A Special Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will be held today, Tuesday, 26 November at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to discuss the effect of the Dominican Republic Constitutional Court’s ruling on nationality.{{more}}

The September 23 ruling has the potential of effectively denationalising hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Dominican Republic who are reportedly of Haitian descent. CARICOM Heads of Government, the CARICOM Secretary-General and regional, hemispheric and global organisations have expressed deep concern about the effects of the ruling.

Today’s meeting will be presided over by the Chair of CARICOM, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. The other members of the Bureau, the President of Haiti, His Excellency Michel Martelly and the Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves will participate in the meeting along with CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambasador Irwin LaRocque.