Lors du 46e sommet des chefs d’État et de gouvernement de la CARICOM, Gaston Browne, Premier ministre d’Antigua-et-Barbuda, a lancé un appel sans équivoque à la nécessité d’une transition politique en Haïti. Browne a déclaré que le Premier ministre de facto, Ariel Henry, doit « se retirer » afin de faciliter une solution à la crise qui secoue le pays.
S’exprimant devant les journalistes en marge de la réunion régionale, Browne a souligné que la présence continue d’Ariel Henry au sein du gouvernement haïtien est perçue comme faisant partie du problème plutôt que de la solution. Il a remis en question la légitimité du Premier ministre de facto, affirmant qu’il manque de soutien et de reconnaissance nécessaires pour gouverner efficacement.
La demande de Browne intervient dans un contexte de troubles politiques et sociaux persistants en Haïti, exacerbés par l’assassinat du président Jovenel Moïse en juillet 2021. Depuis lors, le pays traverse une profonde crise politique et institutionnelle, marquée par des manifestations généralisées, une instabilité croissante et des affrontements entre différentes factions politiques.
En appelant à une transition politique, Browne rejoint un chœur croissant de voix internationales exhortant à des actions concrètes pour restaurer la stabilité et la démocratie en Haïti. Les critiques ont souligné que la présence d’un Premier ministre de facto sans mandat clair ni légitimité électorale ne fait qu’aggraver la situation déjà précaire du pays.
Bien que la décision finale concernant le leadership en Haïti appartienne au peuple haïtien, l’appel de Browne met en évidence l’importance de la solidarité régionale et de l’appui international dans la résolution des crises politiques. Il souligne également la nécessité pour les dirigeants régionaux de prendre des mesures concertées pour soutenir la stabilité et la gouvernance démocratique dans la Caraïbe.
En attendant, la question de la légitimité d’Ariel Henry et de la voie à suivre en Haïti demeure un sujet brûlant de débat tant sur le plan national qu’international. Alors que la communauté internationale continue de chercher des solutions viables, la pression sur le gouvernement haïtien pour répondre aux aspirations de son peuple et pour restaurer la confiance dans ses institutions reste intense.
Alors que le pays est plongé dans une profonde crise politique depuis l’annonce par Macky Sall du report de l’élection présidentielle, une nouvelle date de scrutin a été proposée par les participants au dialogue national.
En début de journée du mardi 27 février 2024, Jamil Vincent, ex-Directeur du Lycée Saint Joseph de l’Asile et ex-délégué département des Nippes à deux reprises, s’est éteint à l’âge de 67 ans. Le natif de la commune de l’Asile a rendu l’âme à l’hôpital Adventiste d’Haïti situé à Diquini, localité de la commune de Carrefour, a fait savoir une source proche de sa famille.
En effet, la communauté asiloise pleure le départ pour l’orient éternel de Jamil Vincent. Après s’être combattu pendant de longues années avec un diabète, la maladie a finalement eu raison de lui.
Jamil Vincent, originaire de la commune de L’Asile, était le premier directeur du lycée Saint Joseph de l’Asile entre 1992, année de la fondation de ce premier lycée de la commune jusqu’en 2004. Il a été nommé délégué départemental des Nippes en 2004 lors de la période de transition post-Aristide. En 2006, il a été reconduit au même poste par le président René Preval.
Après le départ du Président Joseph Martelly, son successeur Jocelerme Privert l’avait nommé de nouveau au poste de délégué départemental des Nippes en 2017 avant de devenir le chef de cabinet de l’ancien sénateur Francenet Denius à la 50 législature.
Jamil Vincent, Père de cinq enfants, était un homme politique qui a laissé son empreinte sur l’émergence du plus jeune département géographique d’Haïti.
Emmanuel Macron a annoncé cet accord en ouverture du dîner officiel donné à l’Elysée en marge de la visite d’Etat de l’émir du Qatar, Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, en France.
Haiti, the Caribbean Community’s most populous nation, has been grappling with concurrent humanitarian, economic and political crises but leaders across the region hope they can help bring about a lasting solution for the nation.
CARICOM leaders are in Georgetown this week as Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali, the Chairman of the 15-member bloc, hosts a biannual regular meeting.
According to President Ali, the leaders remain optimistic that “long lasting, sustainable solutions” can be achieved.
“This requires all stakeholders in Haiti, especially, to give a bit to compromise a bit and to express a collective willingness to achieve the outcomes that we are setting [for] ourselves,” Dr. Ali said as he opened CARICOM’s business meetings on Monday at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.
The day prior, at the opening ceremony for the meetings this week, he said “tough decisions” are needed to help the nation.
The challenges of the already fragile country boiled over in 2021, when its President Jovenel Moise was assassinated. Gang violence has engulfed the country and the United Nations (UN) estimates that conflict in the country killed about 5,000 people last year.
But what does helping Haiti look like?
First, there is the question of security.
CARICOM countries Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize have agreed to back a UN-force, led by Kenya to help the Haitian Police Force fight gang violence in Haiti. Further afield, international players like Canada and the United States pledged their support for the intervention too.
In Georgetown to meet with the CARICOM leaders, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas- Greenfield stressed the need for security in the country.
“….The Haitian people need security, they need an opportunity to do the normal things [like] everyday people (like) go to school, go to church,” Thomas- Greenfield said at a press conference in Georgetown.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has been managing the country since 2021. He promised to step down and the country would get a new, elected leader with free and fair elections.
Earlier this month, however, Henry said elections would take place when the security situation improves.
CARICOM leaders are, however, pressing for fresh elections. The leaders met with Prime Minister Henry on Sunday.
United Kingdom (UK) Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories David Rutley, who was part of talks with CARICOM leaders on Monday, said the leaders in Georgetown agreed that “a parallel political process” is necessary as security efforts unfold.
“We (the UK) clearly want to see a pathway to free and fair elections, that’s the collective voice in CARICOM as well.
“I think the leaders in Haiti will be under no doubt about that. There is a responsibility and accountability with them now to help find the political will to drive that forward,” Mr. Rutley told the News Room in an interview at the sidelines of the CARICOM meeting.
The U.S. Ambassador also told reporters that there were meetings with PM Henry, encouraging him to engage opposition groups on a pathway to the long-awaited elections.
Finally, CARICOM leaders are also hoping to engender long-term development and prosperity in Haiti.
The country has been saddled with debt and beset by poverty for years. Haiti, before its independence, was known as Saint-Domingue, a French colony deemed as the jewel of the West Indies. Saint-Domingue was a profitable colony, producing sugar, coffee, rum and cotton.
The enslaved Africans on the island revolted in the famous ‘Haitian Revolution’ leading to the creation of Haiti, an Independent state in the Caribbean. But Independence came at a cost for the nation of formerly enslaved Africans.
Haitians were saddled with debt – paid as reparations – to France, the country that Haiti freed itself from. Paying this debt took more than a century, taking much of the money that could have been spent to develop the island to Europe. Then, there was more debt, unhelpful interventions and natural disasters that crippled the country.
Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said planting trees – or rather, replanting trees- could help the country generate wealth and protect itself from natural disasters.
“We spoke of this today at the Heads of Government meeting about how we can resurrect this concept and raise dedicated funds for replanting the entire forest of Haiti.
“This can provide jobs for people, nursery, planting, taking care, and at the same time allow the country to be less vulnerable to natural disasters like mudslides and also provide a future source of income from harvesting some of these trees,” Jagdeo said at the sidelines of the CARICOM talks on Monday.
How exactly CARICOM hopes to support Haiti now, amid mounting calls for fresh elections and ending the gang violence, will be known on Wednesday at the end of the Georgetown talks.
President Ali, on Monday, urged the region’s citizens, including Haitians, to trust the “collective leadership” and “wisdom” of CARICOM.
Slingerz Football Club players Curtez Kellman (left) and Akel Clarke with the new team uniform, compliments of MVP Sports
In the coming days, Slingerz FC will roll out fan jerseys for males, females and children at MVP Sports, costing G$5,500 each, and Vice-President Toney indicated it would make them the first in Guyana to achieve such a feat.
Merchandise is expected to be ready for the club’s second match on Tuesday, March 5, against Fruta Conquerors at the Guyana Football Federation National Training Centre, Providence, from 19:00h.
Managing Director of MVP Sports, Ian Ramdeo, further indicated that fan gear and mechanise are “big ways” for clubs in Guyana to earn revenue.
“Many people would be pleasantly surprised to know there is a demand out there. Regardless of which sport, team or athlete, you have supporters. Even though we may think Guyana is small and not developed in that area, there are still opportunities for clubs, teams and organisations to earn additional revenue,” Ramdeo highlighted.
The inaugural champions of the Elite League made a grand return with a seven-goal triumph over Monedderlust Football Club in the opening match on Sunday.
In a bid to ensure the vulnerable groups can access their benefits with ease, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security on Tuesday launched an online application portal for pensioners and persons living with disabilities.
Through the portal, these individuals can fill out their application forms for their benefits at the comfort of their homes within three minutes.
Once on the site, there are options to apply for old age pension or permanent disability benefits.
Persons are required to enter their basic information such as name, address, date of birth and identification number.
Before the application is submitted, they would be prompted to upload a photograph of their ID card. Applications take within three to four weeks to process.
The portal includes a tracking mechanism so that individuals can check the status of their application and a communication interface to accommodate inquiries.
The initiative forms part of the ministry’s aim of digitising all of the services provided.
By embracing technology, the ministry aims to enhance the overall experience for beneficiaries, making essential services readily available and fostering a more responsive social security system.
The online application portal was launched at the Ramada Hotel at Providence, East Bank Demerara.
In her remarks, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud said the digital platform is designed to streamline access to vital services, facilitate efficient communication and ensure a more inclusive support system.
She said it will not only ensure greater accessibility but also paves the way for faster and more efficient journey towards receiving their benefits.
“This ministry has pioneer our efforts in using ICT. The process is simple and the process allows two things, an online application process where we move from just printing a form out but now to actually processing online which cuts our delivery time by more than 50 percent.
“We are taking the entire process, in the direction where I think we need to do. Where we put the needs of our vulnerable persons first,” Dr Persaud said.
According to Dr Persaud, the portal will change the way in which services offered by the ministry are accessed.
“There will be more data collection exercises, more integration of data and more ease of accessing services as we continue on this trajectory that we are on.
“We are looking at the digital architecture of our information as it relates to every service within the ministry from gender based violence responsiveness, child care protection services,” she said.
The portal will be piloted in regions 1, 7 and 4 and then move to regions 2,3,5,6 and 10.
Special features will also be introduced to cater for persons who are visually impaired and deaf.
The portal can be accessed at https://oldagepensionform.mhsss.gov.gy. Dr Persaud said a massive countrywide campaign will be launched on how the portal can be utilised.