Foreign Minister says Bahamian military personnel in Haiti are free to leave the country

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – Foreign Affairs Minister for the Bahamas, Fred Mitchell, says members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and nationals in Haiti, can leave the French-speaking CARICOM country at any time without government approval should they feel unsafe.

The Bahamas is among CARICOM countries that have contributed to the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission seeking to restore law and order after criminal gangs took over a significant portion of the capital Port-au-Prince.

The Phillip Davis administration has pledged to send 150 officers to the mission.

In a voice note sent to the Tribune newspaper, Mitchell said that “no one is going to be in harm's way” and that the government is “watching the situation day to day, minute by minute”.

The newspaper reported that the voluntary withdrawal opportunity for defence force officers is uncommon, as military personnel deployed in peacekeeping or stabilisation missions usually require formal withdrawal or redeployment orders issued by the government or agency.

Earlier, the state-owned Bahamasair announced that flights to Haiti had been halted, joining several US airlines that halted operations after gunshots were fired at Spirit Airlines and American Airlines planes.

“Bahamasair has taken, I imagine, the normal precautions that any airline would take in the circumstances of what transpired in Haiti over the last few days,” Mitchell said, describing the airline's decision as sensible to “protect life and limb”.

Haiti's new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, took up office on Monday emphasising the critical need for security in the country.

“The first essential task that will determine the success of the transition is to re-establish the security of people, property and infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement throughout the country,” said Fils-Aimé, who controversially replaced the interim prime minister Garry Conille, who had been sworn into office four months ago.

Conille was not present at the Villa d'Acceuil where the Presidential Transitional Council (TPC) handed over to Fils-Aimé, the son of well-known Haitian activist Alix Fils-Aime, a copy of the order of his appointment and proceeded to install him in his position.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was taking note of the political developments in Haiti with the UN calling for an end to the escalating violence, to allow for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access.

The United Nations said over 3,600 people have been killed in Haiti since January, and more than 500,000 have been displaced.

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