(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Special Representative of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government on Haiti, the Most Honourable Percival Patterson, on Wednesday, impressed upon the United Nations Security Council the need to expand the focus of the its stabilisation mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH to giving greater support to the reconstruction program of that earthquake ravaged country.

Mr Patterson who was participating in the Open Debate of the Security Council on the “Question Concerning Haiti, at UN headquarters in New York, USA placed on record CARICOM’s longstanding support to the interconnectedness of governance, security and development and in this regard acknowledged the critical role being played by the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti in maintaining stability and rule of law in Haiti.

However, he expressed the view that that this Mission must now extend beyond security and stability to embracing support for strengthening the institutions of State in order to accelerate economic, social and territorial rebuilding.

“The time has come to turn all our ‘weapons into plough shares’ and contribute to the realization of the bold strategy approved 15 months ago that will result in the economic, social, political and institutional development of Haiti,” he asserted.

Mr Patterson explained, that the Community endorsed the view that “we have reached that juncture where MINUSTAH must be guided to becoming even more actively engaged with the agencies of the United Nations in supporting and strengthening the core structures and capacities of Haiti.”

He told the Meeting that CARICOM was of the firm belief that the current MINUSTAH mandate was sufficiently wide and flexible - without requiring any change now - to allow for the coordination of its resources with those from other sections of the UN system and with those of the key development partners in assisting the Government in addressing key areas for reconstruction and development.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org