The President of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mr. Désiré Delano Bouterse, President of the Republic of Suriname, will lead members of the Bureau of Heads of Government during a two-day mission to Haiti on February 13-14, whose fundamental objectives are to strengthen ties between the 14 member states.

The other Bureau members are the immediate past Chairman, Dr Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, the incoming Chairman Dr Kenny Anthony, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and the Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. P.J. Patterson, will accompany the bureau as Special Representative of Heads of Government in Haiti.

Monday, the delegation will hold talks with President Michel Martelly and Tuesday it will meet with Prime Minister, Dr. Garry Conille and members of the Haitian cabinet. Members of the delegation will also meet with Haitian parliamentarians, the private sector, youth and media.

The purpose of the visit is to engage with the Government of Haiti with respect to its priorities which would assist in determining the nature of assistance required of the Community to that Member State. The visit will also serve to emphasise continued support for the country in its reconstruction and development efforts following the 2010 earthquake and explore ways for strengthening Haiti’s participation in CARICOM.

It will also be question of the adoption of French as the official language and of work in CARICOM, [as requested by the President Martelly in his first address to the 32nd Summit of Heads of State of CARICOM in July 2011], of the Haitian presidency of the Conference of Heads of State, from July 2013 and the situation of Haiti with the CSME (Single Market and Economy of the Caribbean).

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3288-haiti-politic-remarks-of-martelly-to-the-32nd-meeting-of-the-conference-of-heads-of-government-of-the-caricom.html

HL/ HaitiLibre