AIRPORT ARRIVAL FROM CARICOM HEADS
MEETING IN ST. KITTS

27TH MARCH 2004

I am pleased to be back in The Bahamas after a challenging but fruitful meeting in St. Kitts with other Heads of Government and State of the Caribbean.  We discussed a range of issues including the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, Crime and Security, Agriculture, HIV/AIDS, The Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network, International Ship and Port Security, Governance and of course Haiti.  A copy of the full communiqué is being circulated to you.

With regard to Haiti, I believe that we have set the framework for the continued engagement with Haiti within the community.  Heads of Government reaffirmed that Haiti remains a member of the Caribbean community and indeed a welcome partner in the integration movement. I wish also to announce the return of our Ambassador to Port au Prince and the reopening of the embassy on Monday 29th March for diplomatic and consular services.  In that sense The Bahamas has accomplished its major objective.  You will know that it has been my view at successive meetings since I became Prime Minister that The Bahamas has to continue to engage with Haiti as a matter of national interest.  What we accomplished in St. Kitts is consistent with that policy of my Government.

You will see from the communiqué and special statement issued at St. Kitts early this morning that Heads of Government hope that by the time of the next regular meeting of Heads of Government in Grenada from 3rd July to 6th July that it will be possible to have discussions with the interim Prime Minister of Haiti on the way forward in the Caricom relationship. The Bahamas argued for this, and I believe that this is the right thing to do.

Before the meeting, one of the requests made by Caricom heads of the interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue was to clarify before the meeting in St. Kitts certain statements attributed to him, which appeared to indicate that he had suspended relations with Jamaica, and was considering putting to sleep relations with Caricom. Prior to the meeting in St. Kitts efforts were made by the Caricom Secretary General to have Mr. Latortue clarify his position.  A letter did come from Mr. Latortue explaining his position but it came too late for the deliberations of the meeting in St. Kitts.  It is against that background therefore that we expect that the matter will be considered, and hopefully resolved, at the next Heads of Government meeting.

The process of engaging with Haiti will not wait until July.  It begins immediately. This is an extremely important issue for The Bahamas because unlike any other Caricom country we are impacted by Haiti.  We have made our Caricom colleagues manifestly aware of that point including the fact that our Embassy will reopen.  We went to St. Kitts with our position clearly established and we made that abundantly clear. The Bahamas is impacted by the Haitian issue. We must remain engaged with Haiti.

Caricom itself is taking steps to implement the process of engaging with Haiti in line with the commitment made on 3rd March in Kingston, Jamaica.  This includes humanitarian assistance, training for the public service and assistance for the preparation of elections.

In pursuance of this, you will see from the special statement, a special envoy is to be appointed, and The Bahamas is a part of a special task force of Prime Ministers who will monitor the situation in Haiti and find ways to engage at a practical level with the interim administration there.  The reopening of our Embassy in Port au Prince is consistent with the decision to continue to engage.

A considerable effort has been made by The Bahamas and Caricom to engage in ways that can best help the Haitian people, helping to bring peace and stability to that troubled land.  By ensuring that there is a stable Haiti, we help to ensure a stable Bahamas.

Thank you very much indeed.