The representative of Fanmi Lavalas within the Presidential Council, Lesly Voltaire, set conditions before the election within the Presidential Council. In a correspondence dated this Monday, Lesly Voltaire draws up a set of procedures to be respected before determining the president of the Presidential Council.
In this letter addressed to his colleagues, the former Minister of National Education Lesly Voltaire expresses his concern about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process within the Presidential Council. He highlights the absence of a prior political agreement, of candidates presented in a transparent manner, as well as the absence of a defined mandate for the President of the Council. He also emphasizes the need for a transparent voting method, including observation by different sectors, to guarantee due process.
Voltaire recognizes the urgency of defining the structure and direction of the Presidential Council in the context of the crisis facing the country, but insists on the importance of transparency and integrity in this process. He affirms that the Haitian people deserve a structure that acts in the national interest and is responsible in its decisions.
With this in mind, Lesly Voltaire proposes a series of measures to be put in place before considering the election of the president of the Presidential Council. He suggests a postponement of at least 48 hours, a meeting of the Council to agree on a mandate for the leadership of the Council, the clear definition of a voting method, the presentation of the candidates in the presence of all members and representatives of the sectors, as well as a 20-hour consultation period with the sectors before the vote.
Voltaire of Fanmi Lavalas, who was not present at the meeting scheduled for Monday, including Montana and his allies, insists that these criteria must be met in order to guarantee the legitimacy and transparency of the electoral process.
“When these criteria are met, and we believe they can be met as quickly as possible, an election will be possible which will allow the transition to start on a good basis. We look forward to working with you immediately, starting tomorrow morning, to achieve this as quickly and collegially as possible,” he concluded in the correspondence.
Two weeks after the announcement of the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the presidential council to replace him is standing still, while the Haitian capital lives under the crackle of bullets from armed bandits. Nearly 5 million Haitians are food insecure, or half of the population.
Almost all activities are at a standstill. Public administration and schools are not functioning. Flights have still not resumed at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The country is sinking deeper and deeper into chaos. Hopes for seeing the end of the tunnel are dwindling day by day.
By: Daniel Zéphyr
