NASSAU, Bahamas — Regional leaders left Haiti on Monday with a “very clear idea” of how to assist the Haitian National Police in its efforts to curb gang violence and bring stability to the crisis-torn island nation, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said yesterday, The Nassau Guardian reported on Wednesday, March 1, in an article written by Travis Cartwright-Carroll.
Munroe, along with Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell, was part of a CARICOM delegation led by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness that visited Haiti to “search for a solution to the ongoing situation in Haiti”.
“Everyone we spoke to wasn’t interested in military intervention because that would be an assault on their sovereignty,” said Munroe, who was on the ZNS radio talk show “The Final Word” with host Ortland Bodie Jr.
“But they are serious enough to recognize that they have a problem. When 40 percent of your country is under the rule of gangs, it’s a problem.
“So, they need assistance in setting up organizations … in setting up an intelligence-based means of attacking and dealing with gangs.”
Munroe said Haitian police also need equipment.
“Their complaint was that they had paid for some armored troop carriers which is what they need to assault the gangs and only eight of 18 were delivered,” he said.
“So, they were very open with their needs and we have a very clear idea of how they can be assisted short of boots on the ground.”
The CARICOM delegation met with the interim Prime Minister of Haiti Dr. Ariel Henry, the director general of the Haitian National Police and stakeholders, including representatives from political parties, civil society and religious groups.
Munroe said the consensus was that Haitians are weary of boots on the ground.
“What they want is a peace-building effort,” he said.
See complete article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/following-visit-to-country-officials-have-very-clear-idea-on-how-to-help-haiti/
