NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC—The Bahamas government has accused former prime minister Dr. Hubert Minnis of “scaremongering” after he again criticized the Phillip Davis administration’s plans for members of the security forces in Haiti.
The Bahamas is among the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that will support Kenya, which is leading a United Nations Security Council-sanctioned Multinational Security Mission (MSS) to restore peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CAARICOM) country.
Minnis told Parliament on Monday that he is concerned about the risk of sending members of the Bahamas Defence Force to the country and that his concerns have grown due to “inconsistent” comments from officials and changing details.
“The initial statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 1, 2023, just said we would send 150 people to support the multinational force,” Minnis said, he said, adding that days later, the minister of national security said in a statement released to the media that if deployed the Bahamian troops would offer technical assistance and training to the Haitian National Police.
“Fast forward a year, the minister of national security told The Nassau Guardian on March 6, 2024, that the Bahamian troops would be involved with maritime security,” Minnis said, adding, “This prime minister must not send Bahamian troops into the violent chaos in Haiti with no clear plan. There is no political consensus in Haiti as to the way forward.
“We risk the lives of our young men and women if we send them to Haiti irresponsibly. Kenya’s pullback gives this administration the space to reconsider its commitment of 150 security personnel,” he told legislators.
However, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell criticized Minnis for his statements, describing them as “scaremongering.
“Do you think in your wildest imaginations, The Bahamas government is going to send troops from The Bahamas into a danger zone where they’re going to be in a killing field? That can’t happen. It’s impossible.
“For a former prime minister to engage in this silly scaremongering because he wants to get re-elected to office, that’s what you’re doing; it’s just offensive,” Mitchell said, adding that Nassau has international and domestic obligations it must follow and that it is in the country’s best interest to know what’s happening in a neighboring state.
“It’s our neighborhood, and just like we look over the fence at our neighbor next door, we’re doing the same thing, except it’s a nation, and it is not true to say that Haiti has collapsed.
“There’s a great deal of political back-and-forth and fighting going on. They’re trying to settle their politics, but Bahamasair flies into Cap Haitien thrice weekly.
“There’s no problem in Cap Haitien. We moved our diplomats out of Port au Prince, not because we thought they were in danger, but because the Bahamian population thinks there is danger.”
Mitchell said that the government does not want to get involved in a row with the Bahamian population over that, “so we withdrew them, but it’s in our interest to know what’s going on in the place.”
Mitchell noted the efforts of CARCIOM’s Eminent Persons Group (EPG), telling legislators that the group, which includes former prime minister Perry Christie, spent enormous time trying to get the Haitian elites to agree on a way forward.
“We’ve got them to agree. They swore in the (transitional presidential CPT) council last week,” Mitchell said, telling legislators that Haiti ultimately has to solve its problem and that The Bahamas can only offer encouragement.
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