T&T: Ramesh slams Caricom

FORMER ATTORNEY General, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj yesterday hit out at Caricom leaders for their support of former President of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide.

Responding to questions on Caricom's stance in support of Aristide, Maharaj told reporters: "By their silence, it is as if Caricom has encouraged corruption in Haiti. Caricom heads do not seem to really want to deal with Governmental corruption. Leaders of Government and ministers of Government have plundered their treasuries."

Maharaj had earlier said some of the Caribbean prime ministers had sat and allowed corrupt acts to be carried out in Haiti, adding that before Aristide was leader of Haiti, he was a priest and after assuming leadership, became the richest man in Haiti "stealing the peoples' money".

Maharaj, who was fielding questions from reporters after addressing squatters in Arima of their rights, said Caricom leaders did not want to talk about corruption in leadership and the poverty of the people because they were only interested in amassing the wealth for the few, pointing to Venezuela, where he said the vast majority of the people cannot enjoy the wealth of the country.

Well, Ramesh, you've come a long way, baby! He's dead right, though. Caricom displays no hesitancy in talking about constitutional processes and rule of law, according to which, in their view, Aristide would be ruling the roost in Port-au-Prince. Yet, not one Caricom leader has spoken out against the corruption of the Aristide government and its human rights abuses. Rank hypocrisy, to be sure. Instead of standing up for the Haitian people, Caricom leaders have attempted to cover their own rear ends against coups, even though the history of the Caribbean shows it not to be coup-prone. Speak on, Ramesh.