The Haitian Ministry of Environment has issued a stern warning regarding persistent illegal quarrying activities in the geologically vulnerable Laboule region of Pétion-ville. Environment Minister Moïse Fils Jean Pierre confirmed that despite recent coordinated interventions with judicial and police authorities, unauthorized extraction operations continue to threaten the area’s stability.
According to environmental assessments, the Laboule zone exhibits significant geological fragility with heightened susceptibility to devastating landslides and rockfalls. These conditions present imminent dangers to both property and human safety, prompting renewed regulatory action.
The Ministry has clarified the constitutional foundation for its enforcement measures, citing Article 36.5 of Haiti’s amended 1987 Constitution which designates all mines and quarries as property of the state’s public domain, explicitly excluding them from private ownership claims.
Environmental compliance requirements mandate that all quarry operations must adhere to protection standards outlined in Article 253 of the Constitution and Article 64.8 of the 2006 Framework Decree on Environmental Management and Citizen Conduct. Operators are further required to obtain formal authorization through an Operating Permit from the Bureau of Mines and Energy (BME) and the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MTPTC), complemented by an Environmental No Objection Certificate issued directly by the Ministry of Environment.
The prohibition on quarrying in these sensitive areas, initially established in 2010 and reaffirmed in both 2016 and 2021, remains fully enforceable. Minister Jean Pierre emphasized the government’s commitment to rigorous enforcement through judicial channels, warning that violators would face prosecution in collaboration with law enforcement agencies. The Ministry simultaneously appealed to operators’ civic responsibility, urging voluntary compliance in the interest of public safety and environmental preservation.