Dr. McCarta Browne calls the policy “discriminatory and exclusionary” and says it does not reflect the nation’s values
Basseterre / Port-au-Prince – January 17, 2026 In a rare and striking public intervention, Dr. McCarta Browne, Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, has issued a personal apology to the people of Haiti over his country’s recent exclusion of Haitian nationals from a deportation agreement with the United States.
In a widely shared Facebook post, Dr. Browne expressed deep regret on behalf of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, describing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as “discriminatory and exclusionary” and stating clearly that it is not aligned with the federation’s values of compassion, humanity, and Caribbean solidarity.
He wrote:
“When one Caribbean people is singled out, all of us are diminished. Haiti has given the world its first Black-led republic and the most powerful example of freedom won through resistance. Leadership requires courage, empathy, and truth — not silence.”
Dr. Browne also committed to direct engagement, offering to meet personally with members of the Haitian community and affected families to listen, affirm their dignity, and make clear that they are welcomed and valued in society.
Background of the Controversy
The apology comes after Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew announced that St. Kitts and Nevis had signed a non-binding MOU with the United States allowing the federation to accept a small number of third-country nationals currently in U.S. custody who cannot be returned to their countries of origin.
The government explicitly stated that Haitian nationals are excluded from the arrangement, citing ongoing security concerns, Haiti’s prolonged instability, widespread gang violence, and limited national capacity.
Similar limited MOUs or discussions have been confirmed or are under consideration by several other CARICOM member states, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St. Lucia.
Reactions & Context
No official government response to Dr. Browne’s personal apology has been issued as of this publication.
The statement has generated strong attention and support across social media, particularly within the Haitian diaspora and among Caribbean voices that have long called for greater regional solidarity with Haiti during the country’s multi-year crisis.
Dr. Browne’s intervention is significant given his senior position within the national police force — one of the few high-ranking officials in the region to publicly distance himself from the exclusionary clause in such clear and personal terms.
L’Union Suite will continue to follow this developing story, including any official reaction from the government of St. Kitts and Nevis and further statements from the Haitian community.
Solidarity is not just a word — sometimes it is a very loud voice when silence would be easier.
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