PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Haitian politician and lawyer, André Michel, says there is a need to restore “ a minimum level of security” in Haiti before elections are held in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

Michel, who in the past had announced his intention of contesting the post of president, said in a statement ahead of the arrival of an Organization of American States (OAS) delegation that also includes the Caricom Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett, “that without a minimum level of security, armed gangs will win the elections”.

OAS Secretary General, Albert R Ramdin on Sunday led a three-day visit of a high-level delegation of regional and international partners to Haiti. He said that the purpose in coming to Haiti together is not simply to demonstrate solidarity, but to continue strengthening coordination and help deliver results in security, elections, institutional strengthening, humanitarian needs and long-term development.

Last week, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said “the elections will take place this year, no matter what” as the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) announced the publication of the final list of approved political groups.

The CEP has scheduled the first round of long-awaited presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum, for December 13 this year, marking the first time Haitians will be casting ballots since 2016 when President Jovenel Moise was elected.

Moise was later assassinated on July 7, 2021.

In his statement, Michel, who in the past has claimed to be a human rights and anti-corruption lawyer, said Haiti should take advantage of the presence of the OAS/Caricom delegation “to reiterate the need to restore a minimum level of security before the elections are held in Haiti.

“Unblocking the national highways remains the fundamental condition for holding the elections,”  he said, adding “we  cannot hold elections only to hand power back to armed gangs and their political allies.

“The international community and the government must assume their responsibilities. I will register to vote in Port-au-Prince this week,”  he said, urging his supporters, sympathisers, to do the same.

“Security is essential for a successful electoral process. The transition has gone on for too long. It must end,” said Michel.

Meanwhile, media reports in the country, say Germany wants to contribute to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), approved by the United Nations Security Council. According to the reports, the Germans are willing to make air transport capacity available in the short term to the GSF which wll include military officials from Chad, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Guatemala, and Côte d’Ivoire.

The reports said that Germany is to transport equipment and supplies for troops operating in Haiti in the coming weeks.

According to the deployment schedule, during the month of August,  the objective is to reach an intermediate threshold of 2,000 to 2,500 soldiers and police officers on the ground with the arrival of the second half of the Chadian contingent, complementing the promised target of 1,500 soldiers and the first specialized units from Sri Lanka.

During September, there is expected to be a massive deployment of forces from Latin America and Asia to extend the operational area beyond Port-au-Prince with contingents exppected from Guatemala, El Salvador and Côte d’Ivoire.

The tactical priority will be to launch targeted intelligence-led operations in the Artibonite department and strengthening the protection of humanitarian corridors.

The authorities here are hoping to have a 100 per cent deployment of the 5,500 operational military and police personnel as well as 50 civilian advisors by October with the arrival of the main contingent from Bangladesh and police forces from the Bahamas and Jamaica.