Understanding Business and Personal LawChapter 15: Consumer Protection and Product LiabilityA Global PerspectiveHaiti Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Haiti in 1492 and he named the country "La isla Espanola." Haiti, or as it is formally known, the Republic of Haiti, is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. It is located in the Caribbean on the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic. Haiti is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland. Forty-five percent of the population is literate. The Haitian government is an elected-type government. The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the president and ratified by the Congress. The cabinet is chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president. The National Assembly consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate has 27 members who serve six-year terms. The Chamber of Deputies has 83 seats and its members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Haiti’s legal system is based on Roman civil law system. They have a Supreme Court. |  |
