Today, these arsonists are teaching!
The Presidential Transitional Council of Haiti faces enormous challenges in the current context of the country, taken hostage by armed gangs and marked by the failure of the government of former de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who, in more than 30 months in power, has failed to resolve the serious Haitian crisis.
Made up of nine members, seven of whom have the right to vote, the body is aware of the challenges and the “gloomy panorama” that presents itself before it, recognized the de facto Prime Minister bis Tèt Kale, Michel Patrick Boisvert, during the investiture ceremony which took place Thursday in two stages, one at the National Palace in Port-au-Prince and another at the Prime Minister’s office, also known as the Prime Minister’s office.
“Life is fleeing our country because the situation is very serious (…) The situation concerns all citizens of Haiti, wherever they are. The situation calls us to rise above ourselves and change the paradigm,” stressed Boisvert. The institutional structures of the Haitian state, “weakened by decades of political instability, have suffered a spectacular collapse. Not only the quality, but also the very existence of public services offered to our population have been compromised,” added Régine Abraham, member of the Council having sworn to “uphold the Constitution”.
The transitional body will tackle five major projects, consisting of restoring public security, organizing a national conference and a constitutional reform, hold democratic, credible and participatory general elections; restore justice, the rule of law and the fundamental rights of citizens, and achieve institutional and economic recovery.
Restoring security The country’s security situation began to deteriorate in 2018, with an increase in kidnappings, armed attacks, rapes and robberies against civilians committed by armed groups who have carried out at least 20 massacres since then. The situation further worsened with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. The gangs gained power, acquired more weapons and ammunition, and last February, they came together to form the criminal coalition “Living Together”, led by former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, who led the “revolution” which forced Ariel Henry to leave power. Since February, their violence has intensified, destroying prisons, hospitals, police stations, pharmacies and homes, looting private and public institutions, actions that have affected all sectors of society.
In the first three months of the year, at least 2,505 people died or were injured, according to UN figures, and more than 90,200 people were displaced and living in inhumane conditions in 85 refugee sites. the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, controlled at least 80% by armed gangs. Restoring security is a sine qua non condition for the achievement of all other objectives and this supposes eradicating the armed bands, between 200 and 300, which operate in the country, by preventing, among other things, the free movement of people and goods. Economic recovery is impossible without stability and the restoration of securitywhich necessarily involves strengthening the Haitian National Police.
Holding of general elections
Haiti has not held elections since 2016, at the end of Michel Martelly’s mandate, elections that saw the last democratically elected officials in the country, including assassinated President Jovenel Moïse. After his death in July 2021, the country is without elected representatives, neither president, nor senators, nor deputies, nor mayors. Jovenel Moïse was supposed to hold elections after amending the Constitution, but he did not have time to do so and, after the assassination, Henry ruled the country for over 30 months without holding elections due to the violent situation.
The Transitional Presidential Council’s mission is to organize elections to elect a president on February 7, 2026, i.e. 10 years after the last convocation. At the heart of the electoral project are two major questions, the organization of the national conference and the constitutional reform which must precede the elections under the auspices of a new charter.
The holding of elections should allow the restoration of institutions, in a state of collapse for years, as well as the authority of the State, objectives to be achieved by the Presidential Transitional Council in less than two years.
