The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Haiti - Status: Republic - Area: 27,750 sq km or (10,714 sq miles). Population: roughly 12,500,000 (est).

Capital: Port-au-Prince; Language: French, French Creole.

Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Voodoo; Currency: Gourde; Organisation: UN.

Haiti occupies the western third of that Caribbean island called Hispaniola. A mountainous state, with small coastal plains and central valley it has few natural resources, is overpopulated and relies on exports of the local manufacturers, coffee and remittances from workers abroad.

Political unrest has plagued the small island state for centuries. The UN has sanctioned this Republic between 1991-1994, resulting in the economy being hit badly.

Never a dull moment in the world of politics. We have been bombarded with the news of the escalating violence occurring in the Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince, sending CARICOM scrambling to gather up the support staff to debate the shift.

But as I view it, these matters are resolvable, only that the mediators making up the CARICOM body haven’t got the testicular fortitude, the know-how to bring order to disorder? And when it has so much more in the way of munition, technological global know-how, experiences by comparison to the so-called gangs in Port au Prince, is a crying shame, how come?

Last week on my evening commute, the subject of Haiti came up again, and this old lady on the bus said, only Russia can handle the Haiti situation, give them a few days, and those people causing problems will be gone, quote end quote.

This belief that the solution at this late stage, the solution is for the Haitian people to decide? We have heard that in a General Election, that that position is true, but you know civil disobedience is in play, crime and violence on the scale that we are talking about, can only be quelled, arrested or killed by the right preponderance of a global force, boots on the ground, and intelligence exacted technologies operating in that war arena, is what it is... nothing else will do?

There is a perception that you ought to know the history of one’s country, in order to appreciate how social existence, its ideals were being defended, and sacrifices made, ultimately at that, to avoid pitfalls, but more importantly what might the requirements be, in order to arrive at an intended destination?

And I do not anticipate that the Haitian people are interested in such a history, when each day lived, was a blessing.

In conclusion, matters that were not happening in a vacuum, but years in the making, these political unrests and therefore, none can claim that they were taken by surprise?

I cannot say that the Republic of France was wrong if it had washed its hands of the situation in Haiti, and if it has, I can understand, those people are impossible-to-marshal, as civilised groups, they behave as if they have no intellect whatsoever, all they understand is violence and more violence... only Father God is able to help them, but they must renounced Voodoo, and then He told me that He would help, not before?

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau,

March 13, 2024.

NB: while the government may be inclined that the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has a role to play, in what becomes of the Republic of Haiti, the facts are that to the extent of protecting our borders, is the boundaries of our interests... already The Bahamas has done more for the Haitian people than we were obliged to. How many thousands of them have we taken in? Causing untold strains on our health systems, social existence, competing for jobs with the ordinary Bahamians, et cetera.

But you know, not only the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), is able to cope with the likes of the Republic of Haiti, how much more ought our small country, with its limited resources try?

As for the deployment into Haiti of the 150 marines from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF), I call on the powers that be, to scrap the decision to place our brave marines in harm’s way, even where they have no obligation, and a country that is nestled in a completely different geographical location (Caribbean Sea), from The Bahamas’ territory (North Atlantic Ocean) … powerful countries have been reluctant to engage, why should we?