Danillo Medina, President of the Dominican Republic - file photo
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Opposition Senator Floyd Morris and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith
Opposition senators on Friday tackled the government over its decision to confer the Order of Excellence on the President of the Dominican Republic Danillo Medina.
Governor General Sir Patrick Allen conferred the honour on Monday during President Medina's State visit to the island.
The Governor General said President Medina was being recognised for his contribution to Caribbean development.
However, during Friday morning's sitting of the Senate, Opposition member Floyd Morris raised questions about the bestowing of the national honour on President Medina in the wake of the continued displacement of Haitians born in the Dominican Republic.
He said he hoped the government raised the citizenship issues with President Medina.
"I really hope that that situation will come to an amicable resolution and that we send a clear signal that we don't condone any form of dehumanising behaviour or discrimination anywhere on this planet," declared Senator Morris.
He was supported by Senator Lambert Brown, who argued that the decision to confer the honour on President Medina was premature.
In response, Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said the Jamaican government continues to have dialogue with Haiti and the Dominican Republic about the matter.
"We feel confident that the matter is improving; it is a matter which we continue to monitor because it is important for us," she said.
Last month, the International Organisation on Migration reported that more than 229,000 Haitians had either returned home voluntarily or were deported from the Dominican Republic since 2015.
This was triggered by a 2013 High Court ruling which stripped thousands Haitian immigrants and their descendants of their Dominican Republic citizenship.
The decision was seen as being motivated by racism.
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