Haiti violence draws CARICOM concern

WITH POLITICAL unrest and gang violence continuing to rock Haiti, incoming CARICOM Chairman Gaston Browne has called on member states to redouble their efforts in trying to restore normality to the troubled country.

While acknowledging that CARICOM had made overtures to help resolve the seemingly intractable political issues plaguing the country, Browne said that increased violence has resulted in the loss of life and the displacement of thousands fleeing their homes.

“This is an untenable situation in one of our member states,” the new CARICOM chair told his fellow heads of government on Monday.

He indicated that CARICOM had intervened in political crises in Haiti before and should not retreat from doing so now.

Browne, who is also the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said he was alarmed at recent reports of escalating violence in Haiti.

Reuters reported about a week ago that the United States condemned what it described as a systematic violation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and attacks on the press in Haiti as it urged the government to counter a proliferation of gangs and violence.

In recent times gang violence has worsened an unfolding humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, Browne, in his address to his CARICOM counterparts on Monday, declared that the time had come for those countries “irresponsible enough” to continue their damaging emissions and practices to be held accountable.

“It is my view that major progress on the climate crisis will only be made when the major polluters are made legally liable for the damage that they cause,” he said.

“This is a call for climate reparations that CARICOM must take up urgently and engage in vigorous diplomatic outreach to build international consensus on this issue.”