Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PORTAUPRINCE1524
2007-09-18 16:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:
"FUSION" CHAIRMAN GILLES PESSIMISTIC ABOUT
VZCZCXRO0818 PP RUEHQU DE RUEHPU #1524 2611633 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181633Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6852 INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1636 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1454 RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001524
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: "FUSION" CHAIRMAN GILLES PESSIMISTIC ABOUT
POLITICAL FUTURE
Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson. Reason: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b)
, (d)
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001524
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: "FUSION" CHAIRMAN GILLES PESSIMISTIC ABOUT
POLITICAL FUTURE
Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson. Reason: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b)
, (d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) "Fusion" Chairman Serge Gilles is increasingly worried
that the lack of strong political party structures has made
Haiti's parliament dysfunctional, and that President Preval
has no desire to work constructively with parliament, boding
badly for Haiti's political future. Many Haitian political
leaders and observers share this view but offer no solutions.
End Summary.
2. (C) In a morning coffee with the Ambassador September 14,
Fusion Chairman Serge Gilles opined that the legislative and
executive branches are increasingly dysfunctional, impeding
the consolidation of Haiti's democracy. He identified
weakness of political parties as the key defect. With
senators and deputies subject to no party discipline,
President Preval has no way to muster a parliamentary
majority to pass legislation. Legislators increasingly act
impulsively and irresponsibly. Aware they have accomplished
little since their election in 2005, and sensing pressure
from increasingly dissatisfied constituents, deputies and
senators now see their main role as attacking the government
and revoking government ministers, and concentrating on their
own re-election. Gilles did not spare his own party Fusion
and its deputies and Senators from this criticism. He
complained that President Preval is part of the problem, as
he considers political parties unimportant and makes little
effort to work constructively with parliament. Gilles also
lamented that few in the international community recognize
political parties as a key institution in democratic
development.
3. (C) Gilles also directed his dysfunctionality argument at
the GOH and the President. He claimed Prime Minister Alexis
and most of his cabinet are in a "panic" that they could be
convoked before parliament any day and felled by a vote of no
confidence (Note: This is a relatively simple procedure
under Haiti's 1987 constitution: a motion to convoke
ministers for a vote of no confidence requires the vote of
just five deputies or senators. End note.) Culture Minister
Elie suffered this fate in July and there are now rumblings
in the Chamber of Deputies against Minister of Public Works
Frantz Verella. President Preval allows his ministers no
autonomy to direct their ministries, micro-manages their
portfolios, and sets up various "commissions" that compete
with, rather than complement, the work of cabinet ministries,
according to Gilles.
4. (C) This dysfunctionality spanning two branches of
government, said Gilles, is coming to a head on the elections
issue. The government should never have allowed the
situation to develop where this late in the game, it is
making no preparations to carry out constitutionally-mandated
elections for one-third of the Senate, or for the indirect
elections for municipal and department-level councils, that
would then select a Permanent Electoral Council (CEP).
5. (C) The only remedy Gilles offered concerned his own
party: he would convene periodic "retreats" of party leaders
and Fusion deputies and Senators in an effort to improve
coordination and cooperation between elected representatives
and party management.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Gilles is absolutely correct that parliamentarians
lack party discipline. The Fusion leadership frequently
purports to be one of the few parties even attempting to
exercise control over its members of parliament. Gilles'
analysis is in no way new: he reiterated rumblings common
among Haitian political leaders that parliament is out of
control and Preval is acting unilaterally. As Gilles said,
chinks in the GOH armor are beginning to show more clearly as
the issue of elections becomes increasingly problematic.
SANDERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: "FUSION" CHAIRMAN GILLES PESSIMISTIC ABOUT
POLITICAL FUTURE
Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson. Reason: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b)
, (d)
Summary
--------------
1. (C) "Fusion" Chairman Serge Gilles is increasingly worried
that the lack of strong political party structures has made
Haiti's parliament dysfunctional, and that President Preval
has no desire to work constructively with parliament, boding
badly for Haiti's political future. Many Haitian political
leaders and observers share this view but offer no solutions.
End Summary.
2. (C) In a morning coffee with the Ambassador September 14,
Fusion Chairman Serge Gilles opined that the legislative and
executive branches are increasingly dysfunctional, impeding
the consolidation of Haiti's democracy. He identified
weakness of political parties as the key defect. With
senators and deputies subject to no party discipline,
President Preval has no way to muster a parliamentary
majority to pass legislation. Legislators increasingly act
impulsively and irresponsibly. Aware they have accomplished
little since their election in 2005, and sensing pressure
from increasingly dissatisfied constituents, deputies and
senators now see their main role as attacking the government
and revoking government ministers, and concentrating on their
own re-election. Gilles did not spare his own party Fusion
and its deputies and Senators from this criticism. He
complained that President Preval is part of the problem, as
he considers political parties unimportant and makes little
effort to work constructively with parliament. Gilles also
lamented that few in the international community recognize
political parties as a key institution in democratic
development.
3. (C) Gilles also directed his dysfunctionality argument at
the GOH and the President. He claimed Prime Minister Alexis
and most of his cabinet are in a "panic" that they could be
convoked before parliament any day and felled by a vote of no
confidence (Note: This is a relatively simple procedure
under Haiti's 1987 constitution: a motion to convoke
ministers for a vote of no confidence requires the vote of
just five deputies or senators. End note.) Culture Minister
Elie suffered this fate in July and there are now rumblings
in the Chamber of Deputies against Minister of Public Works
Frantz Verella. President Preval allows his ministers no
autonomy to direct their ministries, micro-manages their
portfolios, and sets up various "commissions" that compete
with, rather than complement, the work of cabinet ministries,
according to Gilles.
4. (C) This dysfunctionality spanning two branches of
government, said Gilles, is coming to a head on the elections
issue. The government should never have allowed the
situation to develop where this late in the game, it is
making no preparations to carry out constitutionally-mandated
elections for one-third of the Senate, or for the indirect
elections for municipal and department-level councils, that
would then select a Permanent Electoral Council (CEP).
5. (C) The only remedy Gilles offered concerned his own
party: he would convene periodic "retreats" of party leaders
and Fusion deputies and Senators in an effort to improve
coordination and cooperation between elected representatives
and party management.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Gilles is absolutely correct that parliamentarians
lack party discipline. The Fusion leadership frequently
purports to be one of the few parties even attempting to
exercise control over its members of parliament. Gilles'
analysis is in no way new: he reiterated rumblings common
among Haitian political leaders that parliament is out of
control and Preval is acting unilaterally. As Gilles said,
chinks in the GOH armor are beginning to show more clearly as
the issue of elections becomes increasingly problematic.
SANDERSON