Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on Monday called for direct talks with the leaders of Haitian gangs, arguing that sustainable peace in the crisis-stricken CARICOM member state cannot be achieved without their involvement.
Speaking at a press conference, Skerrit said the violent gangs operating in Haiti are “too crucial a player” to be ignored, and emphasized the need for open dialogue as international efforts, including a multinational mission led by Kenya, continue to restore order.
“We should have had a conversation on Haiti. The gangs in Haiti are too crucial a player for you not to engage them. And if you don’t engage people, you leave them to their own devices,” Skerrit told reporters.
Haiti has faced escalating instability since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021. In recent months, gang violence has intensified, prompting the deployment of a multinational security support mission (MSS) backed by the United Nations Security Council. The mission, led by at least 800 Kenyan police officers as of June 2024, is tasked with supporting Haiti’s National Police in combatting armed groups.
But Skerrit warned that military interventions alone are not a lasting solution.
“Sanctions are not going to change the attitude of any gang leader or gang member in Haiti,” he said. “To leave these guys to their own devices and sending drones to try and kill them and so on, all you going to have is getting the situation worse.”
Drawing on international examples, Skerrit referenced Colombia’s peace process with the FARC rebel group — once designated a terrorist organization — as a model for negotiation and reintegration. “You have people who were part of FARC in Parliament… part of the government in Colombia,” he said.
Skerrit also revealed that during his time as CARICOM chair, he had approached the Norwegian government to support potential negotiations. Norway played a key role in Colombia’s peace talks and, according to Skerrit, is willing to offer resources and a framework for similar dialogue in Haiti.
“I was prepared myself, I told them I was prepared to go to Haiti and be part of the discussions with the gangs,” he said.
The prime minister clarified that his stance reflects his personal opinion, not an official CARICOM position. However, he stressed the importance of treating the gangs as part of the social fabric — one that has, in the absence of a functioning state, assumed roles typically fulfilled by government.
“If there is a problem, we have to talk,” he said. “Unless you have a discussion with the gangs in Haiti, if you leave them to their own devices, they become their own government in the ghettos… so what do you have? You have a de facto government. Law and order cannot be maintained.”
Skerrit added that dialogue should be the first step, with consequences following only if those involved refuse to integrate into civil society. “We give them an opportunity to change their ways,” he said. “Then you go after them, you eliminate them. It is simple as that.”
