Caricom summit opens in St Kitts
Latortue meeting cancelled over 'freezing' statement
Stabroek News
March 26, 2004
Caricom leaders cancelled a meeting with interim Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue on Wednesday night, after he failed to clarify remarks on the "freezing of diplomatic relations" with the regional grouping.
But the Haiti issue remains high on the agenda and when the 15th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government opened yesterday in St Kitts, Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas said the regional grouping must determine and demonstrate to the world how it will address the situation.
Haiti was also the subject of a meeting of the Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) on Wednesday night. According to news reports out of Basseterre, foreign ministers were also discussing the issue with officials from the United States, the European Union and Canada and representatives of the Organisation of American States (OAS).
In an interview on Wednesday night, Douglas said Latortue's absence was a result of a refusal to withdraw a statement he made when he was installed as Prime Minister, after the removal of President Jean Bertrand Aristide.
The new Caricom Chairman leader in his welcoming remarks at the Conference only touched on the issue briefly.
"As a body, we must determine and demonstrate to the world how we will proceed to address the Haiti dilemma," he said yesterday.
"We owe it to the people of Haiti to do all that we can to ensure that they enjoy the peace, security and good governance which we have all enjoyed for so long in the community," he added.
Reports indicate that Latortue was invited to issue a statement to disclaim any official communication regarding the "freezing of diplomatic relations" with Jamaica and or Caricom. This was to clear up misunderstandings while indicating his readiness "to pursue fruitful relations with all of Caricom."
His statement was also expected to give his personal commitment to regional integration, evidenced by his long years of service to the Caribbean, besides confirming his presence at the meeting.
However, the terse statement issued by Latortue on Monday failed to meet the expectations of the regional leaders. Legal experts have advised the leaders that the interim government is not automatically entitled to participate in the Organs of the Community on behalf of the Haiti. The interim government could only do so if recognised and accredited for that purpose by the Conference of Heads of Government which meets in July.
Caricom leaders yesterday were expected to discuss not just the legality, but the policy of giving support to a government that has taken office in a way that is considered 'foreign'. They were also to investigate the constitutional legality of the new regime, as well as the electoral process and how soon it could afford the people of Haiti a legal government.
At yesterday's opening, Douglas told the regional leaders the creation of the Single Market and Economy (CSME) needs to be pursued with a new sense of urgency so that it can be realised by next year.
"We must as a region, put the necessary procedures in place to complete the process by 2005," he noted, while saying that as part of this process it is important that all states ratify the amended Treaty of Chaguaramas, to give full meaning and purpose to the CSME. Though he highlighted the issue of the movement of persons throughout the region, he pointed to the need to "fine-tune" all components which are critical to the effective working of the CSME. He added that the functioning of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is also critical, as is funding to ensure its independence, in terms of its appellate role and supportive function to the CSME.
Douglas pointed out that six member states of the grouping have sugar industries that are critical to socio-economic conditions; noting that the sugar was facing tremendous difficulties. "Perhaps in the context of this CSME, new thought can be brought to bear on this industry as well as the banana industry of the region... I believe that greater regional attention must be placed upon these industries as part of the overall development movement of the Caribbean region."
Douglas also looked at security in the region and highlighted the need to ensure that all necessary precautions were taken to protect the people of the region.
"We cannot take any of these security issues for granted; rather, we must actively develop and implement strategies and programmes to significantly reduce the risks to our region." In this vein, he noted that upcoming 2007 Cricket World Cup, which is being hosted in the Caribbean, brings home the point, especially since the region would take centre stage.
Meanwhile, Caricom Secretary-General Edwin Carrington urged the Heads of Government not to waver, as the grouping experiences what he described as "unmistakable signs of stresses and strains."
The meeting comes at a time when member states Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are locked in a heated maritime dispute, as are Guyana and Suriname. Both Barbados and Guyana have bypassed Caricom and activated dispute resolution mechanisms under the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) to settle the disputes.
"Throughout the last 31 years it has not always been easy but our commitment to higher ideals of the regional integration movement has always enabled us to overcome those moments of crises and carried us beyond whatever dark clouds threaten," Carrington said.
He added that as the community confronts the present challenges progress is also being made on several fronts. He cited the Free Trade Agreement that was recently signed with Costa Rica as one of these advances. He also noted that within a month the Community will begin trade negotiations with the Euro-pean Union for an Economic Partnership Agreement, as well as the heightened cooperation with countries of the African Union. Regionally, he alluded to the forthcoming inauguration of the CCJ
President Bharrat Jagdeo and Suriname President Ronald Venetiaan are attending the meeting in Basseterre, as well as prime ministers: Owen Arthur of Barbados; Keith Mitchell of Grenada; P.J. Patterson of Jamaica; Kenny Anthony of St Lucia; Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago; Perry Christie of the Bahamas; Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines; Premier W. Alexander Scott of Bermuda and chief ministers Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Dr John Osborne of Montserrat. Belize was to be represented by its Attorney General Beamon Courtney. However, newlyelected Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer will miss the meeting.
Spencer is said to be preoccupied with establishing his new government following Tuesday's general elections which saw his United Progressive Party (UPP) winning handsomely over the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) in a 124 defeat. Foreign Affairs Minister Harold Lovell is heading the Antigua and Barbuda delegation to the two-day meeting.
Representatives of the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States Congress were also said to be in St Kitts to discuss the Haiti crisis with Caribbean leaders.