(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) “Failure was not an option”, for Haiti’s reconstruction efforts. That was the charge given to the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (IHRC) by Special Representative of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government to Haiti, former Jamaican Prime Minister, Most Honourable P.J. Patterson as it convened its first meeting in the Dominican Republic on June 2, in the margins of the World Summit for the Future of Haiti.

Co-Chaired by United Nations Envoy to Haiti, Former United States President Bill Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister, Honourable Jean-Max Bellerive, the meeting reviewed the mission, guiding principles as well as the role and functions of the Commission.

The Commission is the key mechanism put in place by the Government of Haiti and the international donor community to guide Haiti’s reconstruction process in accordance with the priorities established by the Haitian authorities in their Action Plan for the National Recovery and Development of Haiti.

Prime Minister Bellerive informed that a number of projects were ready for submission to the IHRC in the four priority areas of the Action Plan: - territorial rebuilding - economic rebuilding - social rebuilding; and - institutional rebuilding

In brief remarks, Mr. Patterson underscored the critical importance of respecting the sovereignty of Haiti. In light of the grave humanitarian situation, he underlined the significance of early implementation of the reconstruction projects, to be undertaken with the guidance of the Commission.

The meeting agreed that the implementation of the reconstruction projects was not only crucial from a humanitarian perspective, but also to ensure social and political stability as well as facilitate an enabling environment for the presidential and legislative elections due in Haiti on 28 November.

The Caribbean Community is a voting member on the IHRC, which has an 18-month mandate to oversee an estimated $5.3 billion in reconstruction projects. The Commission comprises representatives of the private sector, civil society and major donors. It will be launched formally on 7 June and will hold its first Board Meeting on 14 June in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where it is expected to approve its budget, bye-laws and the first set of reconstruction projects.

The Commission will liaise closely with the Multi-Donor Trust Fund which, under the supervision of the World Bank, will be the conduit for the funds pledged by the donor community.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org