The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AFTER the United Nations Security Council approved a year-long multi-national security mission to Haiti on Monday, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said his administration will now settle logistical issues related to sending troops abroad.

“We are not just going to send them there without having a broad understanding of the mandate,” he told reporters.

He said the government is awaiting final documents from the UN Security Council.

“Once that comes, we will then have conversations with the lead team that will be going there, that will be truly leading and the principal actors in this whole assistance to Haiti,” he said. “And then we will decide how that will look.”

The mission, led by Kenya, aims to secure critical infrastructure and transit hubs such as airports, ports, schools, hospitals and key intersections.

Haiti’s security and social conditions have deteriorated since President Jovenel Moise’s assassination in 2021.

On Monday, Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Raymond King said that while Haiti’s environment is unsafe, Bahamians will be protected.

“It’s not a safe environment given the gang activity, but the public could rest assured, if and when we decide to send persons to Haiti, the vulnerabilities and the risks will be reduced significantly,” he said. “We will make sure that our members are prepared to the highest degree. We are resourced and prepared to keep any risk of casualty to a minimum.”

The Bahamas has committed 150 officers to the multi-national mission. Mr Davis declined to discuss how the deployed officers would be chosen, leaving this to Commodore King.

Between 1994 and 1996, 141 Defence Force officers conducted security operations in Haiti as part of a United Nations peacekeeping operation.