I WISH TO POINT OUT THAT MY PRESENCE HERE IS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE FACT THAT THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS CONSIDERS THIS AN IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS ISSUE. WE SUPPORT UNRESERVEDLY THE WORK OF THE SPECIAL MISSION AND IT IS OUR VIEW THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.

THE BAHAMAS SITS ON THE NORTHERN SEA BORDER OF THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI AND MIGRATION ISSUES HAVE BEEN THE MOST VEXING PROBLEM BETWEEN US. WE BELIEVE THAT THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FORTHRIGHT AND ACCOMMODATING IN UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF THE ISSUES AS THE BAHAMAS SEES THE PROBLEM.

WE IN THE BAHAMAS BELIEVE IN THE MULTILATERAL PROCESS. THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO COMMIT RESOURCES TO THIS PROCESS. WE WORK AT THE U.N., THE O.A.S. AND WITH OUR PARTNERS IN CARICOM. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT WITH CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS AND MAKING THE VIEWS KNOWN FIRMLY, FRIENDLY AND IN A DIRECT MANNER TO ALL SECTORS IN THE REPUBLIC OF HAITI WILL BEAR FRUIT. INSTABILITY IS NOT TO THE GOOD OF THE REGION OR THE HEMISPHERE.

I WISH TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE JULIAN HUNTE OF ST. LUCIA AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL EINAUDI FOR THE PATIENT WORK IN THIS MATTER. THEY HAVE KEPT US ALL ON TRACK.

THE STATEMENT OF MINISTER JULIAN HUNTE IS ONE WHICH THE BAHAMAS HAS HAD THE DISTINCT ADVANTAGE OF REVIEWING THE TEXT IN ADVANCE OF ITS DELIVERY AND IT IS THEREFORE ONE WHICH WE ARE HAPPY TO ADOPT.

WE HAVE IN OUR INTERVENTIONS IN HAITI POINTED OUT THAT IN OUR OWN COUNTRY WHILE WE HAVE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES, AT A CERTAIN LEVEL THERE IS A COMMONALITY OF INTERESTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES. IT IS AT THAT POINT WHERE BOTH OPPOSITION AND GOVERNMENT’S POSITIONS MUST BE SUBSUMED FOR THE GREATER GOOD. WE HAVE SOUGHT TO URGE SUCH A PROCESS IN HAITI AS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD. WE SAY THIS AS A FRIEND.

THE BAHAMAS HAS ALSO INDICATED ITS WILLINGNESS TO LEND SUPPORT FROM OUR OWN ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE AS PART OF THE 100 MAN FORCE BEING ASSEMBLED BY THE SPECIAL MISSION. THERE ARE BAHAMIANS WITH HAITIAN DESCENT IN OUR PUBLIC SERVICE, THE POLICE AND DEFENCE FORCES WHO ARE BILINGUAL AND CAN ASSIST IN LENDING THE CONSIDERABLE SECURITY EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE IN ORGANIZING ELECTIONS. I RENEW THAT COMMITMENT TODAY.

THE O.A.S. STANDS FOR THE VALUES OF THE RULE OF LAW, THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ROLE OF DISSENT, THE PLURALITY OF POLITICAL INTERESTS. THESE ARE BEST UPHELD BY FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS THAT IN THIS WORLD OF TODAY MUST NOT ONLY BE FREE AND FAIR BUT MUST BE SEEN TO BE FREE AND FAIR.

BOTH SIDES MUST BE COMMITTED TO THIS AND THERE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AT THE START OF THE PROCESS ABSOLUTE SECURITY BUT THE PROCESS OF ELECTIONEERING CAN BEGIN AS WE BUILD SIMULTANEOUSLY TRUST AND SECURITY. THIS PROCESS THEN IS ALSO ABOUT BUILDING TRUST: TRUST OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND IN THE DOMESTIC POLITICS OF HAITI, IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SPEAK FRANKLY TO ONE’S FRIENDS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE FRIENDSHIP OR PUTTING THAT FRIENDSHIP ON THE LINE.

WE SUPPORT CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES. WE CANNOT SUPPORT EXTRA CONSTITUTIONAL MEASURES.

IN SUMMARY THEN, WE SUPPORT THIS PROCESS. WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS PROCESS IS NOT MOVING FORWARD AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS IT OUGHT TO MOVE FORWARD. THE APPEARANCE IS OF RELISHING IN GRIDLOCK. THAT CANNOT BE THE WAY FORWARD. THE PEOPLE OF HAITI DEMAND MORE. A HISTORY OF 2 CENTURIES OF INDEPENDENCE DEMAND MORE STRENUOUS EFFORTS.

ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD. OUR FEET MUST BE HELD TO THE FIRE AND MOVE THIS PROCESS FORWARD.

THE BAHAMAS THANKS AMBASSADOR DAVID LEE FOR HIS PATIENT WORK AND WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PROCESS.