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Ambassador of Haiti Urges Congress to Renew CBTPA During Virtual Hearing on Thursday September 10 Ahead of its Expiration
Washington, D.C. (September 10, 2020) — Ambassador Hervé Denis testified before the House Subcommittee on Trade of the Ways and Means Committee chaired by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-D) and Ranking Member, Vern Buchanan (FL-R) during a hearing today on the importance of extending the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), H.R. 991. The trade programs, known collectively as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), are vital elements of U.S. economic relations with Central American and Caribbean countries. The Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) entered into force on October 1, 2000 and continues in effect until September 30, 2020.
This legislation is economically beneficial to both the U.S. and Haiti. CBTPA provides duty-free eligibility for textiles and apparel made from U.S. yarns and fabrics, enabling eligible countries to compete with China and other Asian apparel suppliers. This provision, among many other benefits, helps sustain U.S. yarn production and encourage further investment in the sector. Haiti’s garment industry is the industrial foundation of the country’s economy, and its existence depends on the preferences granted under CBTPA and the additional HOPE/HELP programs.
According to Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH), the industry which provided direct employment to almost 60,000 workers early this year, they were already beginning to suffer from the delay in CBTPA’s renewal before the coronavirus outbreak. Buyers and investors continue to be hesitant to make new commitments while the program’s future remained uncertain. Furthermore, the demand for apparel has gone down, and potential buyers who are still capable of placing orders are not willing to commit until Congress renews CBTPA before its expiration date. Haiti’s garment industry’s future, and thus the jobs and economic sustainability for many Haitian families, remain in jeopardy until the legislation passes.
For the first time in history, Haiti assumed leadership of the CBTPA renewal for the Caribbean region reiterating the legislation’s significance in promoting trade in the Americas, strengthening bilateral relations, and advancing economic progress in the Western Hemisphere. During the hearing, Ambassador Denis expressed that “The U.S. enjoys a hefty trade surplus with CBI countries. According to the Thirteenth Report to Congress on the Operation of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, U.S. total goods trade (total exports plus general imports) with the CBI countries was $19.4 billion in 2018. The U.S. goods trade surplus with the CBI countries reached $7.4 billion in 2018”. CBI countries such as Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago also benefit from the provision.
Other participants from the private sector in Haiti, Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), academia, and U.S. manufacturing companies also joined the hearing to provide additional perspectives. Amongst them were Georges Sassine, Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH), Lauren Stewart, Regional Program Director, Latin America and the Caribbean, Ms. Beth Baltzan, Principal, American Phoenix Trade Advisory Services PLLC, and Mr. Jerry Cook, Vice President, Government and Trade Relations, Hanesbrands, Inc. Ambassador Denis noted that “The efforts of the Haitian diaspora have not gone unnoticed. I am immensely grateful for their support.”
The hearing, which was held to provide stakeholders with a platform to further discuss the domestic and foreign policy implications of CBTPA, plans to confirm the votes on the House floor before the September 30 deadline. In case you missed the hearing, you can watch it here.
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About CBTPA
On May 18, 2000, Public Law 106-200, the Trade and Development Act of 2000, was signed into law. The “United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act” (the “CBTPA”) provides specific benefits to countries and territories in the Caribbean Basin. The CBTPA significantly expands preferential treatment for apparel made in the Caribbean Basin region.
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Anbasadè Ayiti a Mande Kongrè a poul Renouvle Lwa CBTPA anvan li Expire nan yon Seyans Virtuel ki te fèt jedi 10 septanm
Washington, D.C. (10 septanm 2020) – Ambasadè Hervé Denis te pale jodiya devan Sou-Komisyon Komès ki nan Komite VwazeMwayen nan Chanm Reprezantan Ameriken an « House Subcommittee on Trade of the Ways and Means Committee ». Seyans la te anba direksyon palmantè Earl Blumenauer (OR-D) ak Vern Buchanan (FL-R), pou diskite sou enpׇòtans pwolongasyon Lwa sou Remonte Ekonomi nan Basen Karayïb la (CBERA), H.R. 991. Pwogram komèsyal yo ke yo rele Inisyativ Basen Karayib (CBI), se pati esansyel nan relasyon ekonomik ant Etazini ak peyi Amerik Santral ak Karayib yo. Lwa sou Patnè Komès ant Peyi Basen Karayib Yo (CBTPA) komanse aplike jou ki te 1e oktòb 2000 e l ap kontinye jouk 30 septam 2020.
Lwa CBTPA an offri avantaj ekonomik pou Etazini ak Ayiti. Li prevwa yon franchiz ladwan pou twal tou koupe ki pare pou asanble epi pou rad ki fèt ak materyo (fil ak twal) ameriken, sa ki pèmèt peyi elijib yo fè konkirans ak La Chine epi lòt founisè rad ki tabli nan peyi Azi yo. Lwa sa a bay lòt avantaj tankou sipò pou pwodiksyon fil nan Etazini epi ankourajman pou envestisman nan sektè a. Endistri asanblaj Ayiti a se baz ekonomi peyi a epi ekzistans li depann de preferans ki bay nan lwa CBTPA a ak nan lòt pwogram ki nan HOPE/ HELP.
Dapre Asosyasyon Endistri Ayiti (ADIH), endistri asanblaj la ki bay apeprè 60,000 job te komanse soufri deske renouvèlman CBTPA te gen reta nan kòmansman ane 2020 an avan pandemi COVID-19 la. Achtè ak envestisè yo t ap ezite pou yo pran nouvo angajman alòske avni pwogram nan pat asire. Ositou nou dwe note ke demann pou rad yo bese epi moun ki gen mwayen ki ta kapab kòmande yo pa vle pran angajman toutotan Kongrè a pa renouvle CBTPA an avan dat pou li expire a rive. Avni endistri asanblaj an Ayiti ak tout job ki bay sekirite ekonomik pou anpil fanmi Ayisyen ap rete an danje jouk lè lwa a vote.
Se premyè fwa nan listwa ke Gouvènman Ayisyen an prezante renouvèlman lwa CBTPA a pou zòn Karayib la epi rekonfime enpòtans lwa a nan pwomosyon komès nan peyi Amerik yo, nan ranfòsman relasyon bilateral yo ak pwomosyon devlopman ekonomik nan emisfè oksidantal la. Pandan seyans la Anbasadè Denis deklare « Peyi Etazini genyen yon sipleman komèsyal enpòtan ak peyi ki nan CBI yo. Dapre Trèzyèm Rapò pou Kongrè a sou Operasyon Lwa pou Remonte Ekonomi nan Basin Karayib la total komès machandiz Etazini (total expòtasyon plis enpòtasyon jeneral) ak peyi CBI yo te monte 19,4 bilyon dola nan lane 2018. Sipleman nan komès machandiz Etazini ak peyi CBI yo totalize 7,4 bilyon dola nan lane 2018 ». Peyi ki nan CBI yo tankou Barbade, Belize, Curaçao, Guyane, Jamaïque, Sainte-Lucie ak Trinité-et-Tobago, jwenn benefis tou nan atik lwa sila a.
Te gen lòt patisipan ki sòti nan sektè prive ayisyien an, nan òganizasyon non gouvènmantal (ONG), nan monn inivèsitè yo ak endistri manifakti ameriken yo te prezan tou nan seyans la pou yo te pote lòt pèspektiv. Pami yo te genyen Georges Sassine, ansyen prezidan ADIH, Lauren Stewart, direktris rejyonal pwogram nan Amerik Latin ak Karayib, Beth Baltzan, direktris American Phoenix Trade Advisory Services PLLC, Jerry Cook, vis-prezidan, Relasyon gouvènmantal ak komèsyal, Hanesbrands, Inc. Anbasadè Denis te fè konnen « Jefò dyaspora ayisyen an pat pase sou silans. Mwen gennyen yon pakèt rekonesans pou sipò yo te bay ».
Seyans sila a ki te òganize pou bay patnè yo on platfòm pou diskite piplis sou konsekans lwa CBTPA a sou politik enteryè ak etranjè, gen entensyon poul konfime yon vote nan Palman a anvan dat 30 septanm nan lè li pral expire.
Seyans la an antye disponib nan lyen sila.
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Enfòmasyon sou Lwa CBTPA
Nan dat 18 me 2000 Lwa Piblik 106-200 la te pibliye, Lwa lane 2000 sou Komès ak Devlopman. Lwa sou Patnè Komès ant Etazini ak Peyi Basen Karayib Yo (“United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act” oubyen “CBTPA”) ap ofri avantaj espesifik pou peyi ak teritwa ki nan Basen Karayib la. Lwa CBTPA a ogmante anpil tretman preferans pou rad ki fèt nan zòn Basen Karayïb la.