Caribbean & Central America - April 2014 (ISSN 1741-4458)

Last month, Haiti’s executive and legislative branches of government and the political parties signed a deal which sets the date for long overdue elections to replace 10 of the 30 senators whose terms expired in May 2012 as well as municipal officials. The accord, which signals a breakthrough in the impasse between the two branches of power (stemming from President Michel Martelly’s lack of presence in the legislature, where his Repons Peyizan has just three seats), has been hailed as a historic step by members of the international community such as Sandra Honoré, the head of the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (Minustah).

Focussing on three key areas – governance, elections and the constitution – the deal is the fruit of a process which began on 24 January 2014 and was brokered by Bishop Chibly Langlois. It not only sets the date for the elections “preferably by 26 October”, but also states that elections must take place for another third of the senate and the entire 99-member lower chamber, whose seats were up for re-election this year. A United Nations press release notes that other provisions include: the “amendment of the Electoral Law to confer the appropriate mandate upon the electoral council; replacement of up to one member of the electoral council by each of the three powers of the State; and a cabinet reshuffle to include individuals drawn from interested political parties”.

As well as establishing a commission to comprise representatives of the executive and legislative branches, leaders of political parties and other observer groups, to look at introducing further (unspecified) changes to the 1987 constitution, the accord also addresses what was the previous bone of contention between the legislature and Martelly. Namely, the latter’s refusal to publish the names of 10 new members of the superior court of auditors, Court Supérieure des Comptes et du Contentieux Administratif (CSC/CA), which is tasked with auditing government accounts. The agreement calls for a “resolution without delay” regarding the publication of the list.

Cabinet reshuffle

President Michel Martelly has already complied with one of the provisions of the deal – a cabinet reshuffle to “open up the government”- a gesture towards the opposition. On 2 April Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe announced that nearly half of the 23-member cabinet had been changed - the third major government shake-up since Martelly took office in May 2011. Key changes include: Finance (where Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie replaces Wilson Laleau); Interior (Secretary of State for Public Security Réginald Delva replaces David Basile; Foreign Affairs (Duly Brutus, Haiti’s long-time ambassador to the Organization of American States, replaces Pierre-Richard Casimir); Education (economist Nesmy Manigat replaces Vanneur Pierre); Defence (Ret. armed forces major, Lener Renaud, replaces Rodolphe Joazile); Youth & Sports (Ret. armed forces colonel, Himler Rébu, replaces Magalie Adolphe Racine); Culture (Monique Rocourt, director general of the national heritage preservation institute, replaces Josette Darguste); Communications (Rudy Hérivaux replaces Josette Darguste, who was in charge of the portfolio on an interim basis); and the Ministry in charge of Haitians living abroad (Miami consul general, Francois Guillaume, fills a vacancy left by Bernice Fidelia, who quit ten months ago after a senate investigation into her nationality).

The local media is hailing the appointments of Rébu and Hérivaux in particular as evidence of Martelly’s efforts to be more inclusive. A former senator for Fanmi Lavalas -the party of former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide (1991; 1994-1996; 2001-2004)- Hérivaux is a leader of the centre-left Konfyans party, which lacks a legislative presence. Meanwhile Rébu is a retired colonel who founded the Grand Rassemblement pour l'évolution d'Haïti (Greh) political party, which also has no presence in the legislature. While previously Rébu has been a vocal critic of Martelly, sceptics suggest this may have been rhetoric to press for position.

• Carmelle Jean-Marie
  The appointment of Marie Carmelle Jean-Marie as finance minister also attracted attention. Jean-Marie previously held the post in 2012-2013 and was well respected at home and abroad, however, she quit in April 2013, citing a lack of support for her commitment to reform and good governance.