As we told you a week ago - two BDF soldiers have joined a Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. They travelled to the troubled island nation along with 23 Jamaican soldiers- but this weekend, concerns emerged about this contingent's safety.
The gang leader who more or less runs the island is called "Barbecue" and in an interview with international media he suggested that the CARICOM military contingent might face a security risk from the gangs who resent their presence.
Today the BDF Chief of Staff said the soldiers aren't at risk:
Major Roberta Usher, Chief of Staff, BDF
"So our two officers landed in Haiti approximately on 12th of September, and they've been there. And I know there have been viral videos going around causing unnecessary alarm, but we just want to ensure that the public understands that the video is based on false information and it does not reflect the true situation on the ground."
"It causes an unnecessary alarm. Misinformation, it's a common tactic used, especially in situations involving international missions, gangs, violence, et cetera. The false claims can undermine the critical work and the reason why we are there."
"And again, just produce unnecessary alarms across social media platforms across the country. But we do want to assure that the public understands that our officers are safe and they're there to conduct the mission that they went there for, which is to gather information and provide strategic and staff plans to the operators on the ground."
"Currently, they are still in their transition phase of gathering their information and meeting the necessary personnel to start creating the strategic plans to start moving out of the LSA. So that's about as far as we are currently."
We note that the Multinational Security Support Mission faces many other problems - not the least of which is that troops from Benin - which was to have been the single largest contingent - are now on hold. The 1,500 to 2,00 Beninese soldiers are in a holding pattern because that country's Foreign Minister has said his country's soldiers will not come under the command of Haitian police and that it must be a fully military operation.
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