Bahamas News

Gangs Intercepting food to the hungry in Haiti

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By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

 

 

#Haiti, March 2, 2023 – There might be a sharp increase in the number of people facing hunger in Haiti soon as the outgoing Chairman of CARICOM, Phillip Davis, has confirmed that the food and humanitarian support being sent to the country is being intercepted and stopped by gang leaders who continue to terrorise communities.

“The challenge has been that any aid that’s been sent to Haiti or any aid to be given to Haiti is being hijacked by the gangs because we are advised that the gangs control the points entry to be able to get food and other supplies and medicine to the population,” Davis said to a question posed by Magnetic Media during the closing press conference.

CARICOM leaders on Friday February 17 concluded the 44th Regular Meeting of Caribbean Heads of Government, held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Last October, the World Health Organization reported that 4.7 million people in Haiti were facing acute hunger, including 1.8 million in the Emergency phase and 19,000 in the Catastrophe phase.

There have also been reports of mass incidents of murder, gang rapes and sniper attacks in Cite Soleil, Haiti’s biggest slum, located in Port-au-Prince.

A report published by United Nations Integrated Office revealed that at least 263 people were killed and at least 57 women and girls were raped in just one neighbourhood within Cite Soleil from July 8 to December 31 last year.

As far as when CARICOM leaders will meet to discuss a way forward and bring some level of calm and stability for the average citizen who has nothing to do with all the upheaval in the country, Mr. Davis said the regional body would meet soon as there is an urgency to the matter.

The Caribbean will be leaning on the strength of Canada, which has pledged to provide support to the Haitian National Police and the people of Haiti in an effort to restore order to Haiti and try to find a permanent fix to the problem that the country has been facing for years. As for what the US has promised, Mr. Davis noted that:

“They [the US] have committed themselves to support the efforts that we have, and at the moment we are now crafting a plan, we’ll indicate to them what that plan is, and we’ll look to them for support that they have promised and committed to.”

So far, though, Canada is the only large nation that has outlined and stated its plans where Haiti is concerned; as for the US, no plans have been disclosed as yet.

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