P-to-P, April 15, 2024 [AlterPresse] — The resigning de facto government must demonstrate moderation and wisdom in the process initiated by the political protagonists with a view to the establishment of a Presidential Transitional Council.
This is the recommendation of the teacher and trade unionist Georges Wilbert Franck of the civil society group, signatory of the position of the stakeholders signatories of the political agreement of April 3, 2024 for a peaceful and orderly transition in Haiti.
It invites the de facto power to collaborate and cooperate with stakeholders instead of behaving like a sovereign.
He reaffirms the support of the civil society group, of which he is a part, for the historic consensus reached between stakeholders with a view to creating a climate enabling the country to emerge from the current impasse.
He denounces the decree published on April 12, 2024 by the resigning government which unilaterally made major modifications which distort the essence of the consensus found by the Presidential Transitional Council.
The decree appointing the members of the said Council has not been published.
“The personalities designated by the stakeholders to be part of the said Council are invited to submit to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers the documents required in accordance with article 2 of the decree,” indicated the resigning government in a note published on the networks social.
“The documents must be submitted in a sealed envelope, either to the National Palace or to the Prime Minister’s Office, Villa d’Accueil, in Bourdon,” he adds.
The de facto government has unilaterally assumed full powers and the right to completely modify the provisions established in this consensus of the Presidential Transitional Council, criticizes Georges Wilbert Franck.
The procedures for installing and setting up the Presidential Transition Council have been completely modified. The political agreement of April 3, 2024 was not taken into account by the decree published creating the said Council, he recalls.
“It’s a bad sign, a signal that does not honor the de facto government,” he said.
No discussions were held with stakeholders to reach a consensus around these changes, he reports.
If the government disagrees with the process, it should preferably begin discussions with other stakeholders to pose the problem without fanaticism and clan interest in order to seek a solution, he says.
The act taken by the government discredits it as a legitimate interlocutor in this dynamic of dialogue and search for a solution to the crisis, analyzes the trade unionist.
The maneuvers of the de facto government are doomed to failure and risk worsening the situation of the population, he warns, while suggesting that the government change its mind and adopt a consensual posture.
“The government sets itself up as a body that gives permission and authorization. He doesn’t have all this authority, it’s the people who are sovereign.”
Through de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the government made a commitment on March 11, 2024 to withdraw from power once the stakeholders had reached an agreement to establish the Transitional Presidential Council and appointed a Prime Minister, recalls -he.
The Presidential Transitional Council was established over a fairly long period of time. It took us about a month to reach the signature of this minimal consensus which could make it possible to begin a process of ending the crisis, notes Georges Wilbert Franck.
In a position dated April 13, 2024, stakeholders signatories of the political agreement of April 3, 2024 for a peaceful and orderly transition on the political situation in the country say they are deeply shocked upon learning of the decree published on April 12, 2024 by the government chaired by the Prime Minister prevented Dr. Ariel Henry.
The undersigned organizations, stakeholders in the dialogue process, have denounced the introduction of major modifications which distort the consensual project of a two-headed executive carried by the Presidential Transitional Council, a consensus patiently and laboriously built between the stakeholders from March 11 2024.
While contesting the validity of the decree of April 12, 2024 for various reasons, they call for the political agreement and the document establishing the organization and functioning of the Presidential Council to be published in Le Moniteur.
In this context of crisis and institutional collapse, the teacher and trade unionist Georges Wilbert Franck from the civil society group who signed this position wishes for more moderation in government actions.
“What is important today is to seek consensus, quickly, to establish a form of governance to address the problems.”
Georges Wilbert Franck of the civil society group calls on organized groups to put the conquest of power on hold, in order to save what is most important: the sovereignty and integrity of the country, while advocating a sense of urgency, of mutual aid and the spirit of consensus. [emb apr 15/04/2024 11 :55]
