UN SECRETARY-general Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that Haiti’s “tragic situation” is threatening the security of the Caribbean region and beyond as he pressed the international community for a response.

Mr Guterres spoke after meeting behind closed doors with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness in his first visit to the island, which comes more than three months after Mr Holness announced that his government was willing to send soldiers and police officers to Haiti as part of a proposed international armed forces deployment.

Mr Guterres noted that no other country has stepped forward despite the plea from Haiti’s prime minister and other top officials last October for the immediate deployment of an international force to fight a surge in gang violence.