The National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL), by sake of transparency, reported that under the National Fund for Education (FNE), it had already collected for the period from June 15, 2011 to March 7, 2013, an amount of 48,557,695.93 U.S. dollars, from phone companies.

These contributions come from the surplus tariff on incoming calls in the country [0.5 cents per call]. Thus, CONATEL received: 4,960,173.11 dollars from Comcel, 42,746,470.67 dollars from Digicel and 851,052.15 dollars from Natcom.

Recall that these levies, collected, in consultation with the partners of the telephony, are intended to finance the school compulsory and free for the most disadvantaged in Haiti.

In addition, the Council states that a sum of U.S. $ 2,570,272.33, remains to be received, 2,331,205.53 dollars from Digicel and 239,066.80 dollars from Natcom.

Note that these 48.56 million dollars, do not include the fees of $1.50 U.S. dollars, on incoming and outgoing transfers, which are collected by the Central Bank under the FNE. In August 2012, these transfer fee collected by the Central Bank amounted to $ 1.9 billion Gourdes [± U.S. $ 45,238,095].

Finally, it is important to note, that the Parliament, after more of 18 months, [the FNE has been launched by the President Martelly in May 2011], has not yet ratified the Bill allowing the FNE to use these funds for education. In the absence of this vote and the publication of the law in the official newspaper “Le Moniteur”, these funds can not be used by the Government, nor benefit to the education of Haitian children…

In summary nearly 100 million dollars are in an account at the Central Bank, pending the willingness of parliamentarians to be used for the benefit of Haitian children.

HL/ HaitiLibre