Haiti and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) agreed to strengthen Haiti’s institutional capacity by harnessing the full support from the Caribbean Community, the private sector and the Diaspora. The agreement was reached in a one-day consultation with the President of Haiti, Mr Rene Preval, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and the CARICOM Special Representative, the Most Honourable P.J. Patterson.

Mr Patterson travelled to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday December 21, 2010 for the discussions.

The commitments and proposals made by both parties were formalised in an aide-mémoire over the signatures of Prime Minister Bellerive and Mr Patterson.

The consultation reviewed the implementation of the Plan for National Recovery and Development and lamented the slow progress in the implementation of the recovery as well as the flow of support resources. They expressed serious concern at the pace of the delivery of urgently needed assistance to the displaced citizens of Haiti, a significant number of whom are still deprived of basic amenities. They agreed that the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) needed to provide increased support for strengthening the institutional capacity of Haiti in accordance with the requirements of the Plan for National Recovery and Development.

During the discussions, Mr Patterson asserted that the Institutional capacity of Haiti would be buttressed by the availability of CARICOM expertise. The provision of technical support from CARICOM would expedite the removal of rubble and fast-track construction projects that accord with Haiti’s immediate needs and priorities.

The meeting agreed to accept CARICOM’s offer to provide qualified and experienced personnel to support Haiti in undertaking its priority agenda and responsibilities. This support will include technical expertise in public administration, and fiscal and fiduciary policy.

They agreed to give high priority to mobilising the financial resources to make this possible. Both parties committed to mobilising the Caribbean and Haitian Diaspora to provide some of the required technical skills and investments.

Acknowledging the urgent need for implementing the strategies as agreed, the Parties scheduled a high-level and broad-based project-planning meeting in Kingston, January 5-7, 2011. At that meeting, proposals will be developed for submission to the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC), other arrangements will be finalised to strengthen the Haitian Government’s institutional capacity through assistance from its CARICOM partners, including the private sector. Representatives of the CARICM Secretariat and the Caribbean Development Bank will participate.

Another capacity-building proposal endorsed for fast-tracking is for enhancing the education and health sectors, which has been under discussion by various groups and regarded as essential for the recovery and sustainable development of Haiti.

The meeting acknowledged the need for improved information flow and agreed to developing and implementing a public information strategy to keep the Haitian people and CARICOM citizenry more generally fully informed and to solicit their feedback.

The Aide Mémoire acknowledged the value of engaging the Haitian/ private sector in the process for recovery and economic development. The Government of Haiti promised to ensure its fullest participation in advancing the work on the development of the CARICOM /Haiti Fund to facilitate Private Sector investment in Haiti.