Haiti’s president slams charity over sex scandal

Haiti’s president has condemned the “serious violation of human dignity” by Oxfam following the sex allegations against aid workers in the country.

The charity has issued an “unreserved apology” to the Government, donors, supporters and the people of Haiti over its handling of incidents including the alleged use of prostitutes by workers, in the earthquakehit country in 2011.

Haitian president Jovenel Moise said: “What happened is an extremely serious violation of human dignity. This case is all the more odious because the funds which financed these crimes were obtained from the British people in a spirit of altruism and solidarity towards the Haitian people.”

He added: “Let it be clear to all of Haiti’s international partners, if their personnel exploit or do wrong to our citizens when they are supposed to be ‘aiding’ them, we will not be inclined to tolerate it and we will not tolerate it.”

Oxfam’s leaders in Haiti are expected to be called in for crisis talks with Mr Moise’s government as it considers its response.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said she was taking the issue “very seriously” but would not rush into deciding on whether to pull Government funding from the charity.

The charity received £31.7 million from the UK Government in 2016/17, but the support has been put at risk by the scandal, which led to the resignation of its deputy chief executive Penny Lawrence.

Ms Mordaunt said: “I know people will be worried about the charity, they’ll be worried about the money, but we need to be guided by what the Charity Commission are doing and also I have made it very clear to Oxfam what we expect to see from them.

“But these decisions shouldn’t be taken hastily, but I am considering them.”

The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry amid concerns Oxfam may not have “fully and frankly disclosed material details” when it first investigated allegations of misconduct in 2011.