Led by hotel owners, the private sector in Haiti began a wave of investment in a country long plagued by crises very detrimental to the business sector.
Within the walls of his elegant brick walls of the future Oasis, customers dine on lobster, sip DomPerignon 300 U.S. dollars a bottle, then relax in a luxurious lounge.
Just outside the plan of a boutique hotel exclusively, with the roof space which may pose a helicopter and a garage for 300 cars, dominates the landscape in pastel orange. The view recalls Coral Gables or South Beach, high-tourist areas of Miami in Florida. But this is not the case.
"People entrust me the middle: you never think you're in Haiti," said Jerry Tardieu, the visionary behind the Oasis. "I tell them that is Haiti. This is the Haiti of tomorrow. "
Five years after Haiti was plunged into anarchy, the nation thirsting for investments shown some improvement in safety and relative calm. The result: a new state of mind and assurance in new investors very unpopular with a group ..... private local business.
The hotel industry sets the tone. Indeed, in the wake of Oasis, lies a project to build a Best Western in which a not too distant future will be the best hotel of international standard in the country for a decade.
"Now we want to invest our money and our efforts in this country," suggested Christopher Handal, president of the Haitian family company that supports the draft Best Western. Often scorned for their opposition to the government and lifestyle pretentious, leaders from business Haitian join now President René Préval to recruit foreign investors.
Among those answering the call: the Vietnamese who express a desire to invest in telecommunications and Brazilians are interested in the apparel industry. The change comes as international investors led by former President Bill Clinton of the United States became involved in promoting these types of investments that create jobs in the Caribbean country. "The private sector approach, the way we perceive the government, everything is totally different today, according to Richard Coles, a manufacturer of Haiti, who was speaking before an audience of business leaders from the hemisphere in d an investment seminar held in Haiti last week in Miami.
"Attitudes are changing in Haiti. There has been a new synergy, new enthusiasm, "he said.
New Investisement
There are only four years, a surge of kidnappings and violence took the part in the beautiful hills of Petionville. But in recent months, the area welcomed:
The Hotel de Karibe Convention Center.
First conceived in 1996 by owner Richard Buteau, it was finally completed in February 2008. The family owning, claiming a luxury spa, a courtyard abundant and 87 rooms including a presidential suite designed by Miami artist Romero Britto for his first guest: Clinton.
Expansion of Montana
One of the most renowned hotels in Haiti, it has undergone several expansions since it was built in 1947. The latest concern the replacement of tennis courts by a shopping center containing expandable fashion shops, a wedding chapel and an endless pool with a breathtaking view on the mountain.
The central Haiti, the vibration level of the hotel welcomes competition, "says Garthe Cardozo-Stefanson, co-owner of the hotel. "It's a signal that Haiti has changed direction," said she.
The renovation of El Rancho
Faced with the possibility of bankruptcy, family owned hotel and casino has recently sold its controlling stake to another investor group. They develop new plans with the hope of attracting a franchise of Hilton. In 2002, Hilton plans to invest in Haiti, but recanted when the country was facing socio-political unrest.
The Oasis complex
L-shaped, the cost of the expansion of this building is around $ 19 million U.S. and was in the past the site of the famous restaurant Le Picardy, which in its heyday hosted Marlon Brando and Walter Cronkite. The manufacturers have retained the original brick walls, which now include the design of the architect Hippolyte Haitian Nadine and are festooned with mahogany media for storing wine. The covered wooden exterior leads to a lush tropical garden and lounge inspired by South Beach.
The device most remarkable is not the antique furniture and high end, but the ability of travelers to avoid the clogged streets of Port-au-Prince by the shuttle from the airport over the roof The hotel aboard a helicopter. Travel Time: 10 minutes. Tardieu is proud that flourish Oasis with money from 100 investors Haitian, ranging from teachers to business titans, not a dime of foreign investors.
"Just look around Petion-Ville and you will see how the Haitian investors pay money in large buildings, whether in supermarkets, banks or other buildings," noted Mr. Tardieu.
Gladys Coupet, Haiti Director of Citibank and president of a Presidential Commission on Competitiveness, said that "there is a local determination and the international community for Haiti is moving towards progress."
Although progress has been made, for example, it now takes 75 days instead of 195 to form a company.
Haiti still has work to undo his bad reputation and offer a viable economic climate. In the ranking of business-friendly countries, Haiti has recently gained three seats, but it is still 151st out of 183 countries, just ahead of Tajikistan, according to a recent study by the World Bank.
The United States wants to see Haiti adopt legislation to protect investors and make it easier for Americans of Haitian origin who wish to open businesses in their homeland. They also want to see the long-standing monopolies dismantled and competition allowed.
Pushed past the blame
The economic elite of Haiti has long been criticized for simply doing as they please and do little to stimulate economic development, but this is unfounded said Reginald Boulos, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry national federation of 10 regional chambers.
"The notion that the private sector in Haiti has been on the sidelines is wrong," said Boulos, who tries to convince the Hilton chain of ownership of the project El Rancho. "The Haitian private sector has also been a victim of the instability of the past 20 years and is now poorer than 20 years ago.
He in turn blames the politicians have created an environment for investment insécuritaire.
However, the new alliance between economic and political elites were evident last week when the powerful businessman Edouard Baussan Haitian and importers have used the Miami conference to shed light on the progress made in Haiti. Sitting at the head table, Jean Max Bellerive, newly installed Prime Minister received a thunderous applause after his speech entitled: "Haiti is ready for business."
"People started to want to believe in Haiti, said the businessman Gregory Mevs. We must say to ourselves, our private sector we have a responsibility to deliver. "
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