Boats pay coast guard officers for protection in Haiti

Sailors pay coast guard officers between 25,000 and 50,000 gourdes to obtain « security assistance » in order to cross the Bay of Port-au-Prince, where gangs frequently extort or attack them. The head of the institution blames the State for the lack of resources available to its officers

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Sailors and boat owners are paying « fuel fees » to officers of the Haitian Coast Guard. This sum, ranging between 25,000 and 50,000 gourdes, is intended to secure « security assistance » for crossing the Bay of Port-au-Prince, where gangs frequently extort or attack them, according to testimonies gathered by AyiboPost.

Occéan Blaise, owner of the boat Masa lasa, says he has altered his route to avoid the coast guard because of these fees imposed by its officers — a situation he describes as « difficult » to accept. « After handing over those 50,000 gourdes, there is not much left for me economically from a single trip, » explains the man whose vessel now operates the route between La Gonâve and Les Gonaïves.

Blaise says that Haitian Coast Guard officers join the convoy coming from La Gonâve at the halfway point, escorting it either toward Port-au-Prince or from Port-au-Prince toward « Ti Gonâve. » « Sometimes, certain boats are forced to remain docked at the wharf, unable to pay the fees required for the crossing, » the Gonavian man laments.

For his part, Pastor Yves Louve, owner of the boat Rete sou jou, tann Letènèl, takes a rather favorable view of the practice. « A rescue flyboat must have enough fuel in case something happens at sea. Besides, it would cost us much more if we had to keep paying the bandits, » the religious leader argues.

An investigation conducted and published by AyiboPost last February revealed that gangs attack boats to extort them through illegal toll checkpoints, which is severely affecting the coastal shipping industry on which the island of La Gonâve heavily depends. It is against this backdrop of insecurity that Haitian Coast Guard officers have stepped up their presence at sea to put a stop to acts of piracy and extortion, according to an official.

Jean Pedro Mars, head of the Haitian Coast Guard, interviewed by AyiboPost, denies any direct involvement of his institution in the matter, stating that he demands money from no one. He does acknowledge, however, that informal arrangements exist, allowing sailors to pool resources to purchase fuel when the institution has none, so that operations can continue.

Mars also highlights the difficulties facing the institution. « Our infrastructure is archaic. The situation has become increasingly difficult to manage when it comes to sailors from La Gonâve. A trip that should take between 45 and 60 minutes can sometimes take more than five hours, because the boats do not go very fast, » he explains.

A specialized unit of the Haitian National Police, the Haitian Coast Guard’s mission is to secure territorial waters and navigation, and to combat illicit trafficking. It has approximately 300 officers. « We are taking steps with government authorities who, together with our partners, have pledged to provide us with greater assistance toward strengthening the institution, » Pedro Mars announces.

The head of the Haitian Coast Guard justifies the institution’s decision to accept these « fuel fees, » collected through an initiative led by the deputy delegate of the district of La Gonâve, Ednel Désir. « The island lives off coastal shipping. We cannot stop escorting sailors if they organize themselves to make it happen, » says Mars, highlighting the difficulty the coast guard faces in sourcing fuel in Carrefour, a municipality under gang control.

The head of the Haitian Coast Guard regrets that the authorities have not deployed the same resources at sea as on land to strengthen security. « Last year, we received four small boats from the American Embassy to continue our operations, yet the current challenges on maritime routes demand much larger vessels and equipment, » the divisional commissioner states.

In an interview with AyiboPost, Ednel Désir explains that he took this initiative to allow sailors to continue transporting passengers and goods without fear of being attacked by gangs. He does not, however, provide details on the amounts collected. « It varies, » he says, specifying that the money is used primarily to purchase fuel for the coast guard.

For his part, the vice-president of the Sailors and Shipowners’ Union of La Gonâve (SYMAG), Willy Vernelus, confirms the payment of these « fees » for each expedition. « This morning, five boats were escorted to the Jérémie wharf. Each one contributed 50,000 gourdes for that purpose, » Vernelus reveals, calling for better organization of a sector that he says forms the backbone of the Gonavian economy.

The practice of extortion within the police institution is not new. In 2025, AyiboPost had investigated similar practices carried out by police officers at checkpoints in several areas of the greater Port-au-Prince metropolitan region, including Carrefour Tifou, Tabarre 27, Carrefour Trois Mains, along the Delmas highway, as well as at Delmas 32 and Delmas 33.

Entrepreneur Yves Louve points the finger at the State, which he says is shirking its responsibilities. « We know how the Haitian authorities run this country. An officer who ‘helps’ us has to be able to afford something to eat while he works, » says the man who has more than 30 years of experience in the maritime sector.

As for Occéan, he calls on the authorities to assume their responsibilities. « It is complicated to travel under these conditions, where you have to pay just to make a trip, » the entrepreneur complains.

By : Wesker Sylvain