By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said defence force officers and Bahamians in Haiti have been given a voluntary withdrawal order, allowing them to leave the country at any time without government approval if they feel unsafe.

The voluntary withdrawal opportunity for defence force officers is uncommon, as military personnel deployed in peacekeeping or stabilisation missions usually require formal withdrawal or redeployment orders issued by the government or agency.

“No one is going to be put in harm’s way,” Mr Mitchell said yesterday in a voice note, adding that the government is “watching the situation day to day, minute by minute”.

His comments follow the announcement that Bahamasair flights to Haiti have been halted, joining several US airlines that halted operations after a recent security incident. Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, and JetBlue suspended flights to Port-au-Prince after a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale was struck by gunfire while attempting to land. The plane was forced to divert to Santiago, Dominican Republic, where it landed safely, though a flight attendant sustained minor injuries.

“Bahamasair has taken, I imagine, the normal precautions that any airline would take in the circumstances of what transpired in Haiti over the last few days,” Mr Mitchell said, describing the airline’s decision as sensible to “protect life and limb”.

The security situation in Haiti has deteriorated sharply following the dismissal of Prime Minister Garry Conille by Haiti’s transitional presidential council (TPC). Mr Conille, a former United Nations official, was appointed less than six months ago. Haiti now has neither a president nor a functioning parliament, leaving a power vacuum increasingly exploited by armed gangs.

According to the United Nations, over 3,600 people have been killed in Haiti since January, and more than 500,000 have been displaced. With nearly half the population facing food insecurity, the country’s humanitarian crisis has deepened.

Last month, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) deployed six officers as part of the United Nations Multinational Security Support Mission. The Davis administration has pledged to send 150 officers to the mission, which is supported by a UN policing initiative led by Kenyan officers. Several hundred Kenyan officers have recently arrived in Haiti, with more expected to join.

The RBDF’s role includes securing ports to facilitate humanitarian aid, conducting maritime patrols to prevent illegal migration, and collaborating with regional partners to support Haiti’s stability. Officers are scheduled to serve a six-month term. It is unclear how the voluntary withdrawal order Mr Mitchell referenced affects officers’ mission.

“The Bahamas government has a presence in Haiti for reasons which help our country,” Mr Mitchell said. “We have, for example, hundreds of migrants, if not thousands of migrants, coming to this country unlawfully. They have to be returned to Haiti, and there has to be someone that you speak to and make sure that that’s organised on that end.”

Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has repeatedly criticised the government for potentially deploying defence force officers to Haiti.

In April, Mr Mitchell pushed back against him, accusing him of “scaremongering”.