The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS and LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporters

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard complained that the government failed to consult the Official Opposition and the public before pledging to send 150 troops to Haiti as part of a potential multi-national force.

Mr Pintard said the FNM nonetheless does not oppose sending troops.

“The prime minister has an obligation to apprise the opposition, to consult with us in terms of his intentions,” he told reporters yesterday.

“We have demonstrated a willingness to put what is in the common interests of The Bahamas above partisan politics, and we are disappointed that it does not occur to the prime minister that he ought to speak with the opposition.

“He ought to apprise the general public of the facts that he has that the rest of us do not have that’s motivating him to make the decision.”

The Davis administration has said Defence force officers sent to Haiti would help the Haitian national police force through technical assistance.

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said the administration should debate a resolution in the House of Assembly before sending personnel abroad.

A condition for sending troops is that the United Nations Security Council establish a multi-national force. It is unclear whether unanimity exists to pass such a mandate.

For his part, Coalition of Independents Leader Lincoln Bain said 150 troops would not improve Haiti’s crisis.

“Sending 150 troops to Haiti is out of order,” he said. “We should not be sending our Bahamian troops. What we should be doing is securing our borders.

“The government says we’re doing all that we can here. They can’t control the situation here in The Bahamas. Why would you send some of our reinforcements to Haiti, where it’s wasted?

“We need those 150 on our sea. We need them at our borders. We need them to process illegal immigration. We need them home. And we should not put our Bahamians at risk for another man’s country who doesn’t seem to care about his own country.”

“The role that The Bahamas should play in Haiti is a diplomatic role with the government of Haiti to ensure that they have proper elections. Outside of that, we should not interfere, we should secure our borders to make sure that those persons are not able to flood into The Bahamas.”