Guyana supports Haiti’s call for DR nationality

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

Haiti’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Richard Pierre-Casimir

Guyana on Tuesday expressed its “deep concern” about the Dominican Republic’s (DR) refusal to grant nationality status to citizens born to illegal Haitian migrants.

That decision contained in a recent “indiscriminate ruling” of the DR’s Constitutional Court which, according to the Foreign Ministry here, could result in a loss of nationality of an estimated 201,000 citizens of the Spanish-speaking republic of Haitian descent dating back to 1929. Instead, the parents are considered “in transit”.

Guyana expressed solidarity with its sister Caricom member state in building international consensus against that inhumane ruling after that country’s Foreign Minister, Richard Casimir briefed his Guyanese counterpart during a fleeting visit here.

The South American country called on the relevant authorities of the Dominican Republic to respect the right to nationality and international human rights principles.

Guyana stands in solidarity with its sister CARICOM Member State of Haiti in support of its efforts to build international consensus against this inhumane ruling.

“This is a violation of the human and political rights of these citizens and the impact of the implementation of this ruling could be catastrophic. 

“Guyana encourages the Dominican Republic to give serious consideration regarding the application of this ruling in view of the valued contribution made by these persons to the development of the Dominican Republic and more so in safeguarding their human rights,” said the Foreign Ministry here in a statement.

Accompanying Casimir were Ambassador Guy Alexandre, Consultant and former Ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Republic, Mr Jean Claude Cenatus, Member of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mrs Marie Helene Sandra Tybule.