HAITI ELECTIONS: SUPPORT COMMITTEE MEMBERS RESIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 002792 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD WHA ALSO FOR USOAS S/CRS FOR MICHELLE SCHIMP TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2010 TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: SUPPORT COMMITTEE MEMBERS RESIGN REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 2774 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Douglas M. Griffiths for reasons 1.4(b). ¶1. (U) Citing "lack of support from the executive (branch)," the six members of the electoral support committee submitted a collective letter of resignation to the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH),the Council of Wise Persons, and the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) on November 4 and made their resignation public on November 7. Prime Minister Latortue had formed the committee on September 30 in an effort to bolster the capacity of the CEP to organize the coming elections. As noted in the letter of resignation, the IGOH had never legally established the role or authority of the support committee. ¶2. (C) Comment: Per reftels, post, along with the rest of the Core Group and many informed Haitians, opposed the formation of the support committee from the start and subsequently argued for its dissolution. Ostensibly created to improve the performance of the nine-member CEP, the addition of yet another committee on top only worsened the already dysfunctional electoral structure. The members' resignation is a welcome decision, effectively undoing the Prime Minister's original mistake. Their lengthy resignation letter is an attempt to absolve themselves of any responsibility for an eventual failure of the electoral process while laying any blame on the PM's doorstep. CARNEY