CARICOM says it is deeply disturbed by the use of derogatory and repulsive language reportedly used by US President Donald Trump in referring to Haiti, one of its member states, and other developing countries.
A statement from the Secretariat on the weekend said the grouping “condemns in the strongest terms, the unenlightened views reportedly expressed.”
“Of additional concern, is this pattern of denigrating Haiti and its citizens in what seems to be a concerted attempt to perpetuate a negative narrative of the country. We are especially saddened that such narrative emerged around the time of the anniversary of the devastating 2010 earthquake which took so many lives of citizens in that country,” the statement continued.
CARICOM said it fully supported the Haitian government’s dignified response to the statements attributed to Trump.
According to CARICOM, it should be recalled that Haiti is the second democracy in the Western Hemisphere after the US, and that Haitians “contribute significantly in many spheres to the global community and particularly to the United States of America.”
CARICOM therefore views this insult to the character of the countries named and their citizens as totally unacceptable.
