NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamas government has accused former prime minister Dr Hubert Minnis of engaging in “scaremongering” after he again criticized the Phillip Davis administration’s plans to members of the security forces in Haiti.
Dr Hubert Minnis and Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell (File Photo)The Bahamas is among Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that will support Kenya, which is leading a United Nations Security Council sanctioned Multinational Security Mission (MSS) to restore peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CAARICOM) country.
Minnis told Parliament on Monday that he is concerned about the risk of sending members of the Bahamas Defence Force to the country and that his concerns have grown due to “inconsistent” comments from officials and changing details.
“The initial statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 1, 2023, just said we would send 150 people to support the multinational force,” Minnis said, he said, adding that days later, the minister of national security said in a statement released to the media that if deployed the Bahamian troops would offer technical assistance and training to the Haitian National Police.
“Fast forward a year, the minister of national security told The Nassau Guardian on March 6, 2024 that the Bahamian troops would be involved with maritime security,” Minnis said, adding “this prime minister must not send Bahamian troops into the violent chaos in Haiti with no clear plan. There is no political consensus in Haiti as to the way forward.
“We risk the lives of our young men and women if we send them to Haiti in an irresponsible manner. Kenya’s pull-back gives this administration the space to reconsider its commitment of 150 security personnel,” he told legislators.
But Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell criticised Minnis over his statements, describing them as “scaremongering.
“Do you think in your wildest imaginations The Bahamas government is going to send troops from The Bahamas into a danger zone where they’re going to be in a killing field? That can’t happen. It’s impossible.
“For a former prime minister to engage in this silly scaremongering because he wants to get re-elected to office, that’s what you’re doing, it’s just offensive,” Mitchell said adding that Nassau has international and domestic obligations it must follow, and it is in the country’s best interest to know what’s happening in a neighbouring state.
“It’s our neighbourhood and just like we be looking over the fence at our neighbour next door, we’re doing the same thing except it’s a nation and it is not true to say that Haiti has collapsed.
“There’s a great deal of back and forth going on there politically. There’s fighting going on. They’re trying to settle what their politics is, but Bahamasair flies into Cap Haitien three times a week.
“There’s no problem in Cap Haitien. We moved our diplomats out of Port au Prince, not because we thought they were actually in danger, but because the Bahamian population thinks there is danger.”
Mitchell said that government does not want to get involved in a row with the Bahamian population over that, “so we withdrew them, but it’s in our interest to know what’s going on in the place.”
Mitchell noted the efforts of CARCIOM’s Eminent Persons Group (EPG), telling legislators that the group, which includes former prime minister Perry Christie spent enormous time trying to get the Haitian elites to agree on a way forward.
“We’ve got them to agree. They just sworn in the (transitional presidential CPT) council last week,” Mitchell said, telling legislators, ultimately, Haiti has to solve its problem and that The Bahamas can only offer encouragement.
