CHARLEROI, Pa. — When Haitian immigrants came to Charleroi years ago, many of them opened up businesses in town. But fears over the expiration of their temporary protected status have prompted many to move out.
Augusta “Queen” Goll, a Charleroi business owner said, “A lot of people started leaving and you don’t blame them. They’re not going to sit and wait till the last minute.”
Augusta “Queen” Goll has owned a Haitian market in Downtown Charleroi for over seven years. She says there’s been a steady decline of Haitian immigrants over fears that their Temporary Protected Status or TPS will expire.
“I’m still pleading to the government to look into it. Even give them a year extension,” Goll said.
Kristin Hopkins, Charleroi Borough Council Member, said, “It’s a federal program so we don’t really have any say in it or any sort of influence on what might happen. As far as what’s happening with TPS, it’s another big question.”
“We need a tax base and we need to make sure that we don’t have closed storefronts,” said State Senator Camera Bartolotta. She says it makes today’s announcement by Governor Josh Shapiro about the commonwealth’s $6 million investment into GE Vernova even more meaningful.
Governor Josh Shapiro said, “What’s really important is to celebrate all of you. Your hard work got us to this point where the commonwealth could make an investment. Where GE Vernova could grow and where good things can happen not just here in Western PA but all across the country. “
PA also secured a 166 million dollar investment from GE Vernova to expand its operations in Western Pennsylvania.
Bartolotta added, “Things happening today at GE Vernova is very, very impressive. They’re going to double the number of employees here which is wonderful and we certainly hope that a lot of those folks are going to be buying homes and staying here and sending their kids to our schools.”
Pennsylvania’s contribution will create at least 714 new jobs over the next four years. That’s in addition to the existing 735 full-time positions.
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