The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said no Bahamian official at the embassy in Haiti has embraced the option to return home after the reported kidnapping of a local staff member.

He added that they are concerned about the safety of any of their diplomats, “whoever they are”, but particularly in Haiti, because of the challenges experienced in that country.

Mr Davis was asked questions surrounding the incident, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said took place around 6am September 1 in the employee’s neighbourhood.

The ministry noted in a press release that it received communication from the embassy in Port-au-Prince advising of the apparent kidnapping of a member of its locally employed staff.

The matter has been reported to the police in Haiti and is being investigated.

Asked if there are any plans to evacuate any officials, the prime minister replied: “We have indicated to any of our officials that if they wish to, to return home or withdraw – they have that option but today we have not heard of anyone who’s embraced that option.”

The ministry noted that the embassy will continue to monitor this situation along with the general security situation in the Port-au- Prince area and “advise the ministry accordingly on recommended courses of action to take.”

The Prime Minister expressed similar sentiments in regard to security.

“Certainly we, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, would have put in place, asked persons to be more vigilant about their surroundings and I think they are looking to how they could beef up their security,” he explained.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said he knows the ministry is well disposed and capable of determining when people ought to return home, but emphasised that there should be a short notice to move to repatriate Bahamians home if things get to that point where the embassy staff from The Bahamas in Haiti determined that they are unsafe.

As for any concern about the safety of diplomats in Haiti right now, Mr Davis answered: “We’re concerned about the safety of any of our diplomats, whoever they are, but particularly in Haiti, because of the challenges that they’re going through now.”

For his part, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe spoke about the updates made to security since coming into office when asked if his ministry was asked to intervene to further safeguard the facility.

“I don’t know the full details of that. I can say that since coming to office we were asked to upgrade the arms to the security detachment at that embassy and we have in fact upgraded the weapons available to the security staff at that embassy,” the minister said.