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John Walker
Geologist and CEO |
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jcfwalker@matraco.com |
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Big Picture |
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Destroy a few Haiti stereotypes |
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“Geography matters” |
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Resources & Opportunities |
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Important undeveloped resources |
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Caribbean & US markets |
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Realistic vision for Haiti within next 10 years |
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Matraco-Colorado role |
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Part 2: Matraco-Colorado joint venture
structure, business case and partnership issues |
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Part 3: Initial project details |
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Centered in the Caribbean Basin… |
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…her own people often see migration as their
last hope |
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Proximity to dynamic markets |
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Hard-working, tenacious people anxious for jobs |
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Special US legal and tax considerations under
CBERA/CBI, new HERO act |
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Haiti has 1,771 km of coastline vs. DR’s 1,288 * |
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Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, DR, Cayman Islands,
Lesser Antilles |
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Cuba in a few more years? |
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Most comparable US location: Chicago |
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Reality: Haiti, with 27,560 sq km of land mass,
is 3rd largest nation in the Caribbean |
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La Selle massif rises 2700 meters above sea
level Port-au-Prince |
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(almost 9000 feet) |
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Compares to 14,300 ft Mt. Evans above
‘mile-high’ Denver |
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(~ 9000 ft) |
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Reality: Low population density compared to her
crowded neighbors |
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Neither barren nor lifeless as hysterical news
stories claim! |
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Truth: Important natural resources are largely
undeveloped: |
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Haiti has better long-term prospects than much
of the West Indies… |
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where over-dependence on tourism limits
opportunity |
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Strong opportunities for diversified natural
resource development… |
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…and modern, environmentally sound,
industrialization |
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Local value-add, e.g. precast & prestress
concrete |
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Agro-chemicals and industrial minerals
manufacture |
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Allows ‘Clean sheet of paper’ approach… |
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…let’s us focus on sustainable development… |
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instead of mending past mistakes… |
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too often a big part of projects and
acquisitions in more developed countries |
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High-grade limestone, still rising from the
Caribbean seafloor |
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Plus other important rock types |
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‘old African’ crustal rock, like Colorado
Rockies |
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later volcanic rocks, basalts and granites |
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in great demand for US and Caribbean engineering
projects |
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Famous American geologist Wendell Woodring, USGS |
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surveyed Haiti in 1923-24 on foot and with
donkeys |
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wrote most authoritative study to date on
geology of Haiti |
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described certain Haitian limestone as
"remarkably pure." |
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Sent lignite samples to US for testing |
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Basic industrial commodity |
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Construction aggregates |
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Cement production |
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Industrial and agricultural minerals |
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Virtually inelastic demand, even during
recessions |
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Demand is function of population: ~9
tons/person/year in USA (according to USGS) |
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Steady increase due to new industrial,
agricultural, medical uses |
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China growth – affecting all commodities
markets; commodities prices rising |
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Important for infrastructure development in
Haiti and elsewhere in Caribbean |
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Producing – and delivering! |
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Quality material |
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To proper specifications |
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On time |
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At a cost the customer
will pay |
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Matraco-Colorado is
task-organized to do this. |
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Dominate this industry in northern Caribbean |
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Provide a springboard to Cuba when timing is
right |
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Most
promising
quarry
areas in
Cuba… |
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…are on
SE coast,
adjacent
to NW
Haiti |
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Precast and prestress concrete |
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Basic architectural components |
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e.g. culvert pipe, roofing tiles, block,
flagstones |
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High-quality custom engineered prestress |
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Strong demand by marina developers, especially
for dock and slip structures |
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High-end concrete products |
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Maritime industry, island construction firms,
aviation and engineering firms |
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Requires strategic partnership with industry
leader |
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Hurricane-resistant structures? |
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Housing in Haiti? |
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Maybe not another St. Croix or Martinique… |
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…but with hard work and reasonable capital
investment… |
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Haiti could be a future Chicago, Milano or
Trieste to the Caribbean |
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Transportation hub |
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Regional backbone for industrial and
agricultural production |
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Technical and professional services leader |
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High-skill, high-wage jobs |
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support for extended families |
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secondary impacts to local communities and
nation |
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Haitian businessmen & women, professional
scientists and engineers |
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Strong, smart, non-political, serious about
succeeding in Haiti |
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Intimate knowledge of Haitian geology, mineral
resources |
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Completely familiar with permit process |
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US & New Zealand engineers, medics,
geologist |
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Project management in lesser developed countries |
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Emergency medical care, public health skills |
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Registered Nurse w/ Francophone Africa
experience |
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Special Forces medic w/ Central America, Afghan
background |
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Colorado School of Mines engineer, CSM faculty |
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Solid industry experience, arguably best CV in
USA for project |
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Experts in modern mechanical surface mining |
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Smart, optimistic business partners and
investors |
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Next:
Business Case and
Partnership Issues – |
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‘nuts-and-bolts stuff’ |
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Break
first? |
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Notes