The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MEETING between CARICOM officials and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was set to take place last night concerning ongoing issues in Haiti as it continues to grapple with crime, political and economic problems.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell confirmed the meeting in an interview with reporters yesterday afternoon.

This comes after he revealed on Friday that The Bahamas may be called to be a part of a United Nations multinational force in response to growing social unrest in Haiti.

Haitian officials have recently requested international assistance to help restore security to the troubled state, which is also facing a humanitarian crisis.

Asked about this yesterday, the minister said: “The Bahamas doesn’t have an offensive capability, but it has been engaged in peacekeeping operations before. In 1994, the then prime minister dispatched, I believe, 141 Bahamian troops to Port au Prince to assist in the peacekeeping efforts there under the rubric of the United Nations.

“So, what we understand is happening now is that the United States is preparing a resolution. Perhaps the Canadian government is also involved because I have had discussions with them today to move the UN to see whether or not the UN is prepared to answer the requests of the de facto Haitian government for some support for their national police with boots on the ground.

“It’s not anywhere close to that now but the prudent thing for our own country to do is to have our forces give us advice on if we are asked for such an eventuality, can we participate and to what extent we can participate.

“Prime Minister Davis will be meeting with his CARICOM colleagues tonight by ZOOM to further discuss the matter and we’ll try to keep the country abreast of what’s happening as things develop.”