PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Haiti’s newly installed presidential council has promised security, justice, and economic recovery while constitutional reform and credible general elections also top the agenda, as the troubled Caribbean country seeks its way out of the crisis.

The nine-member Presidential Council of Transition (also known by its French acronym CPT), under heavy security measures, took office on Thursday and vowed to organise a national conference to build a large consensus on major issues facing the country.

A member of the CPT, Regine Abraham, who delivered a speech on behalf of the council, said the presidential council will launch five major projects.

“The restoration of public security; the holding of a national conference and of a constitutional reform; the organisation of democratic, credible and participative general elections,” were listed as priority areas by Abraham in a speech on Thursday.

“The restoration of the justice system, rule of law, and recognition of the fundamental rights of citizens, institutional and economic recovery,” were also named by Abraham among the council’s most important goals.

The representative of the council said the population in the metropolitan area of the capital Port-au-Prince,”has literally been taken hostage, which has exponentially worsened the living conditions of the people.

“We’ve witnessed the total collapse of our institutions and the bitter failure of a Government that has completely abandoned its responsibility to protect the population from criminal violence, and to offer needed public service to the population, and to manage the economy,” said Abraham.

According to Abraham, “In the face of the unprecedented crisis the entire population has acknowledged the urgent and pressing need for a vigorous handling of efforts necessary to pull the country out of the spiral of despair and destruction.

“It is in this context that political parties, civil society, private sector and diaspora organisations have, on April 3, reached a historic political agreement to direct the country toward the path of security, stability and economic recovery.”

Officials had initially planned to hold the whole inaugural ceremony at the presidential palace, situated within the Champ de Mars area where gangs and police special units have been exchanging fire for several weeks now.

Given the circumstances, officials later decided to organise a two-step inaugural ceremony. One, early morning, at the presidential palace where council members were sworn in, and the other at the Villa d’Accueil (Welcome Villa), a government building to which guests and the media were invited.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry and his Government officially resigned through a formal letter, and the new presidential council was appointed .

Michel Patrick Boisvert, who served as finance and economy minister in the Henry Administration, was named as prime minister.

Members of the diplomatic corps, several local politicians, and representatives of civil society organsations were in attendance.

Several of them saluted the move and hope that Haitian and international actors will continue to make and support efforts towards turning the situation around in Haiti.

“I believe it is the beginning of a recovered national unity, and this bodes well for the future,” leading politician Clarens Renois told Ca
ribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

“Many remain pessimistic about the final outcome of the current effort but we all need to cooperate in order to make sure it is a success,” said Renois.

“If this effort fails, it is the whole country that will pay for the consequences,” Renois said.