Haitian President skips CARICOM 31st Inter-sessional Meeting in Barbados

#Port-Au-Prince – February 19, 2020 —- Protests which erupted in Haiti on Monday were not the reason the country’s president decided to skip this year’s CARICOM Inter-Sessional Meeting, said Haiti Foreign Minister, Bocchit Edmond.

It was explained by Minister Edmond that critical meetings aimed at bringing resolve on Haiti’s ongoing political crisis took precedence for President Jovenel Moise; adding that it was not the police riots which erupted on Monday during the country’s carnival season which forced the change in plans.

Two other prime ministers also cited urgent matters at home as the reason for the cancellation of their personal participation in the meetings staged in St. Michael, Barbados. 

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness and guest speaker, Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada sent apologies and their Foreign Affairs ministers as stand ins and lead country representatives for the 31^st Inter-sessional which opened on February 18, 2020.

In Haiti, this latest round of protests frustrates government’s plans to bring some semblance of peace and stability to the CARICOM member country.  It is reportedly the third riotous outbreak since October which has resulted in 20 deaths and 15 kidnappings, according to Le Nouvelliste Diary.

The Foreign Minister said the cancellation by President Moise was decided long before the Police protest.