Manning: We’ve got to identify the facts

Caricom stands by its position that it would never support the ouster of a constitutionally elected leader, Prime Minister Patrick Manning reiterated yesterday. But he noted that Caricom still had to determine what the facts were in Haiti — what were the circumstances, which led to the demission of office by president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Then and only then, would Caricom have a response on the turn of events.  He was speaking at a news conference at Whitehall, shortly after meeting Guyana’s President for 75 minutes. Manning leaves today for Jamaica to discuss among other things what would be Caricom’s role in Haiti. All the other Caribbean leaders, with the exception of the Prime Ministers of St Vincent (who is in Japan) and Antigua (who is involved in an election campaign) were expected to attend the meeting.

But Prime Minister Manning stressed that the first thing the meeting had to do was identify the facts. Saying that the (telephone) wires were humming in the region on the Haiti situation, Manning stated: “There is a lot of talk in the public domain, but  the facts are not fully known.” Without knowing the facts, the Prime Minister said he didn’t want to anticipate anything — whether Caricom would participate in a multinational force. He said however that the Defence Force continued to be on alert for a possible deployment to Haiti. Did the Haiti crisis underscore the weakness of Caricom and the strength of the big developed countries in shaping the course of events in the region?  Manning said Caricom had to be commended very highly on its role in the Haitian situation. “We operated properly and in accordance with international principles,” he said. He added that while Caricom’s two initiatives to save Haiti were “overturned” by other events, it always recognised this to be a distinct possibility. “So be it. Caricom has nothing to be ashamed of,” he  said.

Accompanying the Prime Minister to the Caricom  meeting in Jamaica today are Foreign Minister Knowlson Gift; TT’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Dennis Francis and Director  of Caricom and Caribbean Affairs Division, Yvonne Gittens. The Heads of the region would be taking into account the UN Security Council Resolution to send a multinational interim force to help restore order and facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Haitian people.