Eminent Persons Group to Hold Second Round of Discussions In Haiti

The Eminent Persons Group appointed by CARICOM is scheduled to arrive in Haiti on Wednesday (July 12) for another round of stakeholder consultations.

The meetings will take place over the next three days.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, made the disclosure while addressing today’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

The Eminent Persons Group comprises former Prime Ministers, Bruce Golding of Jamaica, Perry Christie of The Bahamas, and Dr. Kenny Anthony of St. Lucia.

Among other things, the group aims to facilitate dialogue among key Haitian stakeholders towards restoring political stability and improving governance in the country.

The meetings in Haiti follow the first round of stakeholder consultations in Jamaica and discussions during the 45th regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, which was held from July 3 to 5 in Trinidad and Tobago under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit.

Senator Johnson Smith said the Heads of Government Meeting provided greater cohesion and clarity on the way forward in the efforts to return to peace and stability in Haiti.

“The meeting in Port of Spain was able to harness that goodwill and to acknowledge the need, for example, for the immediate creation of a humanitarian and a security stabilisation corridor under the mandate of a United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution.

So, Heads approved Prime Minister Holness making a presentation to the United Nations Security Council, which he did last week Wednesday,” Mrs. Johnson Smith said, noting that the Prime Minister’s presentation was well received.

She informed that the Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry, has confirmed that he will not run for election.

Meanwhile, Senator Johnson Smith disclosed that representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness have completed their health examinations on the 37 Haitian nationals who arrived in the island by boat earlier this week.

She noted that they are all in good health.

“We have not taken any fixed policy position in respect of Haitian arrivals in Jamaica at this point in time. We are creatures of international law and we are always guided by that in terms of the rules of asylum and refugee status.

“There has been no claim made in either category by the persons who have arrived and, therefore, they are being treated as illegal entrants because this is the capacity within which they have arrived,” the Minister said, noting that the matter will be discussed further.