(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) stands in firm solidarity with the Government and People of Haiti as they observe the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010 and mourn and remember the many persons who perished that day. The Community also commiserates with those who lost loved ones and shares their grief as the country reflects on that fateful day and the pain and destruction wrought.

Two years on, the People of Haiti have displayed their proverbial resilience of spirit as, despite the myriad challenges, they do their utmost to surmount the human and material effects of the catastrophe. Though reconstruction and resettlement have been slow and a significant amount remains to be done in both areas, heartening progress has been made specifically in re-housing a large number of the homeless and in clearing thousands of tonnes of rubble.

The Caribbean Community takes the opportunity of this anniversary to renew its call to the international community to make good on its pledges in support of the priorities for Haiti’s redevelopment and reconstruction as defined by the Government and People of Haiti.