Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pictured yesterday as he attended the CARICOM meeting in The Bahamas. Photo: Austin Fernander
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
AS he addressed regional leaders at the 44th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday pledged to offer $44m in funding to aid Caribbean countries in the fight against climate change, while also unveiling his nation’s plans to help bring stability to Haiti.
He said Canada will deploy navy vessels to conduct surveillance, gather intelligence and maintain a maritime presence off the Haitian coast in the coming weeks.
In a 13-minute long speech to government heads yesterday, Mr Trudeau, who is among dozens of leaders in The Bahamas attending the three-day CARICOM meeting, also spoke on the vexing issues of gun smuggling and human trafficking. He committed his nation to providing $1.8m in support for the further strengthening of border and maritime security in the Caribbean.
He also said Canada was working to expand and simplify access for trusted travellers from CARICOM countries and others in the region.
With respect to climate change, Mr Trudeau said the environmental threat was real and promised over $40m in funding support which he said will go towards several CARICOM and regional projects geared towards building climate resilience.
“With many small island nations here today, you know better than anyone threats posed by powerful storms that are increasing in strength and frequency to the threats rising sea levels pose, climate change is here, and it is real,” he told government heads at the Baha Mar resort.
Mr Trudeau said he knew access to climate and concessional funding was one of many challenges Caribbean countries faced when responding to the effects of climate change and committed Canada to doing what it can to assist them.
“Today, I am announcing $44.8m in new funding to tackle the climate crisis in the Caribbean,” he revealed. “This funding will support projects with regional organisations like the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund that will improve marine and coastal ecosystem management, increase water security and help governments better respond to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.”
Other topics being discussed at CARICOM include food and energy security, irregular migration and assistance for Haiti. The high level talks end today.
While speaking on the crisis in Haiti, Mr Trudeau said Canada, like many other countries, was greatly concerned by the increasing turmoil there and added that the toll of human suffering in the troubled nation was something that weighed heavily on his mind.
He said while Canada has already provided support to Haiti, the country wanted to give more assistance and announced plans to deploy Canadian navy vessels to assist with surveillance there and also maintain a maritime presence off the Haitian coast.
This comes amid increased illegal migration activity from Haiti, with many leaving the crisis torn nation to seek a better way of life.
“We’ve provided direct support to bolster the Haitian National Police so that Haiti has the tools and support to solve this situation, including deploying surveillance aircraft and vital strategic security equipment and vehicles and additional delivery of emirates vehicles in the coming days,” Mr Trudeau added.
“And today, I am announcing that Canada will also deploy the Royal Canadian Navy vessels to conduct surveillance, gather intelligence and maintain a maritime presence off the Haitian coast in the coming weeks.”
He also pledged $12.3m in humanitarian assistance for Haiti and an additional $10m to support the International Office on Migration to support Haitian migrants.
As it relates to sanctions, he revealed that targeted sanctions have already been imposed on 15 people who have abused their power to support criminal activity in Haiti and said, “Today, I am announcing a sixth round of autonomous sanctions against two more individuals.”
Prime Minister Trudeau said “now is the moment” for leaders to join hands to come up with solutions to restore peace to Haiti.
“Together, with CARICOM, Canada and our international partners can help Haitians bring an end to the crisis and build a better and more hopeful future for their country,” he said.
Following his address, Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis, who is also the chairman of CARICOM, thanked Mr Trudeau for his empathy and commitment to addressing regional issues of concern and “putting your money where your mouth is”.
“We thank you for that,” Mr Davis said, “and, of course, the stabilisation of Haiti’s institutions, infrastructure and communities is integral to the security of the Caribbean region and to its future.”
Comments
IslandWarrior 1 year, 2 months ago
Following his address, Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis, who is also the chairman of CARICOM, thanked Mr Trudeau for his empathy and commitment to addressing regional issues of concern and “putting your money where your mouth is”.
Pledged $44m in funding to aid Caribbean countries in the fight against climate change $1.8m in support for the further strengthening of border and maritime security in the Caribbean. $12.3m in humanitarian assistance for Haiti $10m to support the International Office on Migration to support Haitian migrants.
$68 million in pledges; let's remember these are only pledges, a drop in the bucket for an ocean of problems.
Considering the following: “In 2022, repatriation flights cost us $1,506,077.10. Thus far, for 2023, 570 persons were repatriated to their homelands during the month of January, the majority of which were Cuba and Haiti. That is 167 Cubans, and 368 Haitian nationals. This was done at a cost of $68,768.17,” Mr Bell said.
Yet! Trudeau, announced that Canada will provide $500 million in additional military assistance for Ukraine; this commitment builds on the $500 million in military aid for Ukraine announced in Budget 2022 and will go toward military, surveillance, and communications equipment, fuel, and medical supplies.
There is nothing serious about these people; Trudeau committed over $1 billion worth of military aid to Ukraine, a political (waste) while a true-to-life battle unfolds in the Caribbean where "Pledges" are given.
truetruebahamian 1 year, 2 months ago
Different circumstances entirely. Something is better than nothing. Abortion pills should be free for all who need them everywhere, this would be in many cases a great help to so many tragic situations.
carltonr61 1 year, 2 months ago
Canada has Haiti colonized, and is their slave Master owning all of its gold while depriving Haitians of their trillions in natural resources wealth. Under Canada, Haiti is a slave state.
Sickened 1 year, 2 months ago
Hopefully Canada will have some boats patrolling the north of Haiti and that they will alert us when sloops push off towards our beautiful country.
ted4bz 1 year, 2 months ago
Hopefully Haiti say NO to WEF G7. And yes to BRICS.
Twocent 1 year, 2 months ago
UN, WEF, G7, NAFTA, EU, CARICOM, COUNCIL of FOREIGN RELATIONS, BILDERBURGERS, Etc…(BRICS ?) parts of the same Frankensteinian body being created by a nepharios faceless set of global elitists with a self-serving utopic but genocidal agenda?
Alan1 1 year, 2 months ago
The Royal Canadian Navy forces and vessels are of an excellent standard highly regarded by many other Commonwealth countries with whom they have worked in the past. Their presence will be a very positive contribution in trying to solve problems in Haiti.
ScullyUFO 1 year, 2 months ago
While I hope you are right, the Canadian navy is quite old and maintained only by the can-do spirit of the personnel, and, I'm at a loss to understand how parking an aging naval vessel in port is going to stop gun-related shenanigans a few blocks away.
K4C 1 year, 2 months ago
Trudeau is not as he appears to be, he's man who forgot how many times he was dressed in blackface, forgot how and when he grouped a female news reported, has been found guilty of many ethics volitions, and has broken many of his promises, in addition, he threw under the bus many of his females cabinet members to save face
He's a failed politician who is a narcissist and thrives in virtue signalling
TalRussell 1 year, 2 months ago
When something shouldn't be described in newspaper print like the reaction to a visiting Canadian prime minister may have 'accidentally' planted seed in the head of The Royal Colony Bahamas premiership to order his Security Minister' to execute the 'deployment of its Royal Navy fleet' to patrol the sea waters off of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Comrades, can you just make up the snuffing out of the ruthless Haitian Gangs leader "Barbecue" with the deployment the Coral Harbour's ;battle ready fleet. ---- Yes?
carltonr61 1 year, 2 months ago
Barbecue is a modern-day Toussaint Louverture. Again, the Anglo Saxons are trying to defeat Haiti, and Trudeau is throwing a repeat of history.
TalRussell 1 year, 2 months ago
But some can argue that Comrade Toussaint Louverture was no Comrade Lynden Oscar "Moses" Pindling.---- That Pindling who freed his black majority Popoulaces' ---- And he also brought along wth him the colony's minority Conchy Joe's ---- Out from out under the Bay Street Boys aka the United Bahamian party (UBP). ----- And Pindling led a nonviolent Popoulaces' against the power of lust for Mafia and Wallace Groves corrupted money, And out from under Freeport's Apartheid system, ---- Yes?
carltonr61 1 year, 2 months ago
@Tal. But Christie placed us under the yoke of China. He also created the black equivalent of the Bsy Street ruling merchant class in the form of numbers barons. They now control the economy of the Bahamas as did Bay Strret Merchants, only the UBP left Bahamians with money in the treasury while black rule has us owing 11 billion dollars and the numbers racket owning 7 billion dollars with the poor squeezing their pockets out to gamble.
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