The strong reaction from the Dominican Republic regarding the continued construction of the irrigation canal has surprised many. "It's a reaction that surprised everyone," stated the President of the Zile Foundation on the 'Panel Magik' program on Tuesday, September 12. Edwin Paraison believes that both parties, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, were expected to refer to the joint declaration signed in 2021 to resolve the conflict. He recalled, "In 2021, when construction on the canal began, it created an embarrassing situation between the two parties. Subsequently, a working meeting took place at the Dominican chancery, bringing together Haitian technicians and officials. At the end of this meeting, they signed a joint declaration clearly stating that both parties agreed on the principle that the work being done on the river did not constitute a deviation of its course. This was the main concern of the Dominican Republic, which believed there would be a deviation of the Massacre River. Haitian technicians and officials proved that it was not a deviation."

Furthermore, Mr. Paraison continued, both parties agreed that if there were persisting disputes, they could seek technical assistance or international mediation. They also agreed to establish a binational water table so that both parties could continue to discuss, exchange information, and work on any other water projects that could be carried out on the border waters. "We fail to understand why such strong decisions have been made in the context of this new crisis management around the canal, notwithstanding a joint declaration from both parties to address potential problems," sighed Mr. Paraison.