NASSAU, Bahamas – CARICOM leaders on Friday ended three days of “robust and fruitful; discussions” and that they are confident that their deliberations have advanced the agenda for Caribbean integration, the growth of national and regional economies and the well-being of the people of the 15-member grouping.
Prime Minister and CARICOM Chairman, Phillip Davis, speaking at news conference (CMC Photo)But while the agenda items for the 44th summit were all too familiar ranging from climate change, food security, the further implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) regional transportation, the meeting was also dominated by the ongoing political, economic and social upheaval in Haiti.
Host Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman, Phillip Davis said the leaders discussed ways of advancing peace and stability in Haiti, issuing a statement on the matter “which reiterated that CARICOM must play a leadership role to address the deteriorating situation in Haiti…in light of our moral and political obligations”.
Davis, speaking at the end of summit news conference, told reporters that the statement by CARICOM would also “indicate that CARICOM has taken our moral obligations seriously to assist in resolving the issues in Haiti and the first step would be to see how we can strengthen the HNP, Haitian National Police, to enable them to restore order and to curb criminal activities being conducted on the island”.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry, who attended the summit, has in the past called on the international community, “especially those countries that can help” to support efforts to deal with the ongoing socio-economic and political situation in his country.
He wants help for the Haitian security forces to fight against the proliferation of organized crime, the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition, and eradicate the gangs that have held the country hostage.
United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres reiterated his urgent appeal to member states to understand the urgency of acting quickly to support the solutions chosen by Haitian actors.
Prime Minister Davis told reporters, “we are hoping for a meeting in the very shortest possible time with stakeholders in Haiti, representatives of CARICOM and perhaps an international partner to talk about how we can strengthen the Haitian National Police because we are of the view that we have to create the space in which peace in the first instance can be obtained to enable the free movement of people without fear to enable them to move to the next phase of expressing their will for a new election to be held by the end of the year”.
Davis said that another step being taken is for a meeting to be held in Jamaica “in the shortest possible time” with all of the stakeholders, those who are part of the December 21 accord that was signed and those who were not signatories to the agreement.
Earlier this month, three members of the High Council of the Transition (HCT) whose mandate includes setting the stage for the holding of fresh general elections were sworn into office.
In December last year, Prime Minister Henry signed the political agreement entitled “National consensus for an inclusive transition and transparent elections” with representatives of political parties, civil society organizations and members of the private sector.
The signatories agreed to a 14-month transition period that would include the holding of new general elections in 2023, the entry into office of a newly elected government on February 7, 2024.
In addition, the agreement provides, among other things, for the establishment of the HCT and a body for the Control of Government Action (OCAG) proving a “political balance” in the country.
Asked by reporters whether the initiatives being outlined by CARICOM would bear fruit, given that a significant number of the 9,000 strong Haitian police force has been leaving their jobs for the United States which has opened up a humanitarian refugee program, Primer Minister Davis acknowledged that it may be a problem.
“Clearly the pull of the promise of refugee status, 30,000 residents from ….Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti is a draw for anyone who is in Haiti particularly in the circumstances under which Haiti is now experiencing.
“And it is counter productive to be encouraging police officers to abandon their stations as it were for the bright lights of Miami. This is a matter that was brought to our attention during the course of these discussions and in fact we were told at least 600 or more have already left.
“Again we cannot just allow what is going on to stop us from inaction and there is still a belief that there are a number of Haitians who are prepared to put themselves or to move to work towards having a peaceful country, return it to normalcy and we are encouraged that there are a number of Haitians once they know that they will be properly supported, properly resourced, they will come to the fore to assist,” he said, adding that CARICOM hopes to address the pull to Miami when the meetings take place in the future.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was among a number of invited international guests to the summit, held discussions on the Haitian situation and Prime Minister Davis said “the path towards bringing peace and stability to Haiti at the moment does not include boots on the ground, but rather building up the security mechanism that is in place and that’s the Haitian National Police”.
He said it is essential for the police to be properly resourced “as best we can” including providing food, paid their salaries on time “and at the same time expanding the force to be able to ensure that they have the capacity to deal with the issues that are there.
“We are not there yet about boots on the ground and we also feel that in some of the other initiatives that are being taken by the international partners, like sanctions, that will also work because it cuts the founding to the armed gangs and the other criminal organizations wreaking havoc in the country,” the CARICOM chairman told reporters.
