It is with great pleasure that I find myself amongst you tonight for the official opening of this CARICOM Conference. It is my first official visit in a foreign country since my inauguration as President of the Republic of Haiti and I am extremely happy that this official trip is taking place in St Kitts and Nevis .
Allow me to thank the Government and the people of St Kitts and Nevis for the warm welcome that they have bestowed upon us. This reinforces my feeling of admiration that I have for these people particularly for the Caribbean people in general whose hospitality, one will never stop praising, as well as its aptitude for the arts in all shape and forms on these lands that have given birth to so many great writers, and poets but also to some great artists.
I am taking this opportunity to render a vibrant and particularly well deserved salute to Honorable Edwin CARRINGTON, Ex-General Secretary of CARICOM who has led, for more than twenty (20) years, the command of our Organization. The work done by him proves how much of a great personality he is in the Caribbean and we hope that he serves as a model to the actual and the future generations.
I am also taking this opportunity to greet my colleague from Columbia , Mr. Juan Manuel SANTOS and confirm once more how much we are interested in strengthening the relations between our two countries.
I also salute the presence among us of Mr. Jose Miguel INSULZA and thank him once more, for all the support to Haiti through the Organization of American States (OAS).
Mr. President, Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Rest assured that my presence here tonight is not a simple formality or a simple participation at a CARICOM Conference. I know the importance that you give to Haiti . This is a country that is closed to your hearts not just for ethno- cultural reasons but for historical reasons as well. You have given our country much attention and we are so very thankful even if between us, there can be short term incomprehension periods at times. These are things that happen in the best of families and that often serve to reinforce the ties of fraternity and comprehension. I have come before you tonight, to bring to you a message of love and fraternity from the people of Haiti . I have come as well to bring you a message of hope from the people who have voted for me and allow me to be their spokesperson tonight in the Caribbean family.
The reverend Martin Luther King had a dream for the United States of America . I have a dream as well for Haiti and its people. I have dreamt of a Haiti where after my five year term as President, the great majority of the Haitian children will learn to read and write. I have dreamt of a Haiti beyond the strong capacity of resignation, a Haiti able to start creating a better environment, less vulnerable to hurricane, earthquake and floods. I have dreamt of a Haiti where economic growth and sustainable development will allow the Haitian people to better express its surprising capacity to create, not just only trough the arts, but throughout science and technology as well. I dream of a strong Haiti , beautiful and prosperous as it was dreamt and conceived by our forefathers: TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE, JEAN JACQUES DESSALINES, HENRI CHRISTOPHE, ALEXANDRE PETION. They are the ones who inspire my mission and vision.
Some will say that the obstacles in Haiti are such that they will be difficult to overcome. But it is all about leadership, this means the ability to engage one's nationals to have a positive and constructive vision of the future. My team and I, we want to influence positively Haitian history and put once and for all an end to the vicious circle that has hindered the development of our country for three (3) decades. Our vision is that of a Haiti different than what is usually portrayed in the media. We want to change Haiti for the best and we will!
This change which is a major part of our vision and our mission, we plan on doing it with you, leaders and people of CARICOM. We would like for you to be able to accompany us throughout our mandate so that my dream and that of the Haitian people comes to a reality. During the January 12th 2010 earthquake, you have accompanied us without hesitation. Throughout all the different natural catastrophes that have shaken our country in the past, you have accompanied us in spirit and carried us in your hearts.
We have taken the habit of talking about the reconstruction of Haiti , but it is rather a country that needs to be freshly built with new norms and a new model. The work is tremendous but the challenge is all worth it. What will be the Haiti of tomorrow? I do not quite know its exact architecture but I do know that from its heart, will gush out a human capital whose growth I want to prioritize throughout policies in education which is the main focus of my political action.
But this future Haiti will not happen without the necessary economical support. The national saving rate in Haiti due to certain historical and inappropriate strategic choices is extremely low and we lack capital to build an Haiti conform to the vision of the Haitian People. This is why on the top of the tribune that is given to me tonight, I urgently call upon the businessmen of the CARICOM member states, to come invest in Haiti and help create wealth, a must to our development and our reconstruction. I am actually creating in collaboration with the private and public sector, necessary conditions so that Haiti becomes a natural destination for foreign investments.
In 2009, the total sum of direct investments was about four hundred (400) millions of dollars and most of it came from telecommunications. We are hopeful that ten (10) years from now, with the new policies that have been put into place, the total sum of the annual direct investments will reach four (4) billion and even more. We believe in investments and its capacity to contribute to build a solid and correct vision of the future of Haiti . We believe in human capacity and in education because it is through educated men, women and children with a same vision, that we will be able to build this future as dreamed by TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE and ALEXANDRE PETION.
Mr. President, Mrs. Secretary General per interim of CARICOM, Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Representatives of the CARICOM Nations
During this Conference, we will not only talk about our country and its future. We will take the opportunity to offer to you, our vision of CARICOM as we will express it throughout our foreign policy during the five (5) next years. For us, CARICOM is first and foremost a place that creates consistent and durable ties between our nations.
The idea for a federation of the Caribbean Islands begun in the 19th Century in the minds of certain Haitian writers such as ANTENOR FIRMIN who, even at that time, had encouraged the unity of the Caribbean islands not to say the “Great Caribbean Community”.
CARICOM is made up of fifteen (15) states which alone represent nearly half of the state of the western hemisphere. She is at the center of a regional organization such as the Association of the Caribbean States and without a doubt she will also be a strength on which they will have to count on within the new Community of Latin American and Caribbean states (CALC)
CARICOM has also another positive point; she represents without a doubt, a great example of a most advanced type of integration in the entire hemisphere. All these positive aspects make CARICOM a very important organization next to other integration association such as the Central American Integration System (CAIS) and the Association of American States (OAS)
Rest assured that my country will continue to bring its support to the protection of the Caribbean Sea and also to fight Climate changes. These are the type of approaches beyond economical, monetary and financial questions that will strengthen our region.
In that sense, I will not hesitate to propose to put into place a program that could be called “ Unity for a Great Caribbean Community “ In that context, CARICOM, SICA, CALC, OAS, UNITED NATIONS and ACS will work together on a common theme which will sensibilize our fundamental hopes. The true strength of the Caribbean resides in its plural and multidimensional culture. She will also be at the heart of our regional diplomatic action because we should cultivate this cultural approach that I cherish, particularly if we want that the Caribbean community becomes strong.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The strength of the Caribbean and CARICOM resides in its linguistic diversity. In that sense, I strongly recommend to the Inter Governmental Task Force of CARICOM to integrate French as one of its official languages.
CARICOM most certainly is one of the most advanced models of integration in our hemisphere. It nevertheless is the only one in the world, where English is the sole official language, when 50% of its population is French and Creole speaking. We hope that our friends and colleagues will understand our apprehension and will support this legitimate demand. I have to meet soon with the General Secretary of the International Organization of the French Speaking Nationals, Mr. Abdou DIOUF and will ask him how his organization can work positively and efficiently with the CARICOM Secretary, on this matter.
We also give much attention to the questions of Climate Change, prevention and management of natural catastrophes. Our region, more than any other, is threatened by the impacts of climate change that represent the short term danger to our maritime and earth eco system but also to the food security and habitat of our populations.
Another question that will be a main focus in Haitian political policy within CARICOM is what concerns regional and hemispheric security. We confirm our support and that of the Haitian diplomacy to all initiatives taken by CARICOM in regional security matters. These include fight against organized crime or drug trafficking. A special attention will be given to the fight against the trafficking of small arms. Concerning the fight against international terrorism, the Haitian Government will support all measures adopted by CARICOM. This means the application of Resolution 1540 of the United Nations Security Council and all other resolutions of the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) related the same subjects.
We also proposed in the prospective that we will have a role to play in what concerns regional security issues, to strengthen the capacity of the National Police of Haiti and the Haitian Coast Guards, so that Haiti can respond to the International and Regional norms in security matters. The multidimensional aspects of security will be at the heart of our action in that domain. My government supports and will continue to support all the decisions adopted by the Hemispheric community and CARICOM in order to reinforce regional security. Cooperation between IMPACS and the concerned Haitian Authorities needs to be reinforced. In that context, I will make sure that the principles and recommendations of “the Declaration of San Salvador over Citizen Security” and that of the “Lima Declaration on Security and Peace in all the Americas ” that were adopted in 2010 and 2011, by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) be applied.
Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
During our mandate, we will give the utmost importance to the Integration process of Haiti in the Caribbean single market. The former government had already started the process to harmonize the norms with those of CARICOM. We will do our best to activate this process, so that the Haitian Economy will integrate in a short term basis, the other economies of CARICOM states in the aspects Agriculture, Industry and services.
We are more than willing to offer to the CARICOM Investors a stable environment to participate in the sustainable economical and development growth of Haiti . I take the opportunity to thank CARICOM for the preferential tariff for certain Haitian products in the CARICOM market. I was informed that an exportation of Haitian products based on this tariff was made to Grenada . I want to point out that in 2009 the Haitian Parliament ratified and harmonized about 40% of the Haitian tariff to the common external tariff of CARICOM. We will work together for the 60% left.
During the special meeting of Heads in Grenada in 2010, a decision was adopted in order to create a Haitian CARICOM fund to rebuild Haiti . Some significant steps have been accomplished since then, for this fund to be available. I will give formal instructions to start back the negotiations with the Caribbean Development Bank not only concerning this fund but also concerning the actual status of Haiti within this Community Bank. I will leave my immediate collaborators to enquire more about this fund that will certainly fit my vision and plan for which I was voted for.
Another issue close to my heart is the one related to travel visas. I would hope that visa requirements for the Haitian people be abolished in all CARICOM member states. I would also like to strengthen cooperation with the University of West Indies in order to reinforce the educational capacity of Haiti .
I could not end this speech without underlining to your attention that the Republic of Haiti will be pleased to welcome the CARICOM Conference in the first semester of 2013. As you already know, Haiti should have presided the 2010 Conference but was unable to do so because of the January 12th earthquake. I really hope I can count on you, to make it, become a reality.
Thank you very much for your attention.
