Antigua and Barbuda not attending meeting in Jamaica to discuss Haiti.

Antigua and Barbuda will not participate in a meeting in Jamaica tomorrow, Monday, to discuss the situation in Haiti.

Jamaica will host a high-level meeting under the auspices of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Antigua.News has confirmed that Twin Island nation will not participate.

This is the third time that Antigua and Barbuda has recently avoided meetings relating to Haiti.

The meeting will build on earlier engagements that have been underway with Haitian stakeholders.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has emphasized the importance of welcoming his CARICOM colleagues and representatives of key international development partners who have been focused on supporting the people of Haiti through the multifaceted crises currently affecting the country.

He confirmed that the meeting, which will be chaired by the current Chair of the Conference, President Irfaan Ali of Guyana, will seek to advance discussions on support for Haiti and the way forward for Haitian governance under Haitian-led and Haitian-owned solutions, which have been facilitated under the guidance of the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG).

The EPG is made up of former prime ministers Bruce Golding of Jamaica, Perry Christie of The Bahamas, and Kenny Anthony of St Lucia.

Jamaica’s urgent and deepening concern about the daily deterioration in Haiti’s security circumstances and its implications not only for the people of Haiti but for the region as a whole has been reiterated by the Prime Minister.

He advised that the seriousness of the situation would be signaled by the participation of CARICOM heads of government from The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the eight international partner countries and the United Nations invited by the Heads of Government.

This meeting will be the latest in a series of facilitation efforts by the regional bloc to advance political dialogue and consensus in Haiti.

Jamaica’s hosting of the meeting falls within the context of its ongoing key role in CARICOM’s response to the situation in Haiti, including the Community’s contribution to and advocacy for greater international support for the United Nations Security Council-sanctioned Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti.