NASSAU, Bahamas — Acting Prime Minister of Haiti Dr. Ariel Henry has apologized to Bahamians for the crisis that has seen hundreds of undocumented migrants land in The Bahamas, The Nassau Guardian reported on Monday, February 20, in an article written by Jared Higgs.
“I’m sorry for what’s going on,” said Dr. Henry, who spoke with The Nassau Guardian on the sidelines of the 44th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Nassau on Friday.
“I apologize for that,” he said. “It’s not normal that we impose that on Bahamians. Poverty is a big issue. When people don’t have hope, they will have to find a way to free what is sinking them. The boat people are a result of the lack of hope in Haiti, the lack of jobs and the economic problems. So, we have to address the roots of those problems, not only the people who are dying in the sea, or landing here on their way to the states.
Dr. Henry added, “So, we have to stabilize the country. We have to give security, and we have to give hope. I’m saying we, I’m saying the Haitian government has to bring hope to these citizens and is one of the reasons why we are asking for security.
“We are asking for security to first of all let the people feel comfortable to live [at] home, and to give to them hope and increases in the economy. We need to have a more robust economy. As soon as the people leave Haiti, they want to come back. So, we have to build the environment for them to stay. They have to feel comfortable being at home, which is not the case for the time being.”
Henry also admitted he doesn’t feel safe in Haiti as violent gangs continue to control the country’s capital city.
“No, I’m at risk,” said Henry when asked if he felt safe in Haiti. “I’m an at-risk person first of all. The second thing is, the issue is not my security. The issue is the security of the common people. In the Port-au-Prince area, everybody is living like in a jail. When they go out, there is no life and we cannot continue like that.”
Haiti’s capital city has been gripped by violence as the country struggles through a political and economic crisis that has pushed the majority of its citizens to the brink.
See complete article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/haiti-pm-apologizes-for-migrant-crisis/
