PRESIDENT PREVAL PROMISES SWIFT ACTION ON SENATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000156 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA) SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PAS AID FOR LAC/CAR TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: PRESIDENT PREVAL PROMISES SWIFT ACTION ON SENATE ELECTIONS PORT AU PR 00000156 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson. Reason: E.O. 12958 1.4 (b) , (d) ¶1. Summary: (C) President Preval pledged to the entire international community in Haiti that his government is committed to holding Senate elections as quickly as possible. He promised a draft electoral law within days, and an election budget and calendar in less than two weeks, and asked for technical election assistance from the international community. His ministers and Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) outlined the next steps to make Senate elections happen, including passing the electoral law, drawing up an election budget, and identifying GOH funds to supplement international assistance. The Ambassador said the USG is committed to assisting the election process financially, and wants a transparent election budget, an election calendar, and rapid appointment of a new Director General of the CEP in order to move to senatorial elections. End summary. ¶2. (C) President Preval convoked the Ambassador, USAID Director, MINUSTAH leaders, OAS Ambassador Gray, the Canadian and the European Commission Ambassadors, the Brazilian and Japanese Charges, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council, and several of his cabinet ministers to his office January 30. He pledged to convey the draft electoral law governing Senate and indirect elections to the parliament by the end of the week. The CEP will discuss the draft law with parliamentary representatives Jan. 31 to help ensure smooth passage. By the end of the week of February 4, the CEP will have completed the ''election calendar'' and budget. Preval pledged his government's commitment to holding senate elections as transparently and as soon as possible. He then left the room. ¶3. (C) CEP President Frantz-Gerard Verret said the date of Senate elections would be determined after parliament voted on the electoral law. He wanted to reactivate the international community working group (the ''sectoral table'') that coordinated previous Haitian elections. Verret hoped to coordinate all international election assistance through UNDP. The CEP was now reviewing the status of all elections employees. ¶4. (C) Minister of Planning Jean-Max Bellerive said the GOH had identified some GOH money to finance the Senate elections. Together with funds pledged by the international community, the money available amounted to USD 10 million. The GOH would find more. (Note: MINUSTAH estimates elections will cost over USD 14 million for two rounds. End note.) Bellerive pledged that the CEP will provide a transparent election budget to the international community, as a signal to them and the people of Haiti of the government's determination to hold these elections. Trying to put a more exact figure on GOH commitments, Minister of Finance Daniel Dorsainvil said there are 146 million gourdes (USD 4 million) in GOH funds available to fund the CEP, and 50 million gourdes (USD 139,000) available for direct election operations. (Comment: Dorsainvil did not clarify the division between CEP and election expenses. We believe he was distinguishing CEP's regular operating expenses -- such as employee salaries, facilities, office equipment, etc. -- from one-time expenses such as ballots, election day observers, and security. End note.) ¶5. (C) The Ambassador said the USG has USD 4 million to help with Senate elections. The USG wanted a transparent election budget, a precise election calendar, and quick appointment of a new Director General of the CEP to oversee and organize Senate elections. The OAS outlined its ongoing activity in voter registration. SRSG Annabi stressed the role of MINUSTAH logistical support. Canadian Ambassador Boucher pledged CD 4 million for the elections (to be directed through UNDP),and wanted a clear budget, an electoral calendar, and accountability throughout. EC Ambassadors insisted on election transparency. UNDP head and Deputy SRSG Joel Boutroue said that USD 1.3 million remaining in the UNDP PORT AU PR 00000156 002.2 OF 002 budget from previous elections would require permission from donor countries to apply to the Senate elections. He indicated some of these funds may already be allocated. (Note: In a January 30 donor meeting, smaller donor countries including Mexico, Switzerland, Spain and Japan expressed interest in channeling their contributions through the UNDP ''trust fund.'' Their projected contributions range from USD 100,000 to 200,000. The EU was disinclined to fund individual elections, preferring to contribute to a permanent election structure. End note.) ¶6. (C) Reentering the room, President Preval said that Haiti needed technical assistance with these elections. The Canadian Ambassador and UNDP Boutroue said they were prepared to offer this. Preval closed the meeting saying Haiti wanted to hold the Senate elections in the shortest time possible, and that this meeting should serve as a strong signal to the international community of his intent regarding elections. ¶7. (C) This meeting's message largely dovetailed with what Polcouns and Poloff learned from CEP President Verret January ¶29. Verret claimed the CEP will do everything possible to have new senators installed in time for the opening of the second 2008 session of the National Assembly in June. However, they will await the passage of the electoral law before announcing a date for elections. Verret was more conservative than Preval in his timeline for the law, promising it would reach Parliament by the end of February. Verret said that elections could take place 90 to 150 days after publication of the electoral law. Although he deplores the departure of Jacques Bernard, he pledged that the DG's resignation will not/not delay elections. Verret reported that Preval will select a new DG in consultation with the CEP, the private sector and other major sectors. Good management skills and freedom from political bias are their highest priorities in selecting a new DG. (Note: USAID reports rumors that a leading candidate for the DG position is CEP President Verret's nephew. End note.) SANDERSON