Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell disclosed this statement to The Bahama Journal on Tuesday.
Minister Mitchell said The Bahamas, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago decided last week that CARICOM should recognize Haitiﾴs interim government.
The idea was put forth by the countriesﾴ Foreign Ministers who were in attendance at a Council for Community Relations meeting in Trinidad, where the agenda for the July Heads of Government meeting was planned.
ﾓWe got an agreement to give a set of alternatives for the Heads of Governments to decide on in July,ﾒ Minister Mitchell said. ﾓAmongst them is simply to invite Haiti to resume its seat at the councils of CARICOM.ﾒ
ﾓAlready, three of us have indicated that basically as countries that is the direction we want to go,ﾒ he said.
Minister Mitchell added that Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Patrick Manning has indicated that CARICOM ought to recognize the government of Haiti.
The 15-member Caribbean Community said earlier this year that it would deal with the question of whether to recognize the interim regime at the heads meeting in July.
Prime Minister Gerard Latortue replaced Yvon Neptune, who led the government under Jean-Bertrand Aristide. ﾠMr. Aristide fled Haiti on February 29 after tensions reached a boiling point due to claims by the opposition that he rigged the 2000 elections.
The Heads of Government expressed ﾓdismay and alarmﾒ back in March over the events leading to President Aristideﾴs departure from office and the ongoing political upheaval and violence in Haiti. They had called for the immediate return to democratic rule and respect for the Constitution of Haiti.
They expressed the view that the circumstances under which the president demitted office set a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments everywhere as those circumstances promoted the unconstitutional removal of duly elected persons from office.
Minister Mitchell said when Heads of Government meet in St. Georgeﾴs, Grenada July 4 through 7, they will discuss the recommendations by Foreign Ministers regarding Haiti.
ﾓI think things are essentially moving in that direction. ﾠI just simply wonﾴt preempt it because a decision hasnﾴt actually been made, but thatﾴs the principle recommendation of the foreign ministers,ﾒ he said.
Minister Mitchell said it is essential for the regional body to conclude the matter because CARICOMﾴs relationship with Haiti needs to be normalized.
ﾓThatﾴs the only way we can actually help the people of Haiti, if we remain engaged and you have to accept who is the effective government of the country,ﾒ Minister Mitchell said.
He reiterated that The Bahamas and CARICOM must remain engaged with Haiti, no matter who is the government as there are so many bi-lateral issues concerned.
ﾓWeﾴve always had a good relationship with whoever is the government of Haiti and I expect that to continue,ﾒ Minister Mitchell said. ﾓI met the prime minister of Haiti at President Ronald Reaganﾴs funeral in Washington. ﾠWe had a long chat and I think everybody is on the same page with regards to where we ought to be.ﾒ
He added though that Haiti is consuming too much time on the agenda of CARICOM.
ﾓWe need to make a decision,ﾒ Minister Mitchell said. ﾓI think that is certainly where the Prime Minister of The Bahamas is at… he has a domestic agenda that he wants to complete and to become engaged in and the issue of CARICOMﾴs relationship towards Haiti and the status towards Haiti is simply consuming too much time. ﾠWe need to move on.ﾒ
Hadassah Hall, The Bahama Journal
