Caricom Chairman Tillman Thomas, Prime Minister of Grenada, has reiterated the Community’s support for Haiti, as the French speaking member state inaugurated its new President, Michel Martelly, on Saturday, May 14.
Thomas led the Caricom delegation to the inauguration, and encouraged Haiti to continue its drive to participate in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). He welcomed the fact that the first consignment of goods from Haiti had recently arrived in Grenada under a temporary non-reciprocal preferential trade arrangement with the other member states of Caricom.
Prime Minister Thomas said the Community anticipated that Haiti’s integration into the CSME and its involvement in the wider Community will become even more meaningful under President Martelly’s presidency.
In the wake of President Martelly’s pledges in his in-augural address to rebuild and create a new image for Haiti, Thomas said that Caricom will continue to advocate that the international community fulfils the pledges made towards reconstruction of the earthquake torn country. He said that Caricom will also continue to support the building of institutional capacity in Haiti, which had been severely affected by the January 12, 2010 earthquake.