| KINGSTON, May 26 (JIS): |
 Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, K.D Knight, has said that travel
arrangements were being finalized for the departure of former Haitian
President, Jean Bertrand Aristide from Jamaica to South Africa.Mr. Knight, who made the announcement during his Sectoral presentation in Gordon House on May 25, said Mr. Aristide, who with his family has been in the island since March, was expected to leave the island soon and the exact date of his departure would be announced later this week. He also informed that some 60 Haitians, who had indicated that they wanted to return to their homeland, would depart the island on June 1. Speaking further on the Haitian situation, Mr. Knight said Jamaica and CARICOM continued to hold the view that the circumstances under which the constitutionally elected President demitted office on February 29 was “an interruption of the democratic process and set a dangerous precedent for democratically elected governments everywhere” and required a full investigation. Minister Knight reminded the House that the CARICOM Action Plan, which was fully endorsed by the international community, provided an effective framework for the resolution of the political impasse in Haiti and for improving the security climate, binding both the Aristide Government and the legitimate opposition to specific commitments within established timeframes. The Plan, he pointed out, was predicated on the principle of shared government and was governed by the need to strengthen the democratic process and preserve the rule of law. “It was particularly disappointing that the United Nations (UN) Security Council was reluctant to act on the case I presented on February 26 on behalf of CARICOM for the urgent dispatch of a multinational force to contain the increasing violence and growing rebel activities throughout Haiti”, he said, noting that just three days later, the Council adopted Resolution 1529 authorizing the deployment of a multinational interim force to Haiti. He further reiterated that the region remained concerned about the lingering political and constitutional issues in Haiti, informing that at the request of CARICOM, a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organisation of American States (OAS) would be held today (May 26) to undertake a collective assessment of the situation in the country. The meeting is being convened under Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which provides for such an assembly “in the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime that seriously impairs the democratic order in a member state.” Meanwhile, Mr. Knight informed, CARICOM was considering the nature and scope of its participation in the UN-led Stabilization Force in Haiti. He added that the recent establishment of a Task Force, headed by a senior coordinator, to oversee the region’s contribution in respective areas, provided a good start towards the fulfillment of the region’s commitment to the Haitian people. He told the House that CARICOM remained committed to participating in the efforts of the international community for the economic, social and institutional development of Haiti and the region’s engagement with the interim administration would be addressed at the July meeting of heads of state in Grenada. “The return to constitutional and representative democracy and the holding of free, fair and well-organized elections remain key objectives of the engagement of the Caribbean Community,” the Foreign Affairs Minister stated. |
