Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King speaks to reporters during the International Ship and Port Facility Security Seminar (ISPS) at Police Headquarters on May 21, 2024. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
ROYAL Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Raymond King said he expects “no more than five members” of the force to be sent to Haiti to help with peacekeeping efforts as part of an international team.
His comments are the latest example of how the Davis administration’s plans to help Haiti have evolved since officials committed last year to sending 150 troops to the country as part of a multinational security force. The plans have quietly changed from expecting to send troops to Haiti to hardly sending anyone at all.
Some Kenyan commanders who are leading the mission arrived in Haiti this week to begin their assessments.
Commodore King reiterated yesterday that the RBDF would help with maritime training but said this would happen at the force’s base in New Providence, not Haiti.
“There’s no training to occur in Haiti,” he said. “Such training, once approved, will be conducted in New Providence on board HMBS Coral Harbour.”
“We intend to execute maritime security operations between the borders of Haiti and Southeastern Bahamas.”
He said a small team that goes to Haiti would only assist with administrative matters.
“Our footprint will be no more probably than five members as a part of the administration or the joint taskforce organisation, and that’s primarily because the government would’ve declared formally to the UN Secretary-General that The Bahamas will support the mission and therefore, it puts an obligation on us to have some person as part of the administrative structure, but we wouldn’t be involved in any security operations in Haiti,” he said.
Last month, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis criticised the Davis administration over its “inconsistent” comments and changing details about the mission.
“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,” he said in the House of Assembly.
“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.”
Comments
Sickened 7 months ago
LOL! When Davis opens his mouth you know lone crap and ignorance is about to flow.
ExposedU2C 7 months ago
Can't help but wonder who are the unlucky 5 and what did they do to deserve being sentenced to a dangerous war zone.
Meanwhile President Ruto of Kenya, who is known by his people as the "Flying President", is being feted in Washington DC by Biden and Obama as he negotiates a generous debt relief package for the Kenyan people. The debt relief package is a quid pro quo for his willingness to be the poster boy in charge of a multi-national force of troops from Kenya and small nation in the Caribbean so that the US itself does not have to foolishly risk the lives of its own troops by putting US boots on the ground in violent gang controlled Haiti.
Kenya has been on the verge of defaulting on its national debt just as Ethiopia did five or so months ago.
Ruto is called the Flying President back in Kenya because he has ignored the poverty of his people and travelled to lavish international events of one kind or another on average three time a month since he assumed the presidency in 2022. Some Kenyans think he has spent more time outside than inside Kenya since he became president. Perhaps we should start calling Stumpy Davis our Flying Prime Minister.....just a thought! But that would make Freddy Boy Michell turn lime green with envy!!
Porcupine 7 months ago
Good comments. "lime green with envy" Love it.
hrysippus 7 months ago
That the country is sending a total of five people to Haiti would be funny if it were not so sad. Well at least Past PM Perry is still on the job so can expect rapid results and no waffling.
bahamianson 7 months ago
What? On vacation?
TalRussell 7 months ago
Let Hati's violence be seen by the colony's elites as to what happens when elites are the ones financing the gangs.---Yes?
ted4bz 7 months ago
No, don't go there. The US unilateral decisions are tearing the world apart, nothing they are doing is helping. Just look at the recent troubles they brought on Ukraine, Palestine, and Europe, And before that Yemen, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and all of Africa and Latin America. Once again, they're returning to the Caribbean. Where does it all end? Let the US deal with the problems they made by themselves.
Twocent 7 months ago
USA as a superpower is an illusion. They are a bully boy in the playground who is in debt to silent puppet masters. They are seemingly tearing the world apart because their propaganda is effective on small minds, and small minds buy the lies. Seeing Kenya being used as a scapegoat means The Bahamas has to wise up and mind its own problems without buying into the geo-political games of the UN or the USA. Take care of home first!
ExposedU2C 6 months, 4 weeks ago
Yes, but let's not foolishly forget that the most sinister and evil existential threat to The Bahamas and many other nations today is the ChiComs.
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