PREVAL ON SECURITY, POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT: "I

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001279

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS USAID FOR LAC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR ETRD EAID HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL ON SECURITY, POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT: "I
FOCUS ON THE BIG PICTURE"

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.5 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary and comment. I met with President Preval
early morning July 11 to discuss the current security
environment, political issues, and his development
priorities. I also pressed him on Haiti's position regarding
Venezuela's bid for the UNSC seat (reported septel.) Preval
contends Haiti's security problems are criminal, rather than
political, in nature. He opted not to discuss the matter in
any detail, saying security is the government's (i.e, the
Prime Minister's job. The President's job is to keep his
eyes firmly fixed on the big picture, by which he meant
police and judicial reform, as well as economic development.
He downplayed the threat of violent demonstrations by FL job
seekers, saying that he is open to peaceful protest. He said
they may have a case for unjust dismissal or at very least
financial compensation. The president's immediate development
priority is roads. He reiterated the importance that he
attaches to the passage of the HOPE trade bill. Preval's big
picture comment notwithstanding, his declared lack of
engagement on current security issues is notable, although we
do know that behind the scenes he has been active, sending
envoys to Martissant and meeting with Organizations
Populaires (OPs) who are calling for demonstrations. We do
hope that his fixation on roads and his personal engagement
in the GOH's Donors Meeting preparations do not presage a
late attempt to skew Haiti's priorities in a new direction
before the July 25 meeting here. End summary and comment.


2. (C) I met with President Preval early morning July 11 to
discuss the current security environment, his development
priorities, and current political events. Mentioning the
previous weekend's violence in Martissant, I asked if he
believed that the government would get a handle on security
in the capital. Preval said that the government will bring
the situation under control,although it will take time. He
claimed that the violence was criminal rather than political
in nature, and thus could be controlled and eliminated
through appropriate police and MINUSTAH action. He is more
"focused on the big picture": reforming the police, improving
the judiciary and giving Haitians a better life. If the
underlying problems are not addressed, dealing with gangs or
kidnappers in Martissant or elsewhere won't matter, he said.
His immediate work plan to solve those so-called underlying
problems: building roads, bringing electricity into homes and
businesses, collecting garbage, maintaining fiscal
discipline, and ending crime and corruption in the ports.


3. (C) Central to any improvement in the security
environment is profesionalization of the police. Preval
pointed to his decision to keep Mario Andresol as HNP
Director General as a major step forward. Andresol will
reform the HNP and get rid of those in the police who have
been involved in violence, crime and kidnapping. Vetting of
police officers will start shortly. Preval commended Andresol
for his work with MINUSTAH, work that will pay off in the
long run. But police work isn't effective without a strong
judiciary which will end criminal impunity. The new Minister
of Justice, Preval said, has been instructed to canvass the
international community for immediate support to rationalize
the legal system. It is time to get rid of judges who let
criminals go, he added. Preval said that he will shortly name
Luc h Eucher Joseph, former Inspector General of the HNP, as
Secretary of State for Public Security to coordinate the

SIPDIS
GOH's response to the violence. (Note. That nomination was
indeed announced on July 12. End note.) I underscored my
concern about the recent up-tick in violence, particularly
the spate of kidnapping which has directly affected the Amcit
community here. I added that whatever the new government
hopes to do to bring in investment and tourism will be
undermined, if not totally defeated, if it does not act
swiftly to deal with the kidnapping issue.


4. (C) Although he agreed that there are some fears that
there will be violent demonstrations for Aristide's birthday
July 15, Preval downplayed concerns that any gathering will
get out of hand. He claims that the FL currently has little
ability to mobilize the masses. Peaceful demonstrations are
certainly welcome. He expects that frustrated FL party
members seeking re-employment may join demonstrations on July

15. These individuals, he believes, have a legitimate case
when they press for re-employment rights. Although some of
these individuals are party militants who did little, if

anything, to earn their salaries, Preval claims that others
were had been at their jobs for some time, in the police,
education, and health sectors. Fired by the Interim
Government, they received neither their final paycheck nor
their severance pay, if so entitled. It was up to his
government to make appropriate restitution. The GOH would not
be blackmailed, Preval contended, but it did owe legitimate
employees their benefits. GOH officials estimate that the
amount owed in back salaries is approximately 280 million
gourdes, or USD 7 million. If the GOH doesn't address the
matter quickly, Preval said, it will be difficult to move the
country forward.


5. (C) Preval believes that the government's social
appeasement program (SAP) is key to Haiti's future. He looks
forward to having the opportunity to discuss it in detail
with the donors at the July 25 session and is spending his
time at the Presidency prepping for the Donors Meeting.
Roads loom large in Preval's vision of the SAP (and, we fear,
for the Donors Meeting.) Waving a map of Haiti with a
partially completed coastal route outlined in yellow, Preval
said that economist Jeffrey Sachs has convinced him that
improving Haiti's miserable road system is essential to rural
and agricultural development. Without better roads, investors
will shy away from the tourism sector. Preval said that the
French have agreed to finish a leg of the national road out
of Hinche. He intends to press other donors for similar
commitments. I observed that the USG has important programs
which contribute both directly and indirectly to rural
development and we support other key SAP priorities,
including education and health. We will leave roads to the
donors whose programs are better suited to them.


6. (C) Aid programs aside, Preval again argued for immediate
USG support for HOPE trade legislation. He noted that trade
packages for Oman and Peru are going forward on the Hill.
Neither, he contends, have the needs that Haiti has. "I would
rather", he claimed, "give up all your aid money next year,
if I could have HOPE." Preval said that he believes HOPE
would create 15,000 jobs in a few months and could eventually
create more than 100,000 jobs in two-three years. (Note.
These figures are exaggerated, according to what industry
sources tell us. End note.)


7. (C) Preval was vocal and energetic during the meeting,
although he did say that he was pleased his traveling days
were over for a while. He shared little detail of of his
visit to Europe or CARICOM, except to praise the GOF
commitment to roadbuilding at length and note that the
meeting with French President Chirac was a very warm one. He
has agreed to attend the Francophonie Organization meeting
later in the year. Preval fussed at having moved back into
the presidential palace two days previously, a place he
assoicates with unhappy times during his first
administration. He claims he will return to Ashton House
within the month. I asked about his concerns about personal
security which had heretofore kept him up the hill at Ashton
House. Preval said that many of the palace security detail
had been replaced and his own security team is in place. Not
much else is: his office was bare and when I arrived at 8 am,
there was not a staffer or a secretary to be found.
SANDERSON