P-au-P, July 15, 2024 [AlterPresse] — Difficulties are perceptible in certain sectors requested by the Transitional Presidential Council to designate members of the next Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), observes AlterPresse.
This is also the case for Protestant organisations, which are among the entities invited to choose a person to represent their sector, in accordance with the decree of 27 May 2024.
A disagreement over the procedure for choosing the representative of the Protestant sector has come to light between the Conference of Haitian Pastors (Copah) and the Protestant Federation of Haiti (Fph).
“The delay in sending the invitation letter and the cavalier manner in which the Protestant Federation of Haiti, which behaves like the ‘Pope’ of the sector, proceeded, do not inspire confidence and suggest suspicious maneuvers,” wrote Copah in an open letter dated July 13, 2024.
COPAH believes that it is “essential to create a commission composed of representatives of the organizations concerned. This commission would establish the selection criteria, study the candidates’ files and designate, in unity, an uncontested and representative representative of the Protestant sector to the new Provisional Electoral Council.”
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According to a correspondence sent by the Cpt last week to several organizations, “each sector must, within a period not exceeding eight (8) days, from receipt of this, submit its representative to the Presidential Transitional Council for legal action.”
Media reports that the FPH has launched a call for applications for people who want to represent the reformed faiths in the Cep. July 15 is considered the deadline for submitting applications.
Copah advocates a consensual choice and warns “against any attempt to impose a representative on the Cep without the agreement of all the organizations involved in the process.”
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In order to “establish a Cep above all suspicion, the choice of personalities to constitute it must be made in a transparent and equitable manner”, wishes the Cpt.
“Integrity, independence, academic and professional competence” are among the criteria to be met to be an electoral advisor, according to the terms of reference of the Cpt.
The person must not be under international sanctions or be the subject of ongoing legal proceedings.
In addition, she must demonstrate experience and knowledge of the context as well as a commitment to democracy and the rule of law, over the past years, in promoting and respecting the values of democracy and the rule of law in Haiti.
In accordance with the political agreement for a peaceful and orderly transition, signed on April 3, 2024, by political protagonists with a view to resolving the political impasse, the Presidential Transitional Council has given itself the mandate to set up the Cep, in order to organize general elections to provide the country with legitimate elected officials to take office on February 7, 2026.
Elections, which were to be organized to renew political personnel, have not taken place for several years in Haiti, still in the grip of a serious security crisis, which worsened after the assassination, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, of President Jovenel Moïse. [apr 15/07/2024 16 :00]
