P-to-P, June 27, 2024 [AlterPresse] — Union organization Antenna Workers Haiti (Aoa) asks the Presidential Transitional Council (Cpt) and Prime Minister Garry Conille to send, through concrete actions, a strong signal against impunity in Haiti, in a note sent to the online agency AlterPresse.
Public action must be taken against all those involved, particularly in the squandering of several billion American dollars (Editor’s note: US $ 1.00=+ 140.00 gourdes; 1 euro=142.00 gourdes; 1 Canadian dollar=97.00 gourdes; 1 Dominican peso=2.40 gourdes today) from the Petrocaribe fund of Venezuelan aid to Haiti [[1] under the presidency of René Préval (May 14, 2006 – May 14, 2011), Michel Joseph Martelly (May 14, 2011 – February 7, 2016) and Jocelerme Privert (February 14, 2016 – February 7, 2017), she demands.
Antenna Workers Haiti urges the government commissioner at the civil court of Port-au-Prince, Jean Edler Guillaume, to initiate public action against all members of the outgoing de facto government of Ariel Henry and his allies, all leaders of criminal gangs for crimes against humanity, among others.
She calls for the members of armed gangs to be tried and sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison, for acts of kidnapping people, raping women and girls, burning and destroying houses.
“This will be a sign that the CPT does not encourage impunity in the country.”
The Haitian National Police (PNH) must be given resources so that they can regain control of the national territory and allow the free movement of people and goods, advocates the union organization.
“Lay down your arms and recognize the authority of the state” : this is the message from Prime Minister Garry Conille, addressed to the armed gangs terrorizing Haiti, as he officially welcomed in Port-au-Prince a first contingent of the Multinational Security Support Mission (Mmas) in Haiti, led by Kenya, came in support of the PNH.
“We will take back our country little by little, without confrontation, if it is not necessary. However, let no one suspect the objective! The State will take charge again and reassert its authority so that everyone can live in peace,” continues the Prime Minister.
The first batch of Kenyan police is ready to support the State, to regain control of the territory of Haiti, house by house, district by district, city by city, declares Garry Conille, during a visit to Kenyan police officers, Wednesday June 26, 2024.
Conille took the opportunity to express the solidarity and recognition of his government and the Haitian people to the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
The head of government reiterated his firm will and determination to do everything possible, with the support of the multinational force, to restore peace and security in Haiti.
From January to March 2024, more than 2,500 people were killed or injured due to armed gang violencean increase of 53% compared to the October to December 2023 quarter, according to a report from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (Binuh).
From June 2023 to June 2024, 36 police officers were murdered, among them 20 for the period alone from January to mid-June 2024lists the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (Rnddh), on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the Haitian National Police (June 12, 1995 – June 12, 2024).
Moreover, Antenna Workers Haiti requires, at the administrative level, audits in all public institutions, in particular the Ministries of Economy and Finance (Mef), Planning and External Cooperation (Mpce), Public Works, Transport and Communications (Mtptc) , foreign affairs and religion (Maec).
Audits must also be carried out in autonomous state institutions, such as the National Old Age Insurance Office (Ona), the Office of Work Accident, Sickness and Maternity Insurance (Ofatma), the Office of Third Party Vehicle Insurance (Oavct) and the National Education Fund (Fne).
The new Prime Minister of the transition in Haiti, has promised, in a sharp tone, to apply zero tolerance against corruptionwhich is corrupting public administration in Haiti, at a press conference on Thursday June 20, 2024.
A series of immediate structural measures will be taken, with a view to eradicating the phenomenon of corruption within the public administration in Haiti, taking into account the reality of the moment, announced the head of the transitional government.
Antenna Workers Haiti also calls on the State to review the salary scale in the public administration, to resolve the inequalities existing between State employees, especially teachers in public schools and doctors in public hospitals.
She demands an increase to 1,500.00 gourdes (Editor’s note: US $ 1.00=+140.00 gourdes; 1 euro=142.00 gourdes; 1 Canadian dollar=97.00 gourdes; 1 Dominican peso=2.40 gourdes today) in the daily salary of workers in subcontracting, the reduction in pump prices of petroleum products and public transport, as well as the reduction in the prices of essential consumer goods and basic necessities.
Daily minimum wage in subcontracting factories was set at 685.00 gourdes (Editor’s note: US $1.00=104.00 gourdes; 1 euro=118.00 gourdes; 1 Dominican peso=1.90 gourdes at the time), the office of de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced.
The government of Ariel Henry announced, in July 2023, a reduction of only 10.00 gourdes on the gallon of gasoline and 50.00 gourdes (Editor’s note: US $ 1.00=+ 150.00 gourdes; 1 euro=155.00 gourdes; 1 Canadian dollar=105.00 gourdes; 1 Dominican peso=2.60 gourdes in July 2023), on the respective gallons of diesel and kerosene or white gas.
A gallon of gasoline increased, in September 2022, from 250.00 to 570.00 gourdes (128%), diesel from 353.00 to 670.00 gourdes (89.81%) and kerosene from 352.00 to 685.00 gourdes (94.60%).
The numerous mobilizations against any government attempts to adjust, in September 2022, the pump prices of petroleum products on the national market have been in vain. [emb rc apr 27/06/2024 12:25]
[[1] The Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (Cscca) had, once again, demanded the establishment of mechanisms to recover misused PetroCaribe fundsin its third specific audit report on the management of PetroCaribe funds of Venezuelan aid to Haiti, delivered on Monday, August 17, 2020, to the rest of the Senate of the Republic, which has lapsed. In this third report, following two previous ones, published respectively in January 2019 et May 2019the Cscca had urged the then parliament to put in place mechanisms to recover sums of money misused, in order to allow the Republic of Haiti to possibly reduce its debt to Venezuela.
