DISPUTES OVER CABINET EVAPORATING PARLIAMENTARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001179 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA SUBJECT: DISPUTES OVER CABINET EVAPORATING PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT FOR PIERRE-LOUIS GOVERNMENT REF: PORT AU PRINCE 1093 Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Anticipated support for Michele Pierre-Louis in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies appears to be unraveling as President Preval sets aside more and more cabinet posts for incumbent ministers and nominees of political parties. Though the Parliament votes solely on Pierre-Louis' general policies, the votes also acts as an implicit approval of her Cabinet of Ministers. President Preval agreed prior to Pierre-Louis' ratification to include in the cabinet representatives of the eight political parties represented in the Senate (reftel),and has subsequently decided to conserve at least eight Ministers from the current cabinet. Pierre-Louis told the Ambassador August 19 that as of August 17, she had secured the support of 16 of 18 senators, enough to approve her general policy. However, as news leaked out of Preval's decision to keep in place several current Ministers, some senators rescinded their pledges of support. Additionally, according to MINUSTAH sources, Senators Rudy Heriveaux (Fanmi Lavalas) and Youri Latortue (Artibonite in Action),meeting with the President August 18 as envoys of their respective political parties, emerged at odds with the President over which cabinet positions will be designated for their parties. Senator Heriveaux lamented to the Ambassador August 19 that Preval had offered the Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad to Lavalas, which Heriveaux found unacceptable. Pierre-Louis flatly stated that she has been told that unless the President reverses himself, she will not pass the Senate. ¶2. (C) In the Chamber of Deputies, the majority Cooperative of Progressive Parliamentarians (CPP) bloc, as well as the smaller Union of Parliamentarians for National Development (UPDN),were prepared to support Pierre-Louis, giving her an easy majority in the lower chamber. However, Preval had informed the CPP he would keep just four current Ministers, and his change of heart has endangered her support in the Chamber of Deputies over the last few days. ¶3. (C) Pierre-Louis stated that Preval would like to keep in place Minister of Finance Daniel Dorsainvil, Minister of Interior Paul Antoine Bien-Aime, Minister of Tourism Patrick Delatour, Minister of Women's Affairs Marie Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue, Minister of Environment Jean-Marie Claude Germain, Minister of Parliamentary Relations Joseph Jasmin, and Minister of Public Works Frantz Verella, and also plans to promote Acting Minister of Agriculture Joanas Gue to full-time Minister. Pierre-Louis disagreed with some of Preval's choices and noted that some of the Ministers are unpopular with the Senate. ¶4. (C) Pierre-Louis told the Ambassador August 19 that she was preparing for a 1700L meeting with President Preval, which she declared would be her final discussion with the President on the issue of his decision to keep current Ministers in office. Pierre-Louis requested the Ambassador call President Preval to emphasize the importance of moving forward from the current political impasse. Pierre-Louis said she cannot move forward with the business of governing until her general policies were approved by Parliament. ¶5. (C) Comment: Pierre-Louis' tone when discussing her current situation was frustrated and depressed. Though it is logical to carry over a few of the more effective Ministers into the new cabinet, Preval's decision to keep such a large proportion is unpopular with the Parliament and Pierre-Louis. Pierre-Louis' August 19 conversation with Preval could prove pivotal. In the worst-case scenario, Pierre-Louis could resign and Preval would once again be in the position of selecting a Prime Minister candidate for approval by Parliament. SANDERSON