On June 24, the Ministry of the Environment held a consultation session with sand quarry operators affected by the recent temporary suspension of mining activities in the Laboule, Pèlerin, and Boutillier areas. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-47772-haiti-illegal-sand-quarries-strong-operation-by-the-ministry-video.html

Organized at the initiative of the Minister of the Environment, Valéry Fils-Aimé, this session aimed to promote the sustainable management of natural resources, reduce environmental risks, and strengthen the protection of populations exposed to disasters.

This meeting brought together six sand quarry operators, in the presence of the Departmental Delegate for the West, the Mayors of Pétion-ville and Kenscoff, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, the Director General of the Ministry of the Environment, the Director General of the National Agency for Protected Areas (ANAP), the Director General of the Bureau of Mines and Energy (BME), who participated remotely, the CASEC representative from Laboule, as well as representatives of the relevant institutions.

The Ministry presented the technical, scientific, and environmental reasons that led to the temporary suspension of mining activities in these areas. Experts from the BME and the National Bureau of Environmental Assessment (BNEE) notably outlined the impacts of unregulated quarrying on slope stability, soil erosion, ecosystem degradation, the risk of landslides, and the increased vulnerability of local communities.

The Minister reiterated that this measure, limited to a one-month period, primarily addresses the need for prevention and accountability. It aims to create the conditions for constructive dialogue with the various stakeholders in order to identify solutions that reconcile the imperatives of environmental protection, public safety, and the continuation of economic activities in compliance with applicable standards.

The operators had the opportunity to express their concerns, share their observations, and engage directly with the authorities present, thus fostering a shared understanding of the issues and the next steps in the process initiated by the Ministry.

At the end of this session, the Minister announced that a new working meeting would be held within eight days with the operators. This meeting will be dedicated to presenting the new guidelines and measures that will now govern sand quarry operations, within the framework of the Government's initiative to strengthen governance in the sector, ensure the sustainable management of natural resources, and better protect both the population and the environment.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-47772-haiti-illegal-sand-quarries-strong-operation-by-the-ministry-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-47623-haiti-environnement-suspension-des-activites-d-exploitation-de-carrieres-de-sable-a-pelerin-laboule-et-boutillier-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-47470-exploitation-des-carrieres-en-haiti-le-ministere-demande-l-aide-de-la-pnh-et-des-fad-h.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/article-47135-icihaiti-environnement-recrudescence-de-l-exploitation-illegale-des-carrieres-de-sable.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-46414-haiti-environnement-exploitation-illegale-des-carrieres-de-laboule.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-34511-haiti-avis-suspension-des-activites-d-exploitation-des-carrieres-de-sable.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/article-31470-icihaiti-environnement-fermeture-de-la-carriere-de-trou-forban.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-31041-haiti-avis-fermetures-des-carrieres-de-sable-a-morne-a-cabris.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-22399-haiti-environnement-89-des-carrieres-sont-illegales-dans-l-ouest.html

IH/ iciHaiti