Interim President meets with CEP ahead of second round of balloting
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Haiti’s Interim President Jocelerme Privert, has held talks with officials of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) on the November 20 presidential and legislative council elections.
The meeting held at the National Palace late Tuesday was also attended by Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles, Sandra Honoré, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Léopold Berlanger, President of the Electoral Council and the Minister of Justice Camille Jr Edouard.
Representatives of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) were also present.
Privert told the meeting that as head of state “it is my duty to be informed of the steps taken in relation to the inevitable second round of elections, which will enable Haiti to renew its political staff and the institutions to recover all the legitimacy recognised by the Constitution”.
Despite the Electoral Court allowing for a review of the preliminary results of the presidential elections, handing a lifeline to three political parties that have been challenging the victory of businessman Jovenelle Moise, political observers do not believe that there would be a second round of balloting to elect a replacement for Michel Martelly, who left office in February.
Moise, 47, had obtained 55 per cent of the votes cast during the first round of voting
But the second round of legislative council voting is scheduled for January 29 next year.
“We welcome the good collaboration between the CEP and President Privert, as well as with the Government. This allowed us to have an ongoing dialogue on all issues that pertained to the electoral process and which involved the Government,” said Berlanger.
During the meeting Honoré, referred to various difficulties encountered in security operations including the deployment of the Haitian police and the transportation of electoral material.
A statement issued after the meeting noted that the issues discussed related to financial resources, planning, resource mobilisation, nationalisation of funding, steps to be taken to reach the second round and the proclamation of the final results of the presidential election.
