THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has condemned an armed attack on the Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and his delegation at Gonaives, on Saturday.

According to a statement from CARICOM, the incident occurred at Gonaives Cathedral, during a traditional ceremony to commemorate the 218th anniversary of Haiti’s independence. The activities were disrupted by volleys of automatic weapons in the surroundings of the church.

As a result, the Prime Minister was unable to deliver his public speech at the nearby Place des Armes Square, which normally follows the church service as part of the ceremony.
The reported death of a citizen during the incident, heightens CARICOM’s concern with the continued deterioration of the security situation in the country.

Haiti is still reeling from the effects of the assassination of the country’s President, Jovenel Moise, in July, 2021.
It is for this reason that CARICOM urged Haitian authorities to address this prevailing untenable security situation with urgency in order to restore a sense of safety and security to the country.