PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC)— Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders have called on Haitian President Jovenel Moise to hold presidential elections in the French-speaking Caricom country “as soon as possible” in keeping with the constitution of the country.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who chaired a virtual two-day meeting of regional leaders, said that they had received a report from President Moise on the situation in the country.

“One of the decisions we took today was to have our Ambassador, Colin Granderson (Caricom's assistant secretary-general for foreign and community relations) from whatever virtual mechanisms available to us to do a report for heads on the situation in Haiti which would allow us to compare what we were told by President (Moise)….

“We did today after we had the intervention by President Moise agree to issue a very strong statement of a call for Caricom standards to be observed in Haiti, being a Caricom country, and that the long delayed elections be held and we look forward to presidential elections being held in keeping with the constitution of Haiti.”

Rowley said that a “very clear and firm statement would be coming out” adding, “we are urging Haiti to ….hold the elections as soon as possible in keeping with the constitution of Haiti.

“Some of the difficulties have to do with the interpretation as to what the constitution says or does and I think that adjudication is where the intervention of assisting international bodies and international partners would help Haiti along the way to get to the position of having the elections held without further disturbance and instability,” Rowley said.

Earlier this month, Haitian government authorities said they foiled an attempt to overthrow President Moise, whom the opposition parties have said is remaining in office beyond his five-year mandate.