CARICOM Leaders say no to Haitian PM's presence in upcoming meeting

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

ST. GEORGES, Grenada: A number of CARICOM Prime Ministers have voiced their opposition to any meeting with Haiti's interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue during the upcoming 15th Inter-Session Meeting in Saint Kitts later this week.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and his counterpart from Saint Lucia Kenny Anthony, as well as Antigua and Barbuda's Lester Bird, have all indicated that they could not see themselves having any meeting with Latortue.

The Haitian Prime Minister has recently launched a verbal public attack on CARICOM. 

Dr. Ralph Gonsales has stressed "Mr. Latortue has shown tremendous insensitivity by announcing the freezing of Haiti's membership in CARICOM, traveling to Gonaives to hail known murderers and political thugs as "liberators" and now wanting to meet with regional Heads of Government to discuss the Haitian situation. I am totally opposed to any such meeting with him at this time". 

Dr. Gonsales over the weekend met with ousted President Aristide in Jamaica. 

The Haitian Prime Minister declared unilaterally the suspension of Haiti's membership in CARICOM and termed Jamaica's hosting of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide "an unfriendly act". 

Mean while CARICOM heads will address several issues, including USA-CARICOM relations, the Association of Caribbean States, the situation in Haiti, the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, sustainable growth and development of the regional agricultural sector, regional transportation and security, among several other topics. These include the establishment of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network to link tertiary institutions in the Region through digital technology.

A kick-off workshop for the Network was held in Grenada last month, at which an Interim Governance Committee was established and Mr. Sylvester was appointed Project Coordinator.

Grenada's Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell is responsible for Science and Technology in CARICOM, and has been a strong advocate of the Network, recognising the enormous potential for human resource development and the advancement of Regional Integration.

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