WASHINGTON — The world of music, politics and fashion collided on Capitol Hill Wednesday as high-level Haitian government officials joined forces with hip-hop musician Wyclef Jean to lobby members of Congress to pass a bill enhancing apparel trade benefits for the island nation before they adjourn for the year.
Jean, who was born in Haiti, said he donned his “Joe college” duds — an oxford shirt under a pullover with striped tie, plaid pants and hip leather sneakers — to make the case for expanding apparel trade with Haiti. He was part of a delegation, comprising Haitian government officials and several apparel manufacturers, who met with Reps. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.), the incoming chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee next year, Clay Shaw (R., Fla.), Jerry Weller (R., Ill.) and Sen. Mike DeWine (R., Ohio).
“For me, it’s very important because what I’m trying to do in the next 10 to 15 years is to get investors excited about Haiti again,” said Jean, whose uncle, Raymond Joseph, is the ambassador to Haiti. “Apparel is important because it provides jobs. I’m here lobbying for this bill because if we can give 10,000 people jobs instantly, it sends a signal to investors that says the doors are really open for Haiti.”
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has been losing apparel production to China and Central American and Caribbean countries since the major trading partners around the world removed quotas on apparel and textile products in 2005. As a result, apparel employment in Haiti has fallen from a peak of 100,000 jobs to less than 20,000, a change that could threaten fledgling democratic reforms and destabilize the region, Haitian officials warned.
The delegation pressed Congressional members to pass legislation introduced by Rep. Bill Thomas (R., Calif.) that would enhance the duty free benefits for Haiti through a 50 percent value-added rule that increases to a 60 percent requirement in the fifth year in a lame-duck session in December. But the Thomas bill, which also contains an extension of trade benefits for sub-Saharan African countries, has met strong opposition from textile-state lawmakers, who succeeded in blocking it from an expedited vote in the House in September. The House members argued in a letter to Republican leaders that the expanded benefits for Haiti would allow companies to use Chinese fabric and yarns, which would displace U.S. business in Haiti and “devastate” the U.S. textile industry.
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Richard Coles, president of Multitex, an apparel division of Sirius Group, based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, also would like to see more T-shirts with Made in Haiti labels.
“The provisions within the bill will have a direct and immediate impact on the woven part of the business and I think that we will get 7,000 to 10,000 immediate jobs,” Coles said. He added that Hanesbrands Inc. and Gildan are two of the largest foreign companies sourcing apparel, primarily T-shirts, in Haiti.
According to Coles, 12 apparel companies have shut down in Haiti in the past few years, leaving approximately 30 operating in the country. Coles also has laid off workers. At its peak, Multitex employed 6,000 people and it currently employs 3,700, he said. But he acknowledged it would be an uphill battle in Congress.