OTTAWA, Canada – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday defended his government’s decision to request a power sharing arrangement in Haiti as efforts continue to find a solution to the ongoing socio-economic and political situation on the island.
Prime Ministers Dr. Keith Rowley and Justin Trudeau answer questions on the situation in Haiti (CMC Photo)Canada on Wednesday noted the “urgent need for a power sharing agreement between Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and opposition groups,” and speaking at the end of the Canada-CARICOM summit here, Trudeau reiterated the position when asked if he got Prime Minister Henry to bulge during talks
“There is no question in order for there to be a path forward on solving the security situation (and) creating a path towards new elections and ….strengthening the institutions whether it be the Haitian National Police, judicial or government institutions, the Haitian political class needs to be part of that solution.
“Right now, there is not even a consensus among the Haitian political class on whether or not someone should step in to stop people from being killed, murdered and raped in the streets of Port au Prince, Trudeau told reporters.
“We know and we have said, the international community including Canada and CARICOM are there to help. But there has to be a willingness, clearly expressed and articulated by the Haitian political class that this is the right thing.
“How they work out that consensus, how they they establish it, will be very much something that we are actively helping in building that level of consensus,” he said, recalling the CARICOM initiative of gathering all the stakeholders together to figure out a path forward.
“ But those two things need to go together. Establishing security and stability, establishing a pathway to prosperity and to a stable future need to happen at the same time and that’s what we have been pushing,” Trudeau said.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley warned of there “being a danger of accepting what exist in Haiti today that as we plan to provide help for the Haitian people that that help is not viewed as supporting the minority government arrangement.
“One has to remember that as we speak, if my memory serves me right, there isn’t a single elected member official in Haiti and as we look at the crisis and we advocate for an intervention assistance that assistance is seen coming from honest brokers and not in fact propping up what exist in perpetuity.
“That in itself poses the danger,” Rowley told reporters.
During discussions with Prime Minister Henry and CARICOM chairman, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on Wednesday, Trudeau, accompanied by his Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, expressed his concern over the ongoing humanitarian, security and political crises in Haiti.
According to a statement issued after the talks, Trudeau “reiterated the critical importance of reaching an inclusive political consensus to create the conditions for free and fair elections, and the restoration of democratic order in Haiti.
“The two leaders agreed that the best way forward in this regard is to utilize the CARICOM political dialogue to discuss an agreement on a transition process, with the aim of a next meeting of stakeholders to be held in late October,” it added. “Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Henry agreed to remain in regular contact.”
The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution for a multi-national military intervention in Haiti to be led by Kenya and involving several CARICOM countries.
