main gate of the Town Hall and on the public road paralyzing traffic also on the RN #2 where shots were heard.

Junior Mayor Bonheur and his deputy Vickson Corrioland gave a press conference to explain the situation "We inherited a heavy debt of 41 million gourdes from the former Municipal cartel led by Jean Samson Limongy. We found the city hall almost empty and all the steps taken with the central authorities were in vain. The Town Hall does not have enough funds to honor its debts and the Government has not granted us any subsidy," stressing that he had helped some road workers with its own funds.

For the protesters "As long as the 22 months of salary arrears are not paid, the doors of the Town Hall will remain closed." For his part, Mayor Bonheur affirms that he will continue to work in the open air outside the Town Hall and we ask the central authorities to help us pay the employees, specifying "[...] the Town Hall of Petit-Goâve is deprived of means [...] Every day there are people around me and I have to help them... I took out loans to be able to help them financially and I paid several bills left by the old Administration [...]"

In addition, activists threaten, if they do not obtain satisfaction, to block the city in order to force the State to make available to Mayor Bonheur, whom they consider dynamic and progressive, the necessary financial resources.

IH/ iciHaiti / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondent Petit-Goâve)