CARICOM Chairman Prime Minister  Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica will lead a fact-finding mission to Haiti today following the catastrophic earthquake on Tuesday.

Roosevelt Skerrit

In a statement yesterday, the first since the quake, the regional grouping – of which Haiti is a member – said it has been collaborating with the United States Office of Disaster Assistance (OFDA) based in Miami, Florida.

Further, it has accepted an offer from the Government of Australia for immediate assistance to help with the rapid response effort.

Accompanying Prime Minister Skerrit to Haiti today will be Barbados Prime Minister  David Thompson, Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding and CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington, the CARICOM Secretariat at Turkeyen said.

The Dominican Prime Minister held consultations throughout Wednesday with his colleague Heads of Government as well as with other leaders in the hemisphere.

Moreover, CARICOM is moving rapidly to mobilize emergency assistance and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is co-coordinating the regional response. Haiti, the latest CARICOM member,  joined CDEMA in September 2009.

Meantime, the regional response mechanism has identified four priority areas for assisting Haiti: emergency aid; shelter; search and rescue; and communication, the release stated.

And Search and Rescue Teams are on standby to proceed to Haiti as required and CDEMA has also been liaising with its partners, the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the Regional Security System (RSS), the CARICOM Secretariat, CAREC/PAHO and the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) with a view to putting in place immediately an assessment team in order to provide appropriate guidance for the immediate needs of the Haitian people. The assessment team will also be travelling to Haiti today.

Within CDEMA’s operational structure, Haiti falls in a sub-regional grouping for which Jamaica serves as the focal point. Jamaica will therefore serve as the staging point for the regional response.

Meanwhile, The Bahamas has offered the use of its embassy, which was not damaged during the earthquake, for the operations in Port-au-Prince.

In light of the communication difficulties, some of the staff of the CARICOM Representation Office in Haiti (CROH) have not yet been accounted for, but the office has not been damaged.

The CROH, which is funded by CIDA, was re-established in October 2007 to assist Haiti in its integration into the CARCOM Single Market and Economy. The CROH will play a very important role as the Community continues to provide support to Haiti, particularly in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Directors of Civil Aviation of CARICOM member states who were attending a meeting of the CASOS in Port-au-Prince are all safe and accounted for. Efforts are being made for their evacuation as soon as possible.

CARICOM in its release also expressed its deep  distress  and shock at the enormous loss of life and devastation wrought on its member state, Haiti and in particular the capital, Port-au-Prince, by the powerful earthquake on Tuesday.

This latest setback to the development of the country will truly test the resilience of the Haitian people, the release noted, adding that their tremendous resolve and determination will undoubtedly serve them in great stead as they move forward from this tragic event.

CARICOM has pledged its continuing solidarity with Haiti in this trying and sad time as the Community’s  prayers go out to the people and government of Haiti, the release concluded.