UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000101

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: OAS DISTRIBUTES OVER 60 PERCENT
OF ID CARDS

REF: PAP 40


1. According to OAS electoral chief Elizabeth Spehar, the OAS
has received all 3.5 million ID cards and had distributed
2,070,369 or 59 percent as of their most recent reports from
the field on January 11. Taking into account delayed
reporting of distribution outside of Port-au-Prince, Spehar
estimated that the OAS had actually distributed nearly 2.3
million or 65 percent of cards. Provinces previously far
behind in distribution (reftel) have begun to catch up, but
the smallest percentage of distributed cards, 30 percent is
still in the South East.


2. Spehar reports that the pace of distribution is too slow
to end distribution January 15, as previously planned, and
that the OAS will keep its centers open through January 21.
From January 22 - 24, the OAS will consolidate the cards at
the communal electoral bureaus (BECs), which, with pending
agreement from the CEP, will resume distribution from January
25 to February 6. Spehar said she is against leaving
distribution open on Election Day, February 7, in order to
minimize confusion. Spehar said the OAS would shift its
personnel to help in other areas when it closed its
distribution centers, leaving on 3 or 4 employees to assist
with distribution at the BECs. She will propose that the
remaining 500 or so OAS staff be integrated into the CEP, and
ultimately the permanent electoral council to manage the
ongoing civil registry, as called for in the electoral decree
of February 2005.
CARNEY