Haitian gangster sanctioned by Trinidad and Tobago Parliament

In an unprecedented move, Parliament, in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution, agreed to sanction Haitian gangster Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier on Tuesday.

The sanction came moments after Parliament agreed to continue sanctions against Iran.

In moving the motion, acting Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said the sanction would bring relief to the people of Haiti.

In October 2022, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to sanction Cherizier, a former police officer.

Cherizier and his gang – G9 Families and Allies – are said to be responsible for blocking fuel terminals in an attempt to force Haiti’s acting prime minister Ariel Henry to resign.

In March, leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah delivered letters to the US, Canadian and French embassies, calling on the three countries to not meddle in Haiti’s affairs.

The three countries, Abdulah said, represented what Haitians refer to as “a core group” who selected Henry to lead the country without elections. Abdulah said then that after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, Henry began acting as president – which Abdulah said was against the constitution of that country.

“We are taking unprecedented action here today and are treating with bringing to life the Security Council sanctions, where we all agreed to take collective action for the benefit of Haiti,” Al-Rawi said.

He added that after years of Haiti suffering as a Caricom member state, the sanctions against Cherizier are welcome, as he caused "economic crisis and paralysis" of the country. The sanction will see any of his accounts in TT frozen, his travel to the country flagged and blocked, and any assets within the control of the state seized.

“Unless we do our part then we are simply failing in our obligations. It is not good enough to hail the bard’s words of 'Haiti, I’m sorry,’” Al-Rawi said, in a reference to David Rudder's song.

The acting AG said the sanction came after the Caricom heads agreed to assist Haiti as best it could as a member state in need of humanitarian aid.

The sanction was passed with no objections pursuant to the Economic Sanctions Act, which allows the President to impose the sanctions. In a statement to Parliament, President Christine Kangaloo said the sanctions obligated all UN member states to impose the sanction for a year, which Al-Rawi said would be changed to allow Parliament to return within three months.

The statement accused Cherizier of threatening the peace, stability and security of Haiti.