Beginning in 2018, more than 5,000 jobs will be created in the Lafito development.
May 26th, 2017, Lafiteau, Haiti.- The GB Group, with the involvement of several local and foreign partners, is undertaking the construction of 60,000 square meters of ultra-modern buildings to house textile manufacturers.
This historic groundbreaking ceremony took place last Friday May 26th with the presence of President Jovenel Moïse alongside Reuven Bigio, GB Group CEO and Chris Yu in representation of Reliable Source Industrial.
Given the importance of such a remarkable undertaking which will contribute to lowering Haiti’s unemployment rate, President Moïse was keen to support GB Group’s vision having set themselves a major challenge to create tens of thousands of sustainable jobs in the country over the next few years.
“This morning I’m in Lafito because job creation is one of the top priorities of my administration. I believe that the private sector has an important role to play in the production of goods, services and above all, in the creation of jobs. I am present because the State alone cannot recruit the thousands of unemployed people from Cité Soleil, Bel-Air, Martissant, Fossette, Raboteau…” explained Jovenel Moïse who spoke in favor of a great synergy between the private and public sectors.
Thousands of jobs by May 2018 are easily within reach. A year from now, many men and women will find themselves at the epicenter of the textile industry in Haiti located in Lafiteau just 20 minutes from Port-au-Prince.
“There are different ways to help Haiti in many areas of need such as food, health, education… But to create a means of sustainability through employment, is enduring. It represents a major shift from relying on charity versus being able to provide with dignity. This has forever been my vision for Haiti.” – Gilbert Bigio
“In Lafito, thousands of jobs are in sight. We firmly believe in national production as one of the best strategies for building our country’s future.” Reuven Bigio said in the presence of a number of prominent figures including Senate President Youri Latortue and Minister of Commerce and industry, Pierre Marie Du Mény.
“We will always be at your side in this strategic and vital mission of creating formal and sustainable jobs in the country,” he promised Head of State Jovenel Moïse. “Investing will remain a constant feature of the GB Group’s approach and imperative for the socio-economic development of Haiti,” he continued on to mention.
The Group’s CEO does not, however, minimize the difficulties which tend to discourage entrepreneurs from investing in Haiti asserting that “this is a heavy task that is carried out with its share of obstacles aggravated at times by frustrations specifically related to our business environment.” In this sense, Reuven Bigio says he relies on the Moïse / Lafontant administration to create a favorable investment climate.
This promising environment in Lafito is dedicated to multiplying employment opportunities, as it is open to all: producers, distributors, importers, exporters, shipping lines and agents.
To demonstrate President Jovenel Moïse’s pledge to the project, he committed “to improving the business environment in a shared responsibility with the Haitian parliament.” Facilitating business registration, better access to credit, real estate development and investor protection are all improvements being worked on to further support business of all sizes he said. Furthermore, President Moïse referenced the “3/8” law which, according to him, will enable companies to work fulltime (24/24) while at the same time creating many jobs. This project, will lead to modernization the Legal and Commercial Code in relation to International standards.
Lafito, a joint effort.
By the end of this year, more than US $ 220 million will be invested in port and road infrastructure, plant construction, power generation, etc. “These massive funds come from private and public actors, both local and foreign, with the unshakable faith that risk-taking is part of our responsibility to participate actively in the construction of our country,” says Bigio. This project has been in development for almost four years and everything indicates that it will continue fruitfully until the GB Group has reached all the objectives set.