By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 7, 2021 – Bahamas Prime Minister Dr. Hubert A. Minnis joined leaders of other CARICOM-member states in condemning the assassination of Jovenel Moise, the President of the Republic of Haiti.
In a statement released earlier today, Prime Minister Minnis said: “This morning, we awoke to the very sad and disturbing news of the death of Jovenel Moise, the President of the Republic of Haiti, who was killed at his residence at about 1:00 am today, Wednesday 7 July 2021.
“A statement by Prime Minister Dr. Claude Joseph released this morning confirmed the assassination of President Moise and that the President’s wife, First Lady Moise, was also seriously injured.
“The Government of The Bahamas is deeply saddened by these developments and strongly condemns the actions of the perpetrators. We offer our deepest condolences to the Government and the people of Haiti.
“The Heads of Government of CARICOM at its 42nd meeting, which concluded on 6 July 2021, discussed the ongoing situation in Haiti and offered its assistance in finding a peaceful resolution to the political crises.
“I have been in contact with the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community.”
Noting that The Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs “remains in contact with our Embassy in Haiti,” Prime Minister Minnis said: “All staff are safe. The Embassy is monitoring the situation.”
“We pray for the people of Haiti and for a peaceful resolution to the political crises,” Dr. Minnis’ statement concluded.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley also strongly condemned the assassinationof President Moise and released the following statement:
“The assassination of President Moise of Haiti is an atrocious act which Barbados vehemently condemns. Violence can never be a solution, and must be rejected in all circumstances.
“Barbados urges all to pause and work at all costs for peace. The Haitian people deserve this. It is the necessary foundation for their stability and for democracy to emerge to protect them against the many vagaries they face, man-made and otherwise.
“We pray for the swift recovery of his wife.”
Meanwhile, according to a report in NationNews of Barbados, CARICOM Chairman Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, scheduled a meeting of CARICOM leaders later on Wednesday following the assassination.
Browne told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that he was in shock at the developments, adding “that’s very very, unfortunate.”
“I am shocked to hear about the assassination of President Moise and I pray the full recovery of his wife, who is reported to be hospialised with bullet wound,” said Browne.
Browne on Tuesday had chaired the annual summit of regional leaders, at which the situation in the French-speaking CARICOM country had been discussed.
Browne had told reporters following the summit that the leaders had agreed to issue a statement on the ongoing political and economic crisis in Haiti, after receiving a report on the situation in that country from the Expert Group which had been established by CARICOM leaders in February 2021.
Among other CARICOM-member countries reacting to the assassination, Trinidad and Tobago government said it was “shocked at the tragic developments in Haiti with the assassination of the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse earlier this morning”.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the family of President Moïse and to the Government and People of Haiti, our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on this most distressing occurrence.
“Trinidad and Tobago pledges to work together with our CARICOM colleagues and other hemispheric and international partners to support Haiti at this very difficult time,” the administration headed by Dr Keith Rowley added.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that he met and spoke with Moise on several occasions and “in all my interactions with him, particularly within CARICOM, I found him to be a man committed to seeing Haiti take her place in the world”.
“This heinous act is a stain on Haiti and a sorrowful time for the region. May God be a special covering over his family and over the people of Haiti during this dark time in the nation’s history,” Holness added.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, speaking on the state-owned DBS Radio, said Haiti has been embroiled in “some security and political challenges for a long time, but most specifically over the last year or so with the postponement of elections and people demanding elections.”
He noted that CARICOM “has sought to intervene in the matter and of course we just concluded our heads of government meeting yesterday and we spent a considerable amount of time discussing the Haitian situation.”
Skerrit said that the regional leaders had spoken to the authorities in Haiti “but it is rather unfortunate that it has descended into the assassination of President Moise”.
Here’s a cross-section of world-wide raction to the reaction to the assassination of President Moise:
UNITED NATIONS
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
“The Secretary-General calls on all Haitians to preserve the constitutional order, remain united in the face of this abhorrent act and reject all violence,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “The United Nations will continue to stand with the Government and the people of Haiti.”
UNITED STATES
“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the horrific assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the attack on First Lady Martine Moïse of Haiti,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement.
“We condemn this heinous act,” he said, offering wishes for the first lady’s recovery. “The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti.”
UNITED KINGDOM
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I am shocked and saddened at the death of President Moise. Our condolences are with his family and the people of Haiti. This is an abhorrent act and I call for calm at this time.”
CANADA
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “I strongly condemn the appalling assassination of President Moïse this morning. Canada stands ready to support the people of Haiti and offer any assistance they need.”
