Decree of 5 March 1982 Creating the Maritime and Navigation Service of Haiti (SEMANAH)
Summary: Decree signed by President Jean-Claude Duvalier on 5 March 1982 and published in Le Moniteur No. 20 of 11 March 1982. It creates the Service Maritime et de Navigation d'Haïti (SEMANAH), an autonomous body with legal personality under the Department of Public Works, Transport and Communications, and sets its mandate, board and internal divisions.
Key Findings
- Article 1 creates SEMANAH within the Department of Public Works, Transport and Communications (TPTC) as an autonomous body with its seat in Port-au-Prince and the option of regional offices.
- SEMANAH must approve in writing any boat construction, sets on-board safety equipment standards and issues the certificate of seaworthiness before launch (Article 4).
- A six-member board chaired by the Secretary of State for Public Works, Transport and Communications approves plans, budgets, tariffs and maritime contracts (Articles 6 and 7).
- SEMANAH starts with four divisions: Maritime Safety, Maritime Services, Maritime Promotion and Administration (Article 10).
- The Maritime Services Division runs radio communications, shore radar, sea rescue and weather notices in collaboration with the Haitian Navy (Article 12).
How to cite
Presidency of the Republic of Haiti (PRH), Decree of 5 March 1982 Creating the Maritime and Navigation Service of Haiti (SEMANAH), accessed via HaitiDocs, https://www.haitidocs.org/doc/ht-decret-1982-creation-semanah
- Rights holder
- Government of Haiti