The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Chairman Dr the Hon. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia undertakes a Goodwill Mission to Haiti 7-9 December 1998. He will be accompanied by Secretary-General Mr. Edwin Carrington.
The Chairman’s Goodwill Mission to Haiti comes as a result of a decision by the Bureau of Heads of Government at its meeting in Grenada on 21 October 1998. The Mission is at a time when preparations for Haiti’s accession to the Community are well under way with the second of the Joint Meetings of the Technical Working Group established by the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM to review the terms and conditions of Haiti’s membership of the Community having been completed in Georgetown, Guyana on 24 November 1998.
Haiti’s application for membership was accepted by the Heads of Government at their XVIII Regular Meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica in July 1997 subject to the terms and conditions of Article 29 (2) of the Treaty of Chaguaramas which established CARICOM.
Secretary-General Carrington said the object of the Chairman’s visit was to convey the continuing support of the leadership of CARICOM for Haiti’s entry into the Community and “to give whatever stimulus he could to the accession process now being negotiated..”
While in Haiti, Dr. Anthony and Mr. Carrington will meet on Tuesday with His Excellency President Rene Preval and other senior Haitian officials including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Fritz Longchamp, Minister of Economy and Finance, Mr. Fred Joseph and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Fresnel Germain.
Meetings have also been arranged with groups in civil society for Tuesday afternoon.
The Chairman leaves Haiti on Wednesday morning.
