GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), on Friday, called on all stakeholders in Haiti to demonstrate patriotism above all other sentiments if Haitians are to determine their own destiny.
“Given the sustained efforts of CARICOM and the international community in supporting a Haitian-led process, the EPG is deeply concerned by the tardiness of the stakeholders to find common ground and coalesce around a Haitian-led consensual agreement on an alternative transitional process despite the points of convergence in the multiple proposals made public,” the EPG said in a statement.
The EPG, comprising the former St. Lucia Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony, the former Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding, and their former Bahamian counterpart, Perry Christie, said that it continues to “render its good offices to Haitian stakeholders as they address the myriad political, security, and institutional challenges facing Haiti at this time.
“The EPG is particularly mindful that the mandate of the Transitional Council ends on 7 February, 2026,” it said, calling on “the stakeholders to demonstrate patriotism above all other sentiments if Haitians are to determine their own destiny.
”It is vital that stakeholders, civil society, and the people of Haiti reach a consensus before 7 February 2026. A failure to do so could lead to unwanted repercussions. Time is, therefore, of the essence,” the EPG warned.
Earlier this week, the Haitian-based non-government organization, the Civil Society Initiative (ICS), noted that the mandate of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) will end on February 7.
Haiti’s government has taken a key step towards holding long-delayed elections by creating a body to oversee the polls.
The nine-member provisional electoral council has been tasked with organising elections by February 2026. The last time Haitians voted someone into power was in 2016 when Haitians elected Jovenel Moïse of the Tèt Kale party as the head of State. Mise was later assassinated on July 7, 2021.
Since then, armed gangs have seized control of almost the entire capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as large swathes of rural areas of Haiti.
It said that Article 13 of the Agreement stipulates that the CPT cannot extend its mandate beyond February 7, 2026, noting that “unfortunately, the CPT has not fulfilled its mission within the allotted time.
It said that there is no question of leaving a power vacuum at the Presidency, particularly at a time when powerful criminal forces threaten the stability of the country and the very existence of the State.
“Therefore, the Civil Society Initiative (ICS) is taking the liberty of proposing to the Nation and its Leaders a framework document to initiate a consultation process aimed at finding a solution to this problem, as well as a means of restoring security and holding elections under the best possible conditions and within a reasonable timeframe.”
The ICS, in its document entitled “Proposal for Completing the Transition,” said that to avoid an institutional vacuum, a new political agreement is proposed to replace the CPT, given the lack of applicable constitutional provisions.
It says that the transition would be managed by a 17-member deliberative assembly, chaired by the current coordinator of the CPT and that its composition should include the current coordinator of the CPT, five representatives from political party coalitions, representatives from the business, labour, agricultural, and religious sectors, as well as women’s and human rights organizations as well as delegates from the Great North, the Great South, and the Diaspora.
The ICS said that the interim president “must be a competent and credible individual, drawn either from civil society or from high-ranking state institutions” and that the position of prime minister should be “between the current Prime Minister to ensure continuity of security matters) and a figure from civil society.
It said that to avoid any partisan bias in future elections, no member of a political party may run for President or Prime Minister.
The ICS is also proposing that the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected President should take place on February 7, 2027.
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