CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, used the opening of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in St. Kitts and Nevis to urge coordinated regional action on Haiti and Cuba, warning that instability in either country would directly affect the wider Caribbean.
Addressing regional leaders and international partners, Dr. Drew stressed that Haiti’s future is inseparable from that of the Community. “A stable Haiti is a stable Caribbean,” he said, urging sustained engagement and solidarity among Member States.
He described the Haitian people as an integral part of the Caribbean family and said the region must continue to pursue peace, democratic governance and economic opportunity for Haiti through collective effort. The Prime Minister noted that St. Kitts and Nevis has welcomed members of the Haitian community and extended social support despite limited national resources. “St. Kitts and Nevis, as small as we are, we welcome members of the Haitian community and extend all of our social services and support,” he stated, adding that “our resources, we must admit, are finite.”
Dr. Drew cautioned that insecurity in Haiti carries wider consequences for regional security, migration patterns and economic confidence, reinforcing the need for disciplined coordination and diplomatic engagement among CARICOM governments.
Regional action on Haiti and Cuba was also emphasised through concern over the humanitarian situation in Cuba. The Prime Minister warned that major disruption there would reverberate throughout the Caribbean. “A destabilised Cuba will definitely affect the whole region. A destabilised Cuba will destabilise all of us,” he said.
Drawing on personal experience from living and studying in Cuba for seven years, Dr. Drew said he remains in contact with friends who describe worsening living conditions. “Food has become terribly scarce, access to water has been challenging, houses without electricity,” he revealed.
While making clear he was not commenting on Cuba’s politics, he said the humanitarian dimension required urgent attention. “I do not get involved in their politics, but as a matter of humanity, it is challenging. It is important that the community looks at the humanitarian issue in Cuba and treats it extremely seriously.”
The CARICOM Chairman urged Member States to act collectively, both to explore avenues for humanitarian support and to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcome for the Cuban people and the region.
He framed the appeal as part of the Community’s founding philosophy of shared responsibility, stressing that sovereignty must coexist with cooperation and practical action in moments of crisis.
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