Executive
Bernard Gousse Files Documents, Ratification Appears Difficult
- Thursday, July 21, 2011 6:41 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Prime Minister-designate Bernard H. Gousse filed his documents to the Senate on ​​Thursday to begin the process of parliamentary review and possible ratification. On Wednesday night 16 Senators were still adamant about not ratifying Gousse but efforts are still being made to coax holdouts.
It followed two postponements that the Parliament finally received Mr. Gousse's documents.
Gousse, a former Minister of Justice, received an unfavorable reaction from parliamentarians when he was announced as the president's choice, but insists, along with the president that his approach to governing is what the population needs at this time.
The Agence Haïtienne de Presse reported Bernard Gousse saying "it would be an honor to have the favorable vote of the parliament," holding in that case that he would work by agreement with the head of the state and the various groups represented in both houses.
The commission reviewing the documents submitted confirmed through its chairman, the second Senator from Nippes, John William Jeanty, that all 14 pieces required by Article 157 of the Constitution had been received.
Senator Jeanty affirmed that the commission will work on the technical compliance and authenticity of documents submitted in a fair manner. "To do this we must take the time it would take" he warned.
While negotiations continue between the anti-Gousse members in the Senate and the Head of State, the President of the Upper House, Rodolphe Joazile, says that the unfavorable trend was not reversed.
According to Joazile, the working parts of the analysis of Gousse's documents will be purely technical, but in contrast, the vote to ratify may be political.
Joazile says he explained to the candidate for prime minister that unless meaningful negotiations take place, he will not be ratified, given that no withdrawal was recorded from the list of 16 out of 30 senators.
The former Senator, Francisco Delacruz, is optimistic about the chances for ratification of the prime minister-designate. Delacruz believes the negotiations are on track after meeting for 6 hours with the 16 on Wednesday night, of course, with the head of state.
President Michel Martelly is expected to meet with the senators again on Thursday night in hopes of making more headway. Sources close to the president say that if progress is not made on Thursday night discussions may begin towards another choice, according to the AHP.
