|
|
|
|
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
OAS Approves Declaration of Support for Haiti for the Timely Holding of Elections and the Renewal of its Democratic Institutions
By OAS
Jan 14, 2015 - 8:14:49 PM
|
Email this article
Mobile friendly page
|
The Permanent
Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today received, in a
special meeting, the Foreign Minister of Haiti, Duly Brutus, who
delivered a report on the political situation in his country. During the
meeting,
the Council approved a Declarationin
which the OAS expresses its support “for the constitutional Haitian
authorities and all stakeholders in their commitment to hold free, fair,
and
inclusive elections as soon as possible in accordance with the
constitutional provisions for the renewal of the democratic
institutions.”
During the meeting, Foreign Minister Brutus made a presentation in which
he summarized “the evolution of the Haitian political situation with
respect to the organization of legislative and municipal elections,”
from the beginning of the term of President Michel
Martelly in May 2011 to the present. He explained that elections for a
third of the seats in the Haitian Senate, whose terms ended in January
2012, were not held “due to the difficulties connected with the
constitutional amendments of 1987,” which reduced
the number of Senators from 30 to 20. He noted that, despite this, the
Senate decided that the quorum necessary for the functioning of the
chamber would continue to be 16 (half the total of members, 30, plus
one), instead of recalculating half the remaining
Senators plus one (11). He said “unfortunately, this decision has
allowed a minority of six Senators to systematically paralyze the
workings of the Senate.”
The head of Haitian diplomacy said that, on March 19, 2014, as a result
of mediation under the auspices of the Catholic Church, the El Rancho
agreement was reached, which set out, among other things, “the creation
of a government of openness composed of new
personalities throughout the governmental apparatus.” But despite the
“scrupulous respect” for the terms of the agreement shown by the
executive, said Foreign Minister Brutus, “the group of six Senators
decided to block all progress in the electoral process,
using the ‘empty chair’ policy, thus impeding any quorum for the work
sessions of the Senate.”
On December 29, 2014, continued Minister Brutus, President Martelly
signed with the Presidents of the two chambers an agreement that
stipulates that the legislators whose terms were ending could continue
their functions until the holding of new elections, provided
the Senators vote on the electoral law. Unfortunately, he added, “the
six Senators preferred to allow the opportunity for understanding
between Haitian brothers to pass by, choosing instead the strategy of
chaos, which consists of advocating mobilization to
force the resignation of the Head of State.”
The OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, reported to the Council
members that given that the deadline for the Haitian Congress to
pronounce on the agreements had passed, the General Secretariat joined
other representatives of the international community
that comprise the Core Group of countries and international agencies
supporting Haiti's efforts to achieve political stability and
development (United Nations, Brazil, Canada, Spain, United States,
France and the European Union) - in issuing astatementthat
expresses the deep concern " that the Haitian Parliament has become
dysfunctional due to the fact that elections have not been held within
the constitutional timeframe."
The leader of the hemispheric institution noted that although it is not
customary "to make statements on internal issues of Member Countries"
this case was considered "sufficiently serious and urgent as to say a
word about it." Secretary General Insulza explained
in more detail, the work the Organization has done in Haiti, especially
during the last month, "to convince the different stakeholders of the
need to find an agreement, the agreement they deem necessary", and the
obstacles faced o this road, "even though the
President of Haiti has provided all conditions to avoid a dysfunctional
parliament".
Insulza recalled the statement of the Core Group, which "welcomes the
Political Accord recently concluded between President Martelly and
several opposition actors" and which, in the best interests of the
nation, "encourages all parties to join the consensus
through this Accord." It also recognizes the efforts of the President
and other actors "to rebuild confidence in the political process," and
calls upon all parties “to continue negotiations with the objective of
forming, as a matter of urgency, a consensus
Government, as well as a new Provisional Electoral Council in the
spirit of Article 289 of the Constitution of the Haitian Constitution.”
Upon opening the meeting, the Chair of the Permanent Council and
Permanent Representative of Suriname to the OAS, Niermala Badrising,
expressed on behalf of the Council ““our deepest and most sincere
condolences to the government and people of France who have
endured tragic and senseless loss following the criminal acts
perpetrated against the Charlie Hebdo magazine on January 7, a local
kosher market on January 8 in Paris, and other tragic events.”
Before the conclusion of the meeting, the Permanent Observer of France
to the OAS, Ambassador Jean-Claude Nolla, offered his words of
appreciation for the messages expressed by delegations regarding the
criminal act.
Similarly, during the Council meeting delegates voiced several messages
of condolences to the government and people of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines for the accident that killed five people when a bus carrying
children fell into the sea in the locality of
Rock Gutter.
During the meeting the delegations of The Bahamas, Haiti, Ecuador,
Colombia, Chile, the Dominican Republic, the United States and Canada
took the floor.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
