CARICOM Hails Possible ‘New Beginning’ For Haiti

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has welcomed the possibility of a fresh start for Haiti, which has created a transitional council to select new political leadership and organize elections. The formation of the Presidential Transitional Council was announced in a decree published in the official gazette on Friday. The announcement came a month after Prime Minister Ariel Henry stated that he would resign amidst a surge of attacks by armed gangs in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Since February, well-armed gangs have coordinated attacks on several targets, including police stations, prisons, airports, and seaports. CARICOM Heads of Government released a statement on Friday, praising the decree establishing the Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti. “The establishment of the nine-member broad-based, politically inclusive Council signals the possibility of a new beginning for Haiti,” the statement read. The CARICOM leaders acknowledged that one of the newly installed Presidential Council’s primary objectives would be to urgently address Haiti’s security situation, which is currently a significant challenge. Despite the substantial difficulties ahead, the leaders stated that CARICOM is prepared to continue supporting the Haitian people and their leaders as they determine their future in a sovereign manner during this transitional period towards stability, security, and long-term...