Headlines:
| CARICOM to lead Haiti’s recovery |
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| Sunday, 07 February 2010 | |
 Roosevelt Skerrit, CARICOM Chairman & Prime Minister Bruce Golding. This was held at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on Saturday, shortly after a CARICOM mission returned from Haiti, where members of the delegation met with President René Preval, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health. CARICOM Chairman Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, said the meeting served to the update the Haitian officials on CARICOM's assistance and future plans in the country. According to Mr. Skerrit, the meeting was also an opportunity to hear from President Preval, a clear guidance of what he wants CARICOM to do on his behalf in negotiations with the international community. "Haiti is dependent on CARICOM to provide them with support and to ensure that at every stage, Haiti's sovereignty and views in respect to what Haiti wants will come to the fore because as it is now, a number of institutions and organizations who are making a pitch to lead the way in regards to Haiti's reconstruction, building the new Haiti and President Preval has reiterated his willingness and hi view that CARICOM should lead the way with regards to international advocacy, Mr. Skerrit said. He added that the situation in Haiti remains very serious although significant progress has been made. Haiti's recovery efforts to start after March 5 - CDEMA  Jeremy Collymore Executive Director of CDEMA. "We are sure that the framework and action for the longer term commitment in Haiti will be well underway," he said. "At that time the focus will be shifted from relief and emergency care to looking at some recovery interventions and longer term contributions, commitments and solutions, such as health interventions," Mr. Collymore told journalists at the press briefing. Measures of rebirth for Haiti  Roosevelt Skerrit (L) Priem Minister Bruce Golding (C) & PJ Patterson. According to former Jamaican Prime Minister, PJ Patterson, simply putting back what was there before the earthquake will not be enough. He said "renaissance, the rebirth of a new Haiti on the economic side, the social side, in terms of human development and in terms of the environment," should be developed. Mr. Patterson was also addressing journalists at press conference at the Norman Manley International Airport on Saturday. Mr. Patterson said that the presence of CARICOM has been felt in relation to health, distribution of key relief supplies and the maintenance of law and order in an effort to strengthen the nation's capacity. Commendations for JDF in Haiti He also commended members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) for the role that they have played so far in Haiti, noting that at an appropriate time; CARICOM will formally recognise their contribution. CARICOM Chairman Roosevelt Skerrit also has high praises for the JDF team heading CARICOM's emergency response team in Haiti.  JDF troops in Haiti. "They have made all of us in CARICOM extremely proud. They have gone down there and they've establish themselves and they've established the CARICOM post in Haiti and although it's a small contingent, the entire Haitian community is feeling their presence and I believe that at the appropriate time, CARICOM must recognize formally everyone there as they've created a network in many parts of the Haiti where the international community has not gotten to," Mr. Skerrit said. China could also joins in aiding Haiti And Haiti could receive much more assistance from China in its rebuilding efforts.  Prime Minister Bruce Golding (L) & Chinese President Hu Jintao. He said based on the discussions, he is confident that China will offer its assistance to Haiti as it seeks to move forward. "I raised the matter of Haiti with both Premiere Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao (and) I commiserated with them on the loss of eight Chinese nationals who were serving with the United Nations peace keeping forces. I commended them on their swift response to Haiti's need for assistance despite the fact that Haiti does not formal diplomatic ties with China (and) I left those discussions confident that in the renaissance that has to be coordinated and organised for Haiti, I'm confident that the People's Republic of China will be playing its part," Mr. Golding said. |