Haiti’s Martelly Concludes Meeting with MINUSTAH, Says Elections a Priority

Above: Haitian President Michel Martelly (Photo: OP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haitian President Michel Martelly said Monday the organization of legislative and municipal elections remains a priority for his administration, once the selection of Foreign Minister Laurent Lamothe as the country’s new Prime Minister is ratified by Parliament.

Martelly was speaking at a press conference in Port-au-Prince following a meeting with MINUSTAH Chief Mariano Fernandez.

Martelly said he notified Fernandez of new provisions on a range of security topics in Haiti, including his plans to address the former Armed Forces of Haiti soldiers who have been occupying old army sites in the country.

The President said that looming legislative and municipal elections in the country were at the forefront of his agenda.

“We are moving toward elections,” Martelly said. “It is an obligation and a right.”

The President said he wants to make sure that elections are inclusive, and a commission is currently working on establishing a timetable for elections following Lamothe’s ratification.

That may prove difficult, however, given that Haiti’s Parliament rejected two of Martelly’s choices for Prime Minister before finally approving Garry Conille in October.

Conille announced his resignation Feb. 24.