The government of Canada does not intend to back down in its sanctions regimes against corrupt personalities in Haiti.
After the politicians, it is now the turn of the businessmen to fall under the sanctions of Canada.
In a note published on Monday, Canada adopted sanctions against businessmen Gilbert Bigio, Reynold Deeb, and Sheriff Abdallah.
The three powerful businessmen are accused of “financing armed gangs, money laundering, and other acts of corruption.
“Canada has reason to believe that these individuals are using their status as prominent members of the Haitian business elite to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including money laundering and other corrupt acts,” according to a statement from Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
The assets of these alleged criminals in Canada will be confiscated. They will also be prohibited from conducting economic activities in Canada, the foreign minister said.
Gilbert Bigio, Reynold Deeb and Sheif Abdallah are accused of facilitating the illegal entry of large caliber weapons into Haiti, which they distribute to armed criminals in order to cause trouble in the country. Between them, these three alleged criminals control the majority of the dungeon ports in Haiti, which often operate outside the control of the Haitian state.
Canada had already announced sanctions against former President Michel Martelly, former Prime Ministers Laurent Lamothe and Jean henry Céant, the president of the third of the Senate Joseph Lambert, Senator Rony Célestin, former Senators Hervé Fourcand and Youri Latortue, and former deputy Garry Bodeau for their involvement in the financing of armed gangs and other criminal activities in Haiti.
Last week, the United States had followed Canada in adopting sanctions against Rony Celestin and Hervé Fourcand.
Other names of influential figures in the economic sector, power, and Haitian civil society should also be made public in the coming days by Canada and the United States.
These sanctions are part of a resolution introduced at the UN by the United States over a month ago. A resolution that was unanimously adopted by the 15 members of the UN Security Council.