P-au-P, August 08, 2024 [AlterPresse] — The Conference of Haitian Pastors (Copah) claims to be in discussions with other representative organizations of the Protestant sector, to reach a consensus around the designation of a representative to the Provisional Electoral Council (Cep), in a note dated August 8, 2024, which was seen by the online agency AlterPresse.
While reiterating its commitment to continue discussions with other Protestant organisations, with the aim of reaching consensus within the sector, it calls for unity and collaboration to ensure harmonious and legitimate representation in the Cep.
Furthermore, Copah said it took note of the correspondence from the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), addressed to the Protestant Federation of Haiti (FPH) dated August 6, 2024.
In this letter, the Cpt asks the Fph to join Copah, the National Spiritual Council of the Churches of Haiti (Conaspeh), the Federation of Haitian Pastors (Fepah), to resume the process of designating the representative of the reformed faiths to the Cep currently being formed.
“This approach aims to prevent each group or organisation from giving in to the temptation to appoint its own representative”, as the Fph did, “unilaterally, without prior consensus”, believes Copah.
She applauds the Cpt “for this wise decision, in the face of the stubbornness and arrogance of the Fph, which believes it is authorized to engage the Protestant sector alone, according to its whims, its hidden agenda, and its own interests.”
The president of the Cpt, Edgard Leblanc Fils, and the presidential advisor, Frinel Joseph, met, on Monday August 5, 2024, at the reception villa, emissaries from the reformed religions sector, composed of Conaspeh, Fepah and Copah.
The Cpt had deemed it appropriate to bring them together, in order to reach a consensus allowing the choice of a single representative of the reformed faiths.
These sectors have a deadline, until Thursday, August 8, 2024, to transmit the names of their delegates to the Cpt, as part of the Cep formation process.
The Cep should organize the next elections, by the year 2025, for the renewal of political personnel.
The legitimate elected officials should 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.
The country is facing a serious security crisis, which has worsened after the assassination, on Wednesday July 7, 2021, of Jovenel Moïse.
Armed gangs, which occupy more than 80% of the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have already forced more than 600,000 people to move, since 2023, within Haiti. [emb rc apr 08/08/2024 11:30]
Photo: Facebook page of the Presidential Transitional Council (Cpt)
