NO VINCENTIAN POLICE FOR HAITI-PM GONSALVES
The Prime Minister of St. Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves, reiterated his government’s stance on refraining from deploying Vincentian police forces to Haiti.
During his address in parliament last week, Gonsalves expressed the view that, given the prevailing circumstances in Haiti, it would be deemed imprudent for the government to deploy troops.
On July 29, the foreign minister of Kenya expressed the readiness of the African nation to assume leadership of a multinational force in Haiti, where an escalation of violence between law enforcement and criminal organizations has been observed.
The exacerbation of violence perpetrated by armed gangs in Haiti is precipitating a humanitarian crisis, resulting in the displacement of a significant number of individuals, hence the necessity for foreign troops.
“Let me just add that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has indicated that certainly, the way things are where you have agreements, the legitimacy of which in Haiti is questionable and ineffective, it would be folly for any responsible government in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to say that yes, we will send any police there to help them.”
The language barrier would be a crucial factor in a dangerous situation where persons with gang connections would adapt into the police force, according to Gonsalves.
“To begin with, you have gang members who may or may not be in the police force and have ties to the gangs. They communicate in French patois, their native accent. Because none of our cops will comprehend what they’re saying, there are several practical challenges to handle.”
In July, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made an appeal to the Security Council and prominent possible contributing nations, urging them to expedite efforts in establishing the necessary prerequisites for the deployment of a multinational force to Haiti.
The implementation of the deployment strategy originating from Kenya remains contingent upon both a mandate from the United Nations Security Council and the necessary authorizations from the Kenyan authorities.
During his address to parliament, Gonsalves emphasized the necessity for the resolution of the political situation within the CARICOM nation to be undertaken by the Haitian populace and its leadership.
