The Dominican Republic in the Caribbean was once ruled by Spain and shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. It is a major tourist destination and tourism is a key source of employment and revenue for the country.

The countries president Leonel Fernandez won his third term in office in May 2008. He is making the country’s economy a priority by cutting spending and securing money loans from the IMF. But the benefits of a stronger economy are not being felt by everyone.

Haiti has a unique and turbulent history. It was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent Black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. However, Haiti has since suffered decades of violence and instability, including tens of thousands of people killed under the Duvalier rule.