Amid theft and accusations of sabotage, Haiti struggles to turn on the lights

A man walks past a kerosene lamp at his house in Port-au-Prince, Haiti July 23, 2020. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Rene Max Auguste says demand for solar panels at his store in the Haitian capital, Port au Prince, has soared over the past two years. The reason? The state power utility's inability to guarantee electricity, he says.

In a country where most survive on less than $3 per day, customers in Auguste's shop typically opt for small systems that enable them to charge their phone and perhaps a lamp.