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U.S. lawmakers? visit to Dominican Haitian villages turns controversial

SANTO DOMINGO.- After yesterday?s round of heated reactions to the announced visit of a large group of members of the United States Congress who will visit sugar mill villages and learn of the working conditions of Haitian workers, that nation?s ambassador here said on Thursday that it represents another case where statements are ?misinterpreted.?

Hans Hertell said that this is the latest case when those same reactions, ?as always,? are the result of misinterpretation, and citied his recent statements made in the American Chamber of Commerce, where he advised the Dominican people that to solve the nation?s problems, it?s was necessary to do more ?than just talk.?

?If you read my speech well, you?ll see that it has nothing to do with what is being said,? affirmed the diplomat. Hertell?s comments came during his participation in a conference to mark the World Aids Day.

The U.S. diplomat said that the visit is to see if the DR-CAFTA Free Trade Agreement is being respect ?as it should.?

For his part, Ted Palac, of UNICEF, agreed with Hertell, affirming that the visit by the U.S. lawmakers has to do with the regional trade deal, whose implementation is imminent.

But for the leftist Narciso Isa Conde, the controversy is another example that the trade deal is detrimental to the country, and stems from the fact Dominican Republic ?is under the imperialistic power of the United States.?

?It shows why the trade agreement does not benefit us,? he said, adding that instead ?it keeps us under the imperialistic power of the United States,? he said when asked to comment on the controversial visit.

The cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez had said yesterday that instead of coming here, those members of the U.S. Congress should go to their border with Mexico, ?to see what is going on there.?