CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Grand Anse, Grenada at their Twenty-Fifth Meeting continued their consideration of the humanitarian, political, social and economic situation in Haiti following the departure of President Aristide on 29 February 2004. Central to their consideration were issues related to the representation of Haiti within the Community and the review of the modalities for engagement between the Community and the Haitian Interim Administration, for the benefit of the Haitian people.
Heads of Government remained opposed to any interruption of the democratic process and reiterated that any such development could constitute a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments. The removal of democratically elected governments by extra-constitutional means is unacceptable to the membership of the Community. They recalled that the reasons which led to the invitation in 1997 to Haiti to become a member of CARICOM are as valid today as they then were, if not more so. The paramount concerns then as now, related to the improvement of the welfare of the people of Haiti and ending the country’s historical geo-political isolation in its own region. In this connection, the Heads of Government noted the contribution of the Community and individual CARICOM Member States to disaster relief efforts in Haiti.
The Heads of Government also reiterated their firm commitment to the normative moorings of the CARICOM Charter of Civil Society that underpin the principles of democracy and good governance in the Community as objectives to which all members of the Community, including Haiti, must aspire. Heads of Government were also committed to the further strengthening of this Instrument, inter alia to provide sanctions against any breaches.
Heads of Government were determined that every effort would be made by CARICOM to help the Haitians build a functional, constitutional and representative democracy.
The Heads of Government recalled the positions adopted by the UN and the OAS and a number of countries to begin to assist in confronting the herculean task facing the Haitian people.
Determined to pursue the objective of their undertaking to do what is in the best interest of the Haitian people, and mindful that Haiti remains a member of CARICOM, the Heads of Government decided to create a channel for engagement with the Interim Administration of Haiti. To this end they decided to dispatch a five member Ministerial team to Haiti to discuss recent developments in that nation and the conditions of participation by the Interim Administration of Haiti in the Councils of the Caribbean Community. The Delegation would also discuss CARICOM’s participation in the efforts of the United Nations under Security Council Resolution 1542 which seeks to strengthen Haitian institutions and to support the development of Haitian society.
The Ministerial team will comprise the Foreign Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. The Ministerial team will report to the Bureau of the Conference, which will then make its recommendations to Heads of Government on the way forward.
Heads of Government also appointed Mr. Charles Maynard of Dominica as the Region’s Special Envoy on Haiti.
