Trinidad and Tobago joins Caricom delegation on humanitarian mission to Haiti

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS from Trinidad and Tobago joined with  Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Monday along with representatives from Bahamas and the Caricom Secretariat on a special Caricom mission to Haiti in amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The Jamaican Office of the Prime Minister in a release said Holness will be joined by Jamaican Foreign Affairs minister, Senator Kamina Johnson, and ambassador Rocky Meade.

TT Foreign Affairs Minister Amery Browne told Newsday the TT contingent will include Dennis Moses, High Commissioner to Canada, and Lt Kerron Valere of the TT Defence Force. The team will be in Haiti for one day and will return to Port of Spain by March 1.

In response to questions posed by Newsday, Browne shared an excerpt from the Caricom Heads of Government Statement on Haiti which said: “At the 44th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) held 15th - 17th February, 2023, Heads agreed to convene a meeting with Haitian stakeholders in Haiti to “assist in the development of a plan to restore security and the rule of law.”

He said the delegates planned to hold preliminary meetings with political representatives, police, civil society, religious bodies and the private sector in Haiti on various issues including the humanitarian situation and general difficulties in Haiti, women’s issues, anti-corruption and the needs of the leadership of the national police. A courtesy call is also expected to be made on Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry.

Browne told Newsday that after the mission, a report would be sent to Caricom and the TT delegation head would report to the Prime Minister on their return to Port of Spain.