Haiti’s CPT to be sworn in on Thursday

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Haiti, CMC – Guyana’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd, Wednesday welcomed the announcement that members of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) in Haiti will be sworn into office on Thursday.

“I think it is a reflection of the leadership of his Excellency, the President (Dr. Irfaan Ali) as chair of CARICOM, he put a lot of effort into mobilising the other leaders within the Community and empowering EPG (Eminent Persons Group) and liaising with the stakeholders within Haiti.

“As you are aware, we started off this process by ensuring that it is led by the people of Haiti and it is for the people of Haiti to determine now their path towards harmonisation, peace and security in the country,” Todd said.

The installation ceremony, which was originally scheduled for the National Palace, will now take place at the Villa d’Accueil (Musseau) at 10.00 am (local time).

Media reports said that the daily attacks in the Champs de Mars area by criminal gangs and the need to keep the bandits out of the perimeter were the reasons behind the change in venue.

Following the inauguration, the CPT will proceed to the election of the President-coordinator of the Transition Council, with at least four people, Louis Gérald Gilles, Lesly Voltaire, Edgard Leblanc Fils and Fritz Alphonse Jean being among the names earmarked for the position.

Todd said there has been “very good progress so far and it is now to build into all of that the sustainability” even as he acknowledged “we still have to have to get to an election so that the people of Haiti could elect a government of their choice to bring economic stability to the nation.

“A lot of work was put into this initiative and we have to applaud the stakeholders within Haiti for pulling this together as well. You know it is a very complex environment given their history, but I think the people of Haiti want a better future and they demonstrated that with the establishment of the Presidential Transitional Council,” Todd said..

“So I think going forward there is optimism in the air. CARICOM will remain very much involved. President Ali’s tenure comes to an end in June and he has started a process so that the incoming chair could build on.

“As a country, Guyana remains very committed to the advancement of the people of Haiti and the President has made it clear that the advancement of Guyana is also the prosperity of the people of the Caribbean Community, which includes Haiti”.

He said that the Haitians are getting the support needed and they have a “model which they designed and fashioned with the support of the CARICOM Community…and I think we are on the right path going forward”.

Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr. Ariel 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 the 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 Mission (MSS) to restore peace and security in Haiti.

Earlier this month, both the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping welcomed the establishment of the CPT.

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