Organizations Demand MAST Justify Subsidies for Grassroots Organizations and Families in Need
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE.— A group of organizations has written to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to demand explanations regarding a subsidy granted to civil society organizations. This request is signed by several entities, notably Droit et la Vie Humaine (DVH), l’Ordre des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (ORDDH), and Ligue Haïtienne de Défense des Droits Humains (LHDDH).
The signatories have given the Minister of Social Affairs an eight-day deadline to provide justification for the funds allocated to civil society organizations under the "Subsidy" category, while expressing their concern about the detrimental impacts of corruption on the country's social and economic development.
They also emphasize that this practice erodes citizens' trust in public institutions and harms the improvement of living conditions, recalling the crucial importance of transparency and accountability, fundamental bases for the proper functioning of a democracy.
Indeed, two main demands are formulated in the letter. First, the publication of a detailed report on the budget allocated by MAST, then a breakdown of the subsidies intended for different entities, to ensure that the funds are distributed transparently and efficiently.
Furthermore, the signatories question MAST about the MonCash program, established to financially support vulnerable families during the back-to-school period. They demand clarification, with supporting evidence, on the total number of beneficiaries and the amounts actually distributed, to ensure that the funds are used in accordance with their initial objective, thereby avoiding any risk of misappropriation of resources intended for noble purposes.
In case of unsatisfactory responses, the organizations signing this correspondence reserve the right to demand accountability, or even to take legal action if necessary.
In the current context, characterized by major socio-economic challenges and an endemic crisis of corruption, the signatories say they hope for a rapid and constructive reaction from the authorities.
Jean Mapou
