GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Suriname President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, Wednesday called on the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to do all it can to assist Haiti overcome the political and natural disasters the French-speaking member state has suffered especially in the past few weeks.

Santokhi held talks with the newly appointed Caricom Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett, at the Caricom Secretariat emphasising that Haiti must not be left behind.

Last Saturday, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti killing more than 2,000 and leaving thousands homeless, missing and feared dead. The earthquake came just over a month after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated by armed gunmen, who invaded his private residence on July 7, shooting him at least 12 times and also injuring his wife, Martine.

At least 40 people including 12 Haitian police officers and 18 Colombians, who were allegedly part of the commando team and two Americans of Haitian descent, the head of Moise’s security detail is among those detained in connection with the plot allegedly organized by a group of Haitians with foreign ties.

The country is also preparing for presidential and legislative elections that could be held in September as President Moise had been ruling by decree for more than a year.

President Santokhi, who is on an official four-day visit to Guyana, said that Caricom must work with hemispheric and wider international partners as to ensure that democracy, democratic institutions and the rule of law is maintained in Haiti.

He expressed his country’s full support to the integration movement and to Dr Barnett who took up office on Monday.

A statement issued by the Caricom Secretariat said that the new Secretary General welcomed Santokhi to the Secretariat and described the situation in Haiti as “very painful”.

She confirmed that the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is already engaged with its counterpart in Haiti to assist in the recovery.

“She also agreed with the other priorities which President Santokhi had put forward which included the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for vaccination, the pursuit of post pandemic economic recovery and climate change,” the statement said.

It added that Dr Barnett indicated that the community recognised the importance of the upcoming United Nations climate change conference, COP26 in the United Kingdom, and was organising to ensure that it would be well prepared for the negotiations.