GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC-The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said on Tuesday that it is engaged in discussions with the various stakeholders in Haiti. The authorities have been forced to impose a curfew and state of emergency as they seek to regain control of the French-speaking CARICOM country following last weekend’s security situation, which resulted in several inmates being freed by criminal gangs.
CARICOM Chairman and Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, in a one-minute video statement on behalf of the 15-member regional grouping, said, “CARICOM has been singularly focused on the events unfolding in Haiti over the last few days.
“The expanded Bureau (of Heads) has been meeting separately with Prime Minister (Dr. Ariel) Henry, the stakeholders in Haiti, and our international partners to bring resolution to this highly complex matter where persons and livelihood are at stake.”
Ali said the “complexity requires us in these consultations to ensure that a Haitian-led and Haitian-owned solution may be achieved as soon as possible.
“We remain deeply engaged and will update you on the outcome of our deliberations as soon as practicable,” Ali said in the video statement, which made no specific reference to or condemnation of last weekend’s criminal gang activities.
Economy and Finance Minister Patrick Michel Boisvert, who is leading the government in the absence of Prime Minister Henry, said that the decree announcing the curfew and the state of emergency takes into account the attacks perpetrated on the night of March 2 by armed gangs against the two largest penitentiary centers in the country.
However, there are concerns regarding the whereabouts of Prime Minister Henry, who is reported to have left Kenya last Saturday after signing the reciprocity agreement allowing the deployment of the Support Mission to the National Police of Haiti (PNH)
Media reports in Haiti said that the Cap Haitien and Toussaint Louverture airports have become the target of the criminal gangs who want to prevent Henry and his delegation from returning to the country.
On Monday, several activists from the opposition “Pitit Dessalin” party gathered before the Cap-Haitien International Airport, urging those responsible to block Prime Minister Henry’s return.
Heavily armed gangs tried to seize control of the airport on Monday, exchanging gunfire with police and soldiers in the latest attack on crucial government sites in an explosion of violence that includes a mass escape from the country’s prisons.
The Toussaint Louverture International Airport was closed when the attack occurred, and no planes were operating, and no passengers were on site.
On Monday, a US State Department spokesman said Washington believes that
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