–Haitian Government declares ‘state of emergency’ in capital

THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders are “singularly focused” on the events unfolding in a sister Caribbean state, Haiti, Guyana’s President and current Chairman of CARICOM, President, Dr Irfaan Ali has said.
International news reports, over the weekend, highlighted that violence triggered by gang leaders, has resulted in havoc through Haiti’s capital, Port-Au-Prince.

“CARICOM has been singularly focused on the events unfolding in Haiti over the last few days, the expanded bureau has been meeting separate with Prime Minister Henry, the stakeholders in Haiti and our international partners to bring resolution to this highly complex matter where persons lives and lively hoods are at stake,” the CARICOM Chair said in a live broadcast statement on Tuesday afternoon.

President Ali said CARICOM remains “deeply engaged” and will provide an update on deliberations at a later date.
He 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.”

ELECTIONS
Just last week, CARICOM leaders, in a collective decision, determined that the regional bloc will take the lead in conducting a needs assessment to support the significant advancement in hosting elections in Haiti.

Leaders recently converged in Guyana for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.
Confidential meetings were conducted with Haiti’s Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, who participated in the extended four-day summit.

“The issue of Haiti was a very difficult task…this is of such importance to the region and the region has to provide the leadership on this issue that we cannot avoid at this time,” the CARICOM Chair had said while addressing journalists at a press conference for the summit.

Haiti is expected to host elections in August 2025.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT
While addressing last Wednesday’s closing press conference, the Bahamas Prime Minister, Phillip Davis said the hosting of free and democratic elections in Haiti is “A significant step forward.”
The establishment of a needs gap assessment team, led by CARICOM and the United Nations, has been agreed upon by the leaders.

This will receive support from international partners such as Canada, the United States of America, and the Organisation of American States (OAS).
In 2018, protests began in communities throughout Haiti in response to increased fuel prices. Over time, those protests evolved into demands for the resignation of Jovenel Moïse, the then-president of Haiti.

An interim government was installed after the assassination of Moïse; however, surges of violence continued.
“Haiti is hemorrhaging …if you look at the number of deaths in the month of January, it has been noted that they are more deaths in Haiti than occurred in the war in Ukraine and Russia, that tells us the of the depth of the suffering that is occurring amongst the people in Haiti,” the Bahamian Prime Minister said, noting that most of the summit sessions were spent dealing with the Haitian crisis and finding some resolution.

According to international news reports, Haiti’s de facto government on Sunday, issued a 72-hour state of emergency and imposed nightly curfews after inmates escaped in two major prison breaks and heavy gunfire sounded across the capital.
The situation escalated over the weekend as Prime Minister Henry went to Kenya to tie up a deal for the deployment of foreign troops to restore order. According to Reuters, more 15,000 people have fled their homes.