PM Skerrit Calls for Dialogue with Haitian Gangs

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has urged direct engagement with Haitian gangs as part of the solution to restore peace and stability in that CARICOM country.

Speaking during his May 26 press conference, the Dominican leader cautioned against “Haiti fatigue.”

Haiti has faced political crisis and escalating gang violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July, 2021.

“We cannot have Haiti fatigue,” the Prime Minister stressed. “We have a duty and obligation to Haiti.”

Prime Minister Skerrit emphasized that while he does not speak on behalf of CARICOM on the matter, he shared his personal viewpoint based on a deep concern for Haiti’s future.

“I have suggested, and there are many who supported that position, but it doesn’t carry through, that we should have had a conversation with the gangs in Haiti. The gangs in Haiti are too crucial a player for you to not engage them. And if you don’t engage people, you leave them to their own devices,” he said.

The Prime Minister revealed that during his tenure as Chairman of CARICOM, he initiated talks with the Norwegian government, known for its role in facilitating peace between the Colombian government and the FARC, a group once designated as a terrorist organization.

A similar approach, he argued, could be applied to Haiti.

“I understand people do not want to engage gangs and so on, but they’re part of the society. We do not hate them; we hate their behavior and their actions. And how do we get them to curtail or to change their behavior and actions?” he queried.

“So I still believe it’s not too late. We cannot set aside anybody in terms of finding a solution for peace,” he told reporters.