Mr. Speaker,
I wish to inform the House of events in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Saturday 17 April, 2004, as we now know them, that have led to the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel from Haiti.

At about 1:35 pm Eastern Standard Time, Françoise Newry, spouse of the Bahamas Ambassador to the Republic of Haiti, was shopping in an open-air market in the Salines area of Port-au-Prince. Mrs. Newry was travelling in the official vehicle.  She was followed in another vehicle by Bahamian security aide Sergeant 106 Mitchelet Meronard of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.  Mrs. Newry was approached by  armed young men demanding money.

Sergeant Meronard intervened and in the ensuing events Mrs. Newry sustained a gunshot wound to the right buttock, and Sergeant Meronard was struck by a bullet in the left calf.  Both wounds were flesh wounds.

In an attempt to distract the assailants during the course of the incident, Sergeant Meronard threw his pouch, containing several hundred dollars in U.S. currency, his service revolver and his personal travel documents, out of the vehicle.  The thieves took the pouch and fled the scene.

Both Mrs. Newry and Sgt. Meronard received primary medical attention at the Canapé Vert Hospital in Port-au-Prince. Mrs. Newry opted for the bullet detected by x-ray to be removed in Nassau on Monday.  This was done on Monday 19th April by a team at the Princess Margaret Hospital headed by Dr. Locksley Munroe.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in Nassau learned of the incident later that afternoon. The Prime Minister was informed shortly after the news was received in Nassau.

At about 2:45 EST the Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived at the Canapé Vert Hospital.  He was followed shortly afterwards by the Haitian Prime Minister, Gerard Latortue, and the Haitian Commissioner of Police, as well as the Ambassadors of France, the United States and Canada.

Mr. Speaker,

The Government of The Bahamas wishes to thank the interim Haitian Prime Minister for his personal intervention and expression of genuine concern in this affair. He telephoned me personally from the hospital on Saturday afternoon to express his regrets and to assure the resolve of his Government to protect Bahamian diplomats in Haiti, in accordance with the Vienna Convention.

In this regard, Mr. Speaker, I am advised that eight police cars were subsequently dispatched to the Residence of Ambassador Newry in Port-au-Prince, to enforce the commitment of the Haitian Government regarding the safety of Bahamian diplomats.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the Government of The Bahamas wishes to thank the United States, France and Canada for their support in the circumstances.  Both the Americans and the Canadians kindly offered transportation and accommodation for the Bahamian diplomats on Saturday night.

In addition, Mr Speaker, the Americans provided an armoured van to transport the Bahamian Mission members, from their residence in the Petionville suburb to the airport in Port-au-Prince on Sunday.  The convoy was also accompanied by the Haitian national police.

On learning of the incident and upon learning that overnight on Saturday 17th April, there was a telephone threat to the family of the Vice Consul, the Government of The Bahamas made the prompt decision that it was prudent to order the entire Mission back to The Bahamas at once.

Arrangements were made to bring the team out of Haiti by private charter flight on Sunday.  Corporal Louis remained in Port au Prince for another day to ensure the shipping of the personal effects of the diplomats. I am advised that he departed Port au Prince for Miami by commercial flight on Monday 19th April and is to return to Nassau shortly.  The aircraft  with the Ambassador, his wife,  Second Secretary Anthony Williams, his wife Michelle and their three children left Haiti at 2:15 p.m. EST and arrived in Nassau at 5:25 p.m. EDT.

Mr. Speaker,

I wish to express the concern of the Government of The Bahamas to the Newry family over this incident.  I am sure that we all wish Mrs. Newry and Sgt Meronard a speedy recovery and will keep them in our prayers.  I wish to thank all of the diplomats and their security aides from the Royal Bahamas Police Force for accepting the challenges and risks of duty in the Foreign Service of their nation in Haiti. The nation is grateful for their service.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Bahamas Government wish in particular to commend Sergeant Meronard’s presence of mind and courage under fire. I am advised that a report coming to us from another Government’s  security experts operating in Haiti, on reviewing Saturday’s events, indicates that Sergeant Meronard’s quick, decisive and fearless action in the circumstances, almost certainly prevented a far worse outcome.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force, in the person of Sergeant Meronard, has discharged its duty with diligence and honour in this matter and they are to be commended.

Mr. Speaker,
The debriefing of the entire diplomatic party by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently in progress. The Royal Bahamas Police Force has been requested to conduct an official investigation of the incident in conjunction with the Haitian national police.

Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the fact that the matter is under investigation, there is sufficient evidence before us at present to satisfy us that this was not a political attack on The Bahamas but rather an unfortunate occurrence of crime.

Mr. Speaker, The Bahamas Embassy in Haiti remains open, although staffed for the moment by local employees only. The Government is considering the most secure and efficient way that The Bahamas can meet the necessary practicality of conducting day-to-day relations with the Government of Haiti, taking into account the concern for the safety of our people as well as the larger geopolitical realities.

In the meantime, it would be helpful for all responsible citizens to avoid unnecessary, inflammatory rhetoric, based on a lack of appreciation of the facts.  I was particularly concerned about statements made recently on a radio programme that were clearly designed to misinform and destabilize public opinion by an individual known to lack credibility. This uninformed commentary does a disservice to The Bahamas and to relations between the two states.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.