KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has emphasised that any solution to the multiple crises tearing Haiti apart must be led by the Haitian people.

Holness, who was speaking Monday evening at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston after playing host to a high-level meeting that included Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, who chaired the proceedings in his capacity as the current Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) bloc, said: “We can also agree that Haitian voices must be central to any deliberations towards a resolution of the situation”.

“The Haitian people must feel and know that they are a vital part of the process, having ownership in its planning and implementation,” Holness added.

He stressed that “We, who have agreed to facilitate consensus, will do an injustice to the people of Haiti if we ourselves are unable to move forward with urgency and resolve”.

Holness lamented that despite sustained efforts and attempts made over time by Haitians, by members of Caricom and by the international community to find a solution to the political, security and humanitarian crisis, “the situation in Haiti continues to worsen on the ground, especially over the last few weeks.”

He said that following sustained attacks on individuals and institutions, it was clear that Haiti was now at a tipping point.

“Caricom and our regional partners are deeply concerned, as are our international partners here present and beyond,” Holness said.

He shared that Caricom heads have been engaged in discussions which deepened over the past week, culminating in Monday’s meeting in Kingston. He said strong and decisive action, owned by the people of Haiti, must be taken to stem the sea of lawlessness and hopelessness before it is too late, adding “We’re deeply distressed that already it is too late for too many who have lost far too much at the hands of criminal gangs.”

Holness highlighted that the fear that the situation in Haiti was worsening to become a civil war, was now a real one. He said Caricom heads have agreed that this cannot be allowed to happen in the hemisphere “with our longstanding democratic tradition and reputation as a zone of peace.”

And, Holness lamented that despite help over many years to develop its institutions, Haiti was now in need of new, cohesive, domestic resolve and the requisite support from its partners.

“The people of Haiti deserve the opportunity to experience another way of being, to determine their destiny, to secure their rights and to be free from oppressive forces within and without,” said Holness.

To this end, he said a long-term reconstruction and support plan was needed from the region and international partners. He also highlighted that the Haitian National Police was under-resourced and out-manned.

He stressed that the UN Security Council-approved multinational security support mission to Haiti is a critical and necessary first step to restoring basic law and order and providing an environment of stability to allow the distribution of assistance and the crafting of medium and long-term solutions.

Several Caricom members were represented at the high-stakes meeting which also saw France and Mexico represented. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined the meeting virtually.