Martelly urges LAC to invest in the future of Haiti

Haitian President Michell Martelly on Saturday called on businesspersons in the world, especially the Caribbean and Latin America, to invest in Haiti, in sectors such as fishing, farming and infrastructure, during his speech at the Summit of the emerging Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

Martelly, who took office as president of Haiti in May, arrived Friday in the Venezuelan capital to participate in the summit of the Celac and meet with his counterparts from Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico, Efe said.

The Haitian president recalled on Saturday that his government has launched a program to fight hunger and that such plan exists thanks to a fund established by Petrocaribe an integration mechanism driven by Venezuela thta comprises 18 countries in the region.

"Over 70% of the population lives on USD 2 per day. This must change. That is the reason why my government is working day and night to relieve subhuman misery and extreme poverty," said the president of Haiti, a country still struggling to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake and a cholera epidemic that has killed some 6,700 people in one year.