Political

Early Signs of a New Political Crisis in Haiti, 2012

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Ten of thirty senators have terms ending in 2012 and the Martelly-Conille government has not taken any steps conducive to holding fair and credible elections.

In April of 2011, then-president-elect Michel Martelly called for the voice of the people to be heard by the power of their votes as the world observed a presidential and legislative election season wrought with fraud, controversy even and including an arrest warrant against the President of the Provisional Electoral Council, Gaillot Dorsinvil.

The "Provisional" Electoral Council, is an unconstitutional body. It was set-up by the former President Rene Preval under "emergency" circumstances which allowed him to choose all nine (9) members of the council which has nearly unreproachable power over elections in Haiti.

The "Permanent" Electoral Council is what the Constitution of Haiti prescribes. In this council, three (3) members of the council are chosen by the executive, three (3) members are chosen by the legislative and three (3) members are chosen by the judicial branch.

Senator Kely C. Bastien (Nord/Inite), former President of the National Assembly, chastised the Martelly-Conille government on Monday for not publishing the constitutional amendments accepted by parliamentarians nearly either (8) months ago.

For Senator Bastien, the Martelly-Conille government is incapable of managing the priorities of the nation simultaneously.

The Executive Secretary of the Civil Society Initiative (CSI), Rosny Desroches, chimed in saying the same thing:

Experts estimate a time frame of four (4) to six (6) months to hold the elections and declare a winner, given things go well and there are no challenges.

To Desroches the administrations actions are reminiscent of 1997, back when then-President Rene Preval did not hold elections on time and allowed the mandates of some senators to end. Without holding elections and declaring the parliament dysfunctional, the Haitian state took a step back, the government was ineffective.

Defend Haiti has been keeping count. Tuesday is the 192nd day that the nation of Haiti has operated under a Constitution that is no longer legitimate.

It is arguable that the entire Martelly-Conille government is not legitimate as the process for installing a prime minister and council of ministers did not go according to the amended version of the Constitution, accepted on May 13 2011.

Senator Bastien says he expects the amended Constitution to be published by the end of December. Many doubt there is enough time to establish a permanent electoral council and hold elections by the time a third of the senate runs out of mandate.