Mr Patterson says Caricom has a serious role in Haiti's recovery

Haiti's, Caricom's newest member state - was devastated by a massive earthquake on 12 January.

St Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister Denzil Douglas has accused some members of the international community of excluding the Caribbean from reconstruction efforts in Haiti, following the January earthquake.

And, Caricom special envoy to Haiti, former Jamaican prime minister PJ Patterson has said as much.

The United States has been leading international relief efforts in the damaged country.

But Dr Douglas said Thursday that Caricom can provide the voice that Haiti itself does not have, in its time of crisis.

"Caricom wants to use this Inter-sessional to impress upon the minds of those who are leading the international financial institutions that the Caribbean Community has a voice on behalf of Haiti and nothing should take place in terms of Haiti's future development unless we are the centre of those activities," Dr Douglas said.

A former Prime Minister of Jamaica, PJ Patterson, echoed similar sentiments earlier this week.

Delivering a lecture in St Lucia, Mr Patterson said that Caricom is no longer 'just simply another regional grouping', but a community of 14 sovereign nations with Haiti as its most recent member.

"We are not going to become mere passengers on any bus taking Haiti in whatever direction others may choose," he said.

"Caricom must be the column for the steering wheel, while Haiti must be in the driving seat, and we cannot and will not abdicate our responsibility to our kith and kin in this hour of need."

Continued assistance to Haiti was one of the top agenda items at a meeting of Caricom leaders held week this in Dominica.

The Haitian leader, Rene Preval, attended after meeting with US President Barack Obama on Wednesday to discuss continued aid for his country.

Mr Obama described the current situation in Port-au-Prince as 'dire', and added that with the approach of the rainy season, the challenge was to prevent a second disaster.

He also said Washington would continue to help Haiti through the long reconstruction process.