Haiti: Interim President Jocelerme Privert remains in office

The leadership of the Haitian parliament initiated consultations with the government as legislators failed to vote on whether or not to extend the term of Interim president Jocelerme Privert in office.

Privert’s term was due to come to an end on Tuesday last week under the so-called February 5 agreement that was brokered after then President Michel Martelly left office without a successor being elected.

Under the terms of the agreement, Parliament had to elect an interim president for a term of 120 days and confirm a consensus prime minister.

Continuation of the elections process to the second round was scheduled to take place on April 24 and the new president, elected by that process, would have been installed on May 14, 2016. But the election has not taken place and is now most likely to be held on October 9 and if a candidate does not receive the necessary amount of votes to prevent a second round, then that will take place on January 8, 2017 and the final election results will be published January 30, next year.

The October elections would also include voting for one-third of the Senate.

The Office of Haiti’s National Assembly, which is chaired by Cholzer Chancy, who is also President of the Chamber of Deputies, and Ronald Larèche, Vice-President of the Senate, said they were “conscious” of their responsibilities as co-custodian of national sovereignty and have “initiated consultations with the executive in order to rule and fix the end of the mandate of the Provisional President of the Republic”.

They said they were also taking all necessary safeguards to protect the state institutions, “the public peace and the general interest.

Lareche and 10 other senators issued a statement stating that they recognize Privert and his interim administration until the Parliament decides his fate. -(CMC)