The Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the OAS advises Haitian actors to return to the spirit of 1804 to address the multidimensional crisis that Haiti has been facing for a very long time.
Expressing his sympathies to the Haitian people, Ronald Sanders firmly affirms that the solution to Haiti’s problem lies in the hands of the Haitians.
The former journalist turned diplomat urges Haiti’s leaders to start putting Haitians’ interests first. “The leaders of these organizations need to understand that the most important objective is the good of Haiti, not that they rise to positions of power, nor that their organizations become a supreme part of Haitian society,” he advised.
In the absence of a broad consensus, the political players should at least refer to the latest constitution, which paved the way for the establishment of a transitional government made up of key sectors.
“It must be a broad-based coalition, of one party, not two or three, but a broad-based coalition representing political actors, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and people dedicated to rebuilding the region,” said the highly respected Barbudan diplomat, who was once again highly critical of the traditional international community, which has never acted in Haiti’s interests. The problem will only get worse if Haitians don’t take this opportunity to come together to address the crisis without the involvement of the U.S., Canada, and France who still dictate the law when it comes to Haiti, Ambassador Sanders warned, urging Haitians to stop “flirting with members of the international community you think will benefit you.”
“Solve your problem first, present the answer and your closest allies in all of this would be the countries that have no interest in interfering in your affairs, but want to see them progress, namely your partners in the Caribbean community within CARICOM.”
Mr. Sanders made these statements in an exclusive interview with Emmanuel Paul of the Caribbean Television Network.
Negotiations are currently underway with Haitian stakeholders to establish a transitional government.
The Haitians won the greatest battle in the history of mankind, obtaining their independence at the cost of blood against Napoleon’s powerful army. This historic feat should serve as a benchmark for Haitians today, advises Antigua & Barbuda’s representative in Washington and at the Organization of American States (OAS).
“In the past, Haiti stood tall as a Haitian people before the world when you declared your independence in 1804. Despite all the external pressures you faced, you demonstrated your ability to stand up and face the situation. Return to the spirit of 1804, in which Haitians could act together for Haitians. Try to do that and you will become irresistible to the international community.”
Difficult as the situation may be, this crisis offers a unique opportunity for Haitians to solve their problem once and for all, Ambassador Sanders hopes.
During the nearly hour-long interview with CTN, the former OAS Secretary General confirmed that CARICOM and the US government had demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, currently out of the country.
“The two entities that have been talking to him are the U.S. government and the heads of government of the CARICOM Caribbean Community – not all the heads of government but several of them – and the U.S. government and the CARICOM Caribbean Community have urged Dr. Henry to understand that his resignation from the government as Prime Minister is now important – because he is no longer part of the solution to Haiti’s problems – he is part of the problem itself…,” Ambassador Sanders reported.
The diplomat revealed that a written statement has been submitted to the de facto prime minister that should “make it clear that he would resign and that the only reason he would return to Haiti would be to try to organize the kind of coalition of forces within the country that would form an acceptable transitional government based on some constitutionality based on some legality so that this transitional group could make the demands and take the steps necessary for Haiti to deal with its current problems.”
Asked about statements by White House and State Department spokesmen denying reports that the U.S. had asked the de facto prime minister to tender his resignation, the Barbadian diplomat “thinks it’s really diplomat-speak.”
Prime Minister” Ariel Henry is currently out of the country. Mr. Henry had left the country to attend the CARICOM summit. He had also traveled to Kenya to meet with President William Ruto on the deployment of the multinational security mission in Haiti. On his return to the country, the plane carrying the head of the Prime Minister’s office was refused permission to land in the Dominican Republic.
He was therefore forced to land in Puerto Rico, where, according to US media reports, he is under FBI surveillance.
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