Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis.
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the government’s objective in possibly sending defence force personnel to Haiti is to help the Haitian national police force.
He said Haitian police would do the interventions needed to reduce the gang violence and lawlessness gripping that country.
“We are there to support them,” he said. “We would assist them in training where they need it, help them in recruiting new officers, and that is the purpose. So it is the police that is being dealt with, and Kenya has committed that they will lend 1000 police officers. We said we would lend 150, but it would not be police officers. But first of all, we need a UN resolution, and the secretary general has been given a target and the mandate to within the next 30 days from the resolution that passed a week or so ago, to come up with a pathway.”
On July 14th, the UN Security Council passed a resolution giving UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 30 days to report a full range of options for improving the security situation in Haiti.
During a special briefing on Friday, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti Barbara Feinstein said officials are looking to Kenya to lead the effort to create a multi-national force.
She said: “I would like to note that we greatly appreciated that statement of support from the Bahamas with regard to their support of Kenya as a lead nation and their commitment to offer troops. We have seen similar statements from other countries in the region, either formal statements or public comments, and that includes from Trinidad and Tobago, from Jamaica, from Chile, from Canada, from the UK, the Dominican Republic, and the Organization of American States. So I think that is evidence that there is strong support for an urgent solution to Haiti’s security crisis and offers of support to that end.”
Comments
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 3 months ago
Haiti is essentially guerilla warfare. Life goes on, people go to jobs if they have them, but like every other warzone, nowhere is "safe", because noone knows where and when the next attack is coming or who is being targeted. Intelligence can help but it's not foolproof. Ask Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan. So think again, you're not sending anybody to somewhere "safe". Send them if they need to go and fully understand and prepare as best for the risks. And prepare to assist families in some meaningful way.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 3 months ago
In the irony of ironies I was speaking with someone overseas months ago about an activity I was involved in, they asked me is it "safe", my response was "nowhere in this country is safe. Crime is an equal opportunity offender, transformed by the lockdowns, its now a 24hr anywhere anytime business. We are in our own guerilla warfare
bahamianson 1 year, 3 months ago
Defense force officers will train haitian police? You mean like they train the new recruits over here? HAITI'S REPLY.... NO THANK YOU!
birdiestrachan 1 year, 3 months ago
Pray mr.Davis that none of the people you send lives are lost ,
B_I_D___ 1 year, 3 months ago
Why Birdie...you gonna turn coat and vote him out?
Sickened 1 year, 3 months ago
Train them to do what exactly? Swim? Drive a boat? Not shoot random people at a bar?
stillwaters 1 year, 3 months ago
Man....first it was no boots on the ground.....this story keeps changing. Just like the Cornish and shanty town stories.
ExposedU2C 1 year, 3 months ago
HIV/Aids, cholera, tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, Covid/RSV, etc. are just a few of the deadly diseases running rampant in Haiti today, especially in the most violent more populated areas.
Cork Screw Fwreddy Boy Mitchell and our Haitian loving PM Davis are looking forward to these serious ailments being brought home to the Bahamas people by many of the returning Defense Force officers once they have completed their very dangerous tour of duty in Haiti.
After all, Mitchell and Davis both have a well established track record of demonstrating they love their Haitian brethren much more than they could ever love the Bahamian people.
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