Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PORTAUPRINCE2893
2005-11-23 13:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

ELECTIONS HICCUP EMBLEMATIC OF LACK OF STRATEGIC

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM HA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002893 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS HICCUP EMBLEMATIC OF LACK OF STRATEGIC
PLANNING


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002893

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA
SUBJECT: ELECTIONS HICCUP EMBLEMATIC OF LACK OF STRATEGIC
PLANNING



1. Summary: The PM hosted a meeting November 21 to discuss ID
cards and voter lists, which became a forum for the
international community and Interim Government of Haiti
(IGOH) to discuss the electoral calendar. Roughly 90,000
voters are not yet included on the nationwide list of voters
and between 150,000 and 400,000 additional voters have not
been assigned to legislative districts. Though CEP Director
General Jacques Bernard said the problems should present
little more than a minor bump in elections process, they must
be resolved immediately or they could impact the electoral
calendar. (Bernard told the Charge late 22 November that the
90,000 have been added to the data base.) The Interim
Government of Haiti was adamant that the first round must be
December 27 and offered five senior government staff to
assist the CEP. The Prime Minister said new CEP bylaws were
published in the state newspaper November 17, but post
sources inside the paper say the government is holding
publication of the edition. CEP sources note unhappiness
with the rules that did not receive full CEP approval. End
Summary


2. In a meeting November 21, ostensibly to discuss voter ID
cards, the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH); Provisional
Electoral Council (CEP); international elections
implementors; the Charge; and the heads of the Canadian,
French, and EU missions discussed ID cards, voter lists, and
the electoral calendar. The Prime Minister reported the
recent discovery that some 90,000 registrants have not been
incorporated into the OAS list of voters and another 150,000
to 400,000 urban voters have not been assigned voting
centers. Bernard said the realization would prove nothing
more than a minor wrinkle in electoral preparations if
treated appropriately. As a result, the CEP has asked for,
and received, an extension until the evening of November 22
to finalize the electoral calendar. Infact, the CEP missed
the deadline and will be meeting on the question at 1000 23
November. Bernard told the Charge late November 22 that all
90,000 names had been entered into the data base during the
day, eliminating this issue as a possible element of further
delay.


3. Bernard, MINUSTAH electoral chief LeChevallier and CEP

President Mathurin explained the two fold mechanism by which
the unfinished voter lists could impact the electoral
calendar. In order for the printer to begin list production,
all voters must be assigned to a district. The Haitian
printer has said he can print all of the voter lists in 16
days, however his contract gives him 30, which does not
include combining the lists with the voting kit for each
site. In addition, the three Dominican ballot-printing firms
need a final tally of the number of ballots they will need
for each race, which will not be complete until all voters
are assigned to their districts. The printers have other
contracts lined up and, according to LeChevallier, have a
window to print the Haitian ballots which could close if
there are further delays. Bernard, LeChevallier and Mathurin
insisted that creatively juggling the printing could still
preserve December 27, but said the CEP would need to create
technical fixes and/or work arounds for the problems.


4. The Prime Minister and Brunache insisted that the election
dates are already fixed in the eyes of the international
community and that the CEP, MINUSTAH and OAS must do
everything they can to respect December 27. The PM
vociferously announced that should the CEP request specific
assistance, five experienced government officials were
standing by to bolster the CEP,s administrative team.
(Note: After the meeting Bernard took a list of specific
needs to the PM. End Note)


5. UN SRSG Valdes agreed with the CEP plan to fix the voter
list inadequacies, but highlighted the CEP Director General's
continued lack of executive authority to run elections. The
PM circulated the text of new CEP bylaws, which, he said,
were established by executive order November 17. The new
bylaws (septel) eliminate the two-committee (executive and
operational) structure originally proposed by the now
disbanded CEP Support Committee and give the Director General
significantly more power to administer the process. Though
the Prime Minister said the new bylaws were included in the
November 17 Moniteur, the official government newspaper,
sources at the paper said the government is holding the
edition because it also contains the executive order on
public financing for political parties, and the IGOH does not
yet have the 55 million gourdes it promised to divide among
the parties. CEP sources note unhappiness among some of the
members because the entire body did not approve the internal
rules. This matter is said to be on the agenda for the 10
a.m. 23 November meeting as well.


6. Comment: The discovery of additional and unassigned voters
will not delay the process alone. However, the last-minute
realization is symptomatic of the lack of strategic planning
in the electoral effort. Implementors are unable to look
more than a few days ahead to assess problems, which has
increased the likelihood of last minute logistical failures.
CARNEY