PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, CMC -Haiti’s newly installed presidential Council has promised security, justice, and economic recovery. Constitutional reform and credible general elections also top the agenda as the troubled Caribbean country seeks to emerge from the crisis.
The nine-member Presidential Council of Transition (also known by its French acronym CPT) took office on Thursday under heavy security measures and vowed to organize a national conference to build a consensus on major issues facing the country.
A member of the CPT, Regine Abraham, who delivered a speech on behalf of the whole Council, said the presidential Council will launch five significant projects that she has named.
Abraham stated in a speech on Thursday, “The restoration of public security; the holding of a national conference and a constitutional reform; the organization of democratic, credible and participative general elections.”
Abraham cited among the Council’s most important goals “the restoration of the justice system, of the rule of law, and the fundamental rights recognized to citizens; institutional and economic recovery.”
The representative of the Council said the population in the metropolitan area of the capital, Port-au-Prince,” has been taken hostage, which has exponentially worsened the living conditions of the people.”
“We’ve witnessed the total collapse of our institutions and the bitter failure of a government that has completely abandoned its responsibility to protect the population from criminal violence, and to offer needed public service to the population and to manage the economy.”
Abraham states,” In the face of the unprecedented crisis, the entire population has acknowledged the urgent and pressing need for a vigorous handling of efforts necessary to pull the country out of the spiral of despair and destruction.”
“In this context, political parties, civil society, the private sector, and diaspora organizations have, on April 3, reached a historic political agreement to direct the country toward the path of security, stability, and economic recovery,” Abraham said.
Officials had initially planned to hold the whole inaugural ceremony at the presidential palace, situated within the “Champ de Mars” area, where gangs and police special units have been exchanging fire for several weeks now.
Given the circumstances, officials decided to organize a two-step inaugural ceremony: one early in the morning at the presidential palace, where council members were sworn in, and the other at the “Villa d’Accueil” (Welcome Villa), a government building, where guests and the media were invited to attend.
Ariel Henry and his government have officially resigned through a formal letter, and the new presidential Council has been appointed.
A new prime minister, Michel Patrick Boisvert, is the current finance and economy minister.
In the absence of Henry, Boisvert played the role of interim Prime Minister.
The members of the diplomatic corps include the Prime Minister of Jamaica. Andrew Holness and several local politicians and representatives of civil society organizations were in attendance.
Several saluted the move and hoped that Haitian and international actors would continue to make and support efforts to turn the situation around in Haiti.
“I believe it is the beginning of a recovered national unity, and this bodes well for the future,” leading politician Clarens Renois told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“Many remain pessimistic about the outcome of the current effort, but we all need to cooperate to ensure its success,” said Renois.
“If this effort fails, the whole country will pay for the consequences,” Renois said.
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