Agence Haitïenne de Presse

President René Préval announced Saturday that the following public sector enterprises, Téléco, ED'H (Electricity of Haiti), and APN (National Port Authority), will soon be privatized because, he said, the results of these institutions are not at all satisfactory.

According to President Préval, the national telephone company, with its 150,000 land lines, has 3293 employees, which amounts to one employee for every 45 subscribers, compared to cell phone company Haïtel which has 500 employees for 350,000 subscribers, or one employee for every 700 subscribers. Comcel, he said, has 630 employees and 650,000 subscribers, or one employee for every 1,000 subscribers, while Digicel has 700 employees and 1.4 million subscribers, or one employee for every 2,000 subscribers.

"The most important thing for our government is to faithfully accomplish our mission for the welfare of the nation", declared Mr. Préval, reaffirming his determination to correct the situation.

At Téléco, where the union has been calling for the departure of Director General Michel Présumé for close to three weeks, the president insinuated that the workers who are forced out of their jobs may benefit from one year's compensation, as was the case for employees who were sacked under the Boniface/Latortue government.

The compensation would make it possible for the workers to find other employment, said the president.

With regard to the APN (National Port Authority), the president announced that the ports will be modernized to try to reduce the cost of unloading ships and at the same time prevent boats from taking their business elsewhere.

A commercial vessel currently pays $35 per ton of merchandise to unload cargo in APN ports, whereas elsewhere the cost is no more than $17 to $21.

Mr. Préval also deplored that APN utilizes 85% of its income to pay salaries.

The president also announced the formation of a commission mandated to study the general situation of the ONA (National Office of Old-Age Insurance) as well as all other institutions in the country responsible for social security in Haiti.

"We need a vision for social security", declared Mr. Préval, judging that an in-depth study will be necessary in order to learn whether it will be possible to pay the insured 10 years from now, for example.

The chief of State said he believes that the announced reforms are certain to upset some people, but that he would not be worried about that.