A meeting involving Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government is set to take place in Jamaica on Monday, to discuss the multiple crises being faced by Haiti, following a week of escalated violence by gangs in the country.
A release on Saturday from the Office of the Prime Minister confirmed the meeting, adding that it will be held under the current Chair of Conference President Irfaan Ali of Guyana.
The meeting “will seek to advance discussions on support for Haiti as well as the way forward for Haitian governance pursuant to Haitian led and Haitian owned solutions which have been facilitated under the guidance of the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG) comprised of former Prime Ministers Bruce Golding of Jamaica, Perry Christie of The Bahamas and Kenny Anthony of St Lucia,” the release said.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in the release, highlighted the deepening security concerns in Haiti and how they could affect not only the residents of the country but also the region. As a result, he said that participation in the meeting from CARICOM Heads of Government in The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the eight international partner countries and the United Nations invited by the Heads of Government, would signal the seriousness of the ongoing situation in Haiti.
This meeting will be the latest in a series of facilitation efforts by the regional bloc to advance political dialogue and consensus in Haiti, the release said.
Last week Haiti’s main port was forced to close due to sabotage after days of worsening gang violence.
Prior to the port’s closure armed gangs launched attacks on the airport, police stations, and broke open prisons as they demanded the resignation of the country’s prime minister Ariel Henry.
