CARICOM concerned about deepening Haitian crisis

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, January 22, 2022 - The 15-member CARICOM grouping has said it is concerned about the deepening of the multi-dimensional crisis in Haiti, telling the international community that its efforts to assist Haiti should go beyond strengthening the police and the judiciary.

CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett in addressing an online international meeting on Haiti on Friday, organised by Canada,  said "the Community is deeply concerned by the deepening of the multi-dimensional crisis in which Haiti is presently mired."

She said "the situation of institutional collapse with the executive, legislature and judiciary having become dysfunctional at different times and for different reasons is unprecedented. There is, consequently, no constitutional or legal way of filling the present institutional void in the absence of elections."

The CARICOM Secretary General said "on the political side, this meeting is timely as the constitutional clock ticks down to 7 February 2022. The Haitians have demonstrated the will to put in place a Haitian solution to the crisis.

A number of building blocks have been assembled by different civil society and political groupings, some more-broad-based and structured than others.

"They all seek the same objective, the establishment of a transitional government leading to elections. Constituting these groupings has required inter-Haitian negotiations and concessions, some quite painstaking. There is still some distance to go for the intra-Haitian dialogue to come to fruition, but this display of sovereignty should be respected by the international community," she declared.

The CARICOM Secretary General challenged the international community, thatany assistance being considered to Haiti  needs to go beyond strengthening the police and the judiciary. Without social and economic development through a long-term development plan, Haiti will not enjoy peacefulness," she said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the meeting that Haiti's allies must act immediately to help tackle a spike in violence that is worsening an already precarious humanitarian situation.

Mr Trudeau said the international community also needs to address deep governance problems that are fuelling a political and security crisis in Haiti.

In the meantime, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has rejected claims that his mandate ends next month and that he should make way for a transitional government.

This come even as the search for answers about the July 7 murder of President Jovenel Moise continues. Henry, in a tweet on Friday, said that his term does not end on February 7, as some local political parties argue, and that his administration will organize free and democratic elections at an undetermined date.

Henry has been leading the country since President Moise was murdered by a hit squad six months ago, and some contend that his presidential term ends on February 7 when Mr Moise was due to step down.

Among those making that argument is a group of Haitian politicians who met in Louisiana last weekend and named an interim prime minister and interim president they said should assume office and organize the vote.

Mr Henry's grasp on power is also being threatened by claims that he may have had ties to some of those involved in the assassination.