DEPUTIES SELECT JEAN-JACQUES FOR A SECOND TERM

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000088 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOMALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA SUBJECT: DEPUTIES SELECT JEAN-JACQUES FOR A SECOND TERM REF: A. PAP 59 ¶B. 06 PAP 2122 Classified By: Thomas C. Tighe for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) The chamber of deputies, stunning outside observers, reelected Pierre Eric Jean-Jacques (Lespwa - Delmas, West) on January 18 to lead the lower house. Lespwa deputy Jean Delouis Felix, reportedly Prime Minister Alexis' preferred candidate, led by 34 votes to Jean-Jacques' 32 in the first round. Frantz Robert Monde, the consensus front runner in the days prior to the vote (ref A) garnered only 17 votes and reportedly agreed to support Jean-Jacques in order to thwart Alexis. Jean-Jacques, presenting himself as an independent candidate, won the second round with 46 votes to Felix's 38. The bureau will have three new deputies; Jean Marcel Lumerant (Alyans - Grand-Goave, West) as vice-president, Joseph Lorius (MPH - L'Acul du Nord, North) and Guy Gerard Georges (UNION - Torbeck/Chantal, South) as first and second secretary, respectively. Maxeau Balthazar (FUSION - Belle Anse, Southeast) was reelected to his post as treasurer. ¶2. (C) Comment: As reported reftel, despite his lack of leadership, inability to build a consensus, and reported mismanagement of both personnel and funds in his previous term as president of the chamber, Jean-Jacques remains the chamber's president (ref B). His status as nobody's choice may have saved him. Rumors have swirled since Saturday that Prime Minister Alexis held several sessions with parliamentarians to head off a Monde victory. USAID's implementing partner for parliamentary assistance reports that "money may have come from the White House on the Hill." (referring to the Primature, the office of the Prime Minister.) MINUSTAH's parliamentary expert claimed that "money is flowing between the hands of the deputies" for votes. In the end, it appears what was left of the Monde bloc preferred the devil they knew to Alexis' pick. End Comment. TIGHE