Senator Peter Bunting, Opposition Spokesman on National Security
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Opposition Spokesman on National Security Senator Peter Bunting
By Kimone Witter
Opposition Spokesman on National Security Senator Peter Bunting says for the assistance being offered to be meaningful, at least one thousand security forces members should be deployed to Haiti for the Kenya led security mission.
Mr. Bunting has expressed support for the contingent of 24 soldiers and police officers who will be leaving for Haiti today (Thursday).
In making the announcement on Tuesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the team would be providing command, planning and logistics support.
Jamaica has pledged a total of 170 soldiers and 30 police officers, which Mr. Holness says will be deployed overtime.
But, Mr. Bunting argues that if the numbers are not significantly increased, the effort would be akin to tokenism.
"The initiative has to be on a much much larger scale to really have any chance of success in Haiti. When we look at previous interventions in Haiti, it involves tens of thousands of peacekeepers and, you know, sending in now less than a thousand, I don't think it's going to make any significant difference," he said.
He reasoned further that "On the margins, they might be able to secure the airport and the port but in terms of bringing back some public order even to the capital and the other main towns and villages, it's going to be inadequate."
Mr. Bunting said it is in Jamaica's interest to support the restoration of public order in Haiti, since the countries share a gang problem and are connected through the guns for drugs trade.
He was speaking with the media following a peace march in Christiana on Wednesday.
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