During August several meetings were held with members of the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) around the question of the risks faced by Haiti if concrete steps against money laundering are not taken before November.

Thus, at a meeting, Roberto de Michele, Principal Specialist of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has painted a very bleak picture of the financial situation of Haiti. Indeed, the latest report of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) dated November 2008 showed that Haiti was not in compliance with the laws against money laundering and terrorist financing. Recall that Haiti is a member of the Financial Action Task Force of the Caribbean (CFATF) and legislation must be passed before November 2016 so that the country does not suffer the same fate as Belize where all financial transactions with the United States are currently suspended.

For his part Georges B. Sassine President of the ADIH recalls that if by October these laws (which have just been adopted by the Council of Ministers, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18482-haiti-politic-two-important-bills-passed-in-urgency.html ) are not passed by Parliament, the consequences will be disastrous for the Haitian citizens "Credit cards will be blocked, money transfers will cost more or be canceled altogether. What to say about the transfers issued by the diaspora ? What to say about the transfers made by academics parents currently abroad ? Several sectors of national life understand the issues and feel threatened."

The AIDH stresses that being consistent through the laws is only a first step. The second concerns a second report carried out in 2012 in which the FATF requires that the traceability of measurements to be effective. Ie that the Haitian banks must ensure that they do not have customers suspected of illegal transactions. This work must be done by the Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF) before 2019, date of the next assessment.

ADIH has also to meet with trade unionists who feel particularly concerned by the risks associated with this financial issue. In a letter from the National Front of Haitian Unions (FNSH) addressed to the ADIH the NSH emphasizes "[...] if the 50th Legislature did not vote these laws before October 2016, Haiti will plunge into isolation at the scale international in which no US bank will be able to perform

trade and economic transactions with the country. This will lead to negative consequences for the Haitian economy, see its collapse..."

HL/ HaitiLibre