CARICOM Eminent Persons Group Plans Visit to Haiti Amid Political Crisis

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG) says it will schedule a visit to Haiti “as soon as possible” as it continues to follow closely the evolving political situation in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

In a two paragraph statement, the EPG comprising former St. Lucia prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony as its chairman, along with former Jamaica prime minister Bruce Golding and his Bahamas counterpart, Perry Christie, said that their monitoring of the situation in Port au Prince is being done through “ongoing virtual engagements with a wide range of Haitian stakeholders including government, political and civil society sectors.

”Fully aware of the importance of fine-tuning its perceptions through a visit to the country, while encouraging the Haitian stakeholders to resolve issues amongst themselves, the Eminent Persons Group will schedule its visit to Haiti as soon as practicable to hold in-person meetings with political and civil society stakeholders and with government officials,” the statement said.

CARICOM had established the EPG in May 2023 to broker dialogue and help Haitian stakeholders navigate the country’s severe political, security, and institutional crises.

It was formed to achieve several goals, including facilitating Haitian-led solutions by bringing together government officials, political parties, and civil society to establish a peaceful transitional framework toward free and fair elections as well as assist in developing strategies to counter gang violence, restore public order, and ensure citizen security.

Since its inception, the EPG has played a crucial intermediary role, including its efforts to help establish Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council and manage subsequent leadership transitions.

Its latest statement follows the visit of United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, earlier this week to Haiti in which he said he remains confident that the country’s transition “is moving forward.

“A dynamic is there. And my call to the international community is therefore simple. Finally, assume your responsibilities,” Guterres said, urging all stakeholders to stand together with the Haitian people for “peace, for security and for dignity”.

Guterres, who held talks with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, told a news conference that the biggest wave is not the violence of the gangs operating in the country.

“The biggest wave is indifference, that of a world that has looked elsewhere for too long. Because there is a direct link between the absence of the international community and the absence of security for the Haitian people.