SURINAME-Suriname President says it can’t be “business as usual” in Haiti.

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – President Chandrikapersad Santokhi has warned that it cannot be “business as usual” as regional leaders discuss Haiti’s ongoing social, economic, and political situation.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders met virtually on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing situation in the French-speaking CARICOM country but have not issued any statement regarding the outcome of their deliberations.

Before the deliberations, Dominica’s Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman, Roosevelt Skerrit, had said that the regional leaders “will be meeting to take stock on what has transpired thus far and to receive a report from the group led by Dr. Anthony and to determine further what other actions that CARICOM would need to take to provide support to Haiti.

Anthony heads the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG), including the former prime minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, and his former Bahamian counterpart, Perry Christie. The EPG has been holding discussions with Haitian stakeholders on the way forward.

Santokhi is quoted in the Suriname press on Wednesday as saying that the situation is highly complex and is getting more complicated by the hour.

“We helplessly witness every day as more and more gang atrocities are committed in Haiti. As CARICOM member states, we cannot continue with business as usual. We must act quickly. That is why international support is urgent and critical,” he said, calling for rapid intervention in Haiti.

The media quoted the leader of the Dutch-speaking CARICOM country, noting that indiscriminate attacks are being carried out against women, men, and children, including sexual and gender-based violence, large-scale kidnappings, extortion, and other forms of harassment.

He said these attacks have already affected food security, humanitarian aid, and access to essential services.
Santokhi noted that while the region and the international community are making efforts to help Haiti, he is urging support for the position of Kenya that it is prepared to provide troops and police officers to a multinational peacekeeping force.

Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Alfred Mutua, has said that his country’s commitment is to deploy 1,000 police officers to help train and assist Haitian police in restoring normalcy in the country and protecting strategic installations.

Two CARICOM countries – the Bahamas and Jamaica- have already said they are willing to provide personnel, and the United States has also indicated a willingness to put forward a Security Council resolution to back a deployment.

Last month, in a report circulated to the 15-member Security Council, the UN Secretary-General outlined two potential UN options: providing logistical support to a multinational force and Haiti’s police and strengthening a UN political mission already in Haiti.

Last year, Haiti’s Prime Minister, Dr. Ariel Henry, sent an urgent appeal to the UN asking for “the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity” to stop gang warfare in his country.

The Suriname Communication Service (CDS) reporting on Santokhi’s presentation to the regional leaders said that the head of state believes such gestures should be used to end the violence.

Santokhi said that while the situation is terrible in Haiti, he believes it can still be brought under control, expressing Paramaribo’s support for countries seeking to end the violence in Haiti.

According to CDS, President Santokhi says the Haitians deserve better and calls on them to unite and show political will to promote concrete action.