By Le Floridien_____________
The groundbreaking of TAMAN, a $30 million luxury real estate project in Punta Cana by Haitian entrepreneur Marcus Boereau, has reignited a painful conversation among Haitians at home and in the diaspora: Why do our most promising business minds continue to build legacies abroad while Haiti remains paralyzed by insecurity and governmental collapse?
Boereau, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is a seasoned professional in International Relations and Trade. He speaks eight languages and holds a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Shanghai. As the founder and CEO of IMAR Ventures, Boereau leads a successful investment facilitation company that specializes in premium, personalized real estate services for individuals and organizations. With a team of experts boasting over 15 years of experience and a vast multinational network that spans the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia, IMAR Ventures has become a key player in regional investment.
In the last 12 months alone—amid a challenging global pandemic—Boereau has guided hundreds of partners through strategic investment decisions valued at nearly $50 million, helping to stabilize the Dominican-Haitian real estate sector. This accomplishment has positioned him as the current leader in this domain.
Social Media Speaks Loudly: “Right Man, Wrong Place”
His latest project, TAMAN, is poised to deliver 144 upscale apartments with Balinese-inspired architecture in Punta Cana. The Dominican firm Verges & Asociados is managing construction, with oversight from ASPECT, and an international hospitality brand will soon be announced to manage operations.
Despite this impressive success, Haitians on social media have reacted with both pride and sorrow. Their comments reflect a recurring theme—that this success story is unfolding in the wrong country:
Blackk Alex: “This brother is doing the right thing but in the wrong place.”
Psalmiste Naphtaline: “In DR for real?”
Enide Pierre: “Haiti is not open for business cause it’s not safe, we have president IZO and prime minister Lanmòsanjour running things in Haiti.”
Serge Serge: “Very happy to see one of my brothers doing well. Also sad to see that because of our s**t ASS government he can’t go back home to invest… shame on our ‘Leaders.’”
A Pattern of Missed Opportunities
Boereau’s choice to invest in the Dominican Republic instead of Haiti is not just a business decision—it is a stark reflection of the harsh reality in Haiti. Widespread insecurity, a lack of functional governance, and the threat of violence have made it nearly impossible for even well-meaning Haitians to safely invest at home. In contrast, the Dominican Republic, despite strained social relations with Haitian immigrants, offers stability, permitting, and infrastructure support that Haiti simply cannot match.
A Loss Far Greater Than Money
When entrepreneurs like Marcus Boereau are compelled to turn their backs on Haiti for safety and sustainability, the nation loses more than capital—it loses innovation, job creation, and hope. Projects like TAMAN could be revitalizing parts of Jacmel, Cap-Haïtien, or Port-au-Prince. Instead, they’re building futures across the border.
Boereau’s TAMAN project is not only a milestone in Caribbean real estate—it is a verdict on Haiti’s collapse as an environment for growth. Until Haiti confronts its internal failures, its most talented children will continue to look elsewhere to turn dreams into reality. And each time they do, Haiti falls further behind.
Photo credit: Black Enterprise
