PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — The Haitian Government says no decree regarding the appointment of members of the Transitional President Council (CPT) has been published in the official newspaper
Le Moniteur.

In a statement denying the publication, the Ministry of Communication said that contrary to the rumours circulating on social media that a “supposedly authentic” decree had been published, it wanted to inform the population in general and the Haitian press in particular”, that the official newspaper Le Moniteur has not published any decree relating to the appointment of members of the CPT.

“The Government is working to make these appointments as quickly as possible and in the best-possible conditions,” the statement said.

Media reports here said Sandy Alexis, justice of the peace of Pétion-ville, had sought to meet with members of the media in a bid to verify the authenticity of the document being circulated.

But the reports said he had been rebuffed by the media.

Earlier, the CPT members called for the council to be installed “as soon as possible”, while accusing the Ariel Henry Government of seeking to introduce “major modifications” that could further stall the process of bringing about peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

In a statement, the political, economic, religious and civil society organisations said they also wanted the council to be installed in “the form and content defined in the Political Agreement for a Peaceful and Orderly Transition of April 3, 2024”.

They said they are “deeply shocked” upon learning of the decree published last Friday by the Henry Government, and “denounce the introduction of major modifications which distort the consensual project of a two-headed executive carried by the Presidential Transitional Council, consensus patiently and laboriously built between stakeholders from March 11, 2024”.

Prime Minister Henry, who was sworn in as prime minister with the backing of the international community shortly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, has already indicated that he would step down once the CPT is officially installed and a new prime minister sworn in ahead of fresh elections.

Henry is stranded in Puerto Rico, having been unable to return home from Kenya where he witnessed the signing of an agreement that would allow the African country to lead a United Nations Security Council-sanctioned Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to restore peace and security in Haiti.

The council is to be made up of seven voting members selected across Haiti’s political spectrum, and two non-voting observers.

Last weekend both the UN Secretary General António Guterres and the 15-member Caricom grouping welcomed the establishment of the CPT.