BASSETERRE – CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, delivered a firm and compassionate call for sustained regional commitment to Haiti during his feature address at the Opening Ceremony of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), February 24th.
Addressing leaders and international partners gathered in Saint Kitts and Nevis, Prime Minister Drew made clear that Haiti’s stability is not a peripheral matter, but central to the collective future of the Caribbean. “A stable Haiti is a stable Caribbean,” the Chairman declared.
The Prime Minister underscored that the Haitian people are an integral part of the Caribbean family and emphasized that their challenges demand coordinated regional attention, sustained engagement, and principled solidarity.
Reflecting on the Federation’s own contributions, Dr. Drew noted that Saint Kitts and Nevis, despite its size and limited resources, has welcomed members of the Haitian community and extended access to social services and support. “Saint Kitts and Nevis, as small as we are, we welcome members of the Haitian community and extended all of our social services and support,” he stated, acknowledging however that “our resources, we must admit, are finite.”
While recognizing those limitations, the Chairman emphasized that regional responsibility must not be diminished by size or circumstance. He urged CARICOM Member States to continue working collaboratively to create pathways toward peace, democratic stability, and economic opportunity for Haiti. “We must continue to work as a community to ensure that the best opportunity for Haiti… peace and tranquility, stability, democracy, economic development… We must not waver.”
The Prime Minister stressed that instability in Haiti carries implications for the wider region, impacting security, migration patterns, economic confidence, and humanitarian conditions. As such, he called for disciplined coordination among Member States, strengthened diplomatic engagement, and sustained institutional support.
He framed the issue within the broader philosophy of togetherness that underpins CARICOM, emphasizing that sovereignty and national interest must coexist with collective responsibility.
As Chair, he affirmed that Haiti’s future remains a regional priority and that meaningful progress will require persistence, unity, and action grounded in the founding principles of CARICOM.