Tuesday, February 5, in the Council of Ministers the President Jovenel Moïse declared the state of economic emergency in the country. However, no new metrics beyond an announcement effect...

Indeed, the measures to reduce the State's expenditure only repeat those contained in the decree on the state of life (per diem, automobile administration, travel etc...) published in the Official Gazette "Le Moniteur" #52 dated April 3, 2017 which have never been applied by the Government ttps://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Arrete-relatif-Train-de-vie-de-letat-5-avril-2017.pdf

This economic emergency, says the Head of State, aims to help reduce the costs of essential goods, increase access to credit for SMEs, promote financing of the agricultural sector, boost economic activity and strengthen social programs.

The first measure announced by the Head of Government concerns the subsidy of 8 products from the basket of the housewife, without providing details on these products or the amount of subsidy or the implementation of this program... The Prime Minister is limited to say that these subsidies will result in lower prices for these products for consumers.

The second measure concerns the reduction or the cancellation of certain customs exemptions until the end of the tax year. Note that this is not a new measure, since Ronald Décembre, Minister of the Economy and Finance had already announced the cancellation of customs exemptions for public institutions and the reduction of exemptions for NGOs that figure in the 2018-2019 budget (Franchises granted to companies in the outsourcing sector, humanitarian NGOs and diplomatic missions are maintained).

As for the other measures they were not detailed...

In summary, an "emergency plan" that is far more demagogic than economic, which gives the impression of an improvisation rather than the result of a deep reflection, intended more to try to reduce the pressure at 48 hours of a national mobilization of the opposition, whose magnitude and consequences remain unpredictable...

SL/ HaitiLibre