Above: TCI

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Turks and Caicos Governor Peter Beckingham led a delegation to Haiti last week at the invitation of the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The purpose of the visit to Port-au-Prince was to finalize a memorandum of understanding between the two countries and to discuss “issues of common interest,” according to the Governor’s office.

Beckingham’s visit came one year after former Turks and Caicos Governor Ric Todd visited Haiti in 2013.

“I am pleased to say that the Haitian Government have agreed the final text of an MOU,” Beckingham said. “This will be signed by representatives of the two Governments, after which we will release the text, and it will cover economic ties as well as illegal migration and people-to-people links.”

Illegal migration has been a point of continued contention between the two sides in recent years.

“The MOU will not suddenly change the relationship nor immediately reduce illegal migration,” Beckingham said. “But it is an indication of the seriousness with which both Governments view the growing relationship.”

Beckingham led a delegation including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Border Control and Labour Clara Gardiner, and Deputy Commander (Marine Division) Inspector Warrican.