Security Minister on the Potential Impact of Haiti’s Unrest

Security Minister on the Potential Impact of Haiti's Unrest

“What does the assassination of Haiti’s president mean for Jamaica?” That is one of the most popular questions raised since Wednesday, July 7. The Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said that given the political instability in Haiti, there is a possibility that Haitians could flee to Jamaica, in an effort to escape the crisis.

While addressing the possibility of further security implications for Jamaica, Minister Chang says the government is monitoring the situation closely. However, he says if the situation becomes anarchic, the Organization of American States (OAS) will have to intervene.

The Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Heads of Government converged in a special emergency session on Wednesday in the wake of the assassination of the president of Haiti.

They say they are shocked and saddened by the assassination of a member of the CARICOM family, Jovenel Moise, adding that they are concerned about the condition of his wife who was gravely wounded in the attack.

They have called for the perpetrators to be apprehended and brought to justice, and for law and order to prevail.

CARICOM has expressed its willingness to play a lead role in facilitating a process of national dialogue and negotiation to help the Haitian people and their institutions to craft an indigenous solution to the crisis.