Economia

Haiti: escassez de moeda dos EUA é 'não política', diz Banco Central

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Em uma conferência de imprensa na sexta-feira, o governador do Banco da República do Haiti disse que a escassez de moeda dos EUA na semana passada não é política, mas devido a restrições impostas por estrangeiros bancos.

Speaking at a press conference, Bank Governor Charles Castel, said that "foreign banks were alerted by the level of demand for the U.S. currency and have taken steps to restrict the flow of the currency to Haiti."

Castel told the press that the scarcity of U.S. currency is "not political, and is not artificial. This is something normal because we do not make dollars."

The first report came on December 1st, when it was learned that banking institutions around Port-au-Prince were limiting customer withdrawals to only $500 in U.S. currency.

"Haiti imports the dollar as any other [country]," he says, "and restrictions on the international level are that the banks have no cash 'cash'," which is why Castel believes there is a limitation on withdrawals.

Following some research, Defend Haiti could not confirm that other countries in the region, outside of Cuba and Venezuela, are experiencing similar restrictions.

Electronic Banking the New Cash

To overcome the problem Governor Castel recommends the use of electronic money management checks and debit cards.

"We ask the public to make more use of the SPI (comparable to ACH electronic payment services)."

Castel invited banks to integrate the SPI system to promote transfers of money. "The SPI has been active for nearly three years," said Charles Castel.

As for the debit card, it "will be a reality by the year 2012," says he. The central bank is negotiating with banks to develop the interfaces for the use of debit cards.