AMERICA/HAITI - Elections on October 26, the President thanks the Church for the mediation

Monday, 17 March 2014

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Port au Prince (Agenzia Fides) - After more than a month of tense dialogue, Cardinal Chibly Langlois, who has been invited to serve as a mediator in a national political crisis (see Fides 25/2/2014; 14/3/2014), announced on Friday evening, March 14th, that after some changes to the original text (see Fides 18/02/2014), Haitian President Michel Martelly, Senator Steven Benoit representing the President of the Senate (absent due to a trip) and representatives of political parties, signed the agreement reached thanks to inter-Haitian dialogue.
According to the note sent to Fides Agency by a local source, on signing the agreement, President Martelly expressed his satisfaction:"success was reached through dialogue, because the situation was not easy. I congratulate Parliament for its contribution. The first round of the elections will be held on October 26, 2014".
Senator Steven Benoit also expressed appreciation for the commitment of political leaders, who agreed to help solve the political problem of the country: "the agreement is not perfect, but it is a step towards change. It is an act of political responsibility, the demonstration of patriotic conscience and civic engagement", though deploring the absence of some leaders of opposition parties. Cardinal Langlois stressed the determination of those involved in the dialogue that agreed to sign the agreement: "Dialogue has allowed us to grow as a country, we came out stronger, there are no losers in the dialogue, there are only winners".
Although the text of the agreement is not ready yet, the important points are as follows: the transformation of the College of the Permanent Electoral Council (CTCEP) in the Provisional Electoral Council; possibility for everyone to change one of the three representatives in the Electoral Council; creation of elections for two-thirds of the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and local authorities; amendment of the electoral law; formation of an inclusive government. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 17/03/2014)