Haiti’s Martelly Announces Provisional Electoral Council

Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti’s long-delayed elections are still far off, but the country took a step toward holding them Tuesday with the publication of the new Provisional Electoral Council.

The new council is a renaming and reorganization of the former transitional college of the Permanent Electoral Council, which had been appointed over a year ago.

The list of members was officially published Tuesday by Haiti President Michel Martelly, who was set to address the nation on Tuesday evening.

The council was part of the recently-signed El Rancho accord between the country’s branches of government. It is tasked with overseeing the vote.

The council includes nine members, with three from each of the branches of government.

For the legislative branch, the members are Marie Cluny Dumay Miracles, Pierre Simon Georges and Nehemy Joseph.

For the judicial branch, the members are Applys Felix, Carole Floreal Duclervil and Leopold Berlanger.

For the executive branch, the members are Margareth Saint-Louis, Chantale Raymond and Frizto Canton, according to the statement released Tuesday by the National Palace.

The United Nations and much of the international community has been urging Haiti to hold its long-delayed legislative and municipal elections, which had been slated to take place at the end of 2011.