HAITIAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES OPENING SESSION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000047 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/EX, WHA/CAR, S/CRS, AND INR/IAA WHA/EX PLEASE PASS TO USOAS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: HAITIAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES OPENING SESSION OF PARLIAMENT, DISCUSSES CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM Classified By: Amb. Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Haitian President Rene Preval addressed Parliament January 12 in the opening ceremony of the first National Assembly session of the new year. Preval reiterated his administration's central theme of reinforcing domestic peace and security as the precondition of sustained development in Haiti. He recalled that Haiti had regressed over the last 50 years, due to dictatorship followed by instability in the search for democracy. Preval noted that the improved security in Haiti since his election in 2006 was still precarious, and required intensified dialogue across the political spectrum and constitutional change to make it permanent. He announced he would appoint a working group to propose changes to the constitution that would segue into a national debate on constitutional amendments. Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis also addressed the Assembly, highlighting her government's progress on reconstruction efforts and significant increases in tax receipts. Reaction to Preval's speech was lukewarm; many politicians said they agreed that Haiti had made progress toward peace and stability, but that Preval's accomplishments in three years as President were otherwise meager; they expected more concrete and ambitious proposals from the President to drive the country's economic growth. End summary. PRESIDENT PREVAL ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM -------------- ¶2. (U) Haitian President Rene Preval presided January 12 over the opening of the first National Assembly session of 2009. In a speech to assembled Senators, Deputies, and members of the diplomatic corps, Preval reiterated that Haiti had to preserve and reinforce domestic peace, which was the precondition of all development. He lamented that although Haiti once stood at the same economic level as the Dominican Republic, the stability-with-peace of the Duvalier dictatorships -- followed by many years of instability during Haiti's search for democracy -- had reduced the income of the average Haitian to one-sixth of that of his or her Dominican counterpart. He argued, however, that the country has made significant progress since his election and that Haiti now enjoyed a ''fragile democracy with a fragile stability.'' ¶3. (U) To engender stability and economic growth, Preval added, Haiti's government, politicians, judges, investors, and labor unions must find consensus on a number of pressing issues. Reiterating the theme of his Independence Day address in Gonaives January 1, Preval called for dialogue across the political spectrum. As instruments of that dialogue, he announced the formation of Presidential working groups on justice, the environment, constitutional reform, and economic strategy. On constitutional reform, Preval highlighted the importance of modernizing the country, encouraging democratic participation, and reintegrating the Haitian diaspora into the economic life of the country -- apparent references to his hope that a new Haitian constitution will streamline the electoral calendar and permit dual nationality. (Note: Preval has called Haiti's constitution -- especially its calendar of frequent elections for Parliament, President, and various local offices -- a significant source of instability. End note.) PRIME MINISTER, SENATE PRESIDENT EMPHASIZE PROGRESS -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis also addressed the Parliament for over an hour, focusing on her government's progress since she assumed office September 5. She noted that tax receipts for the first two months of the 2008-09 fiscal year were up 14 percent over the previous year, crediting both an increase in imports and enhanced measures to combat tax evasion and fraud for the positive change. Pierre-Louis also defended her government's disaster recovery efforts and renewed her support for Finance Minister Daniel Dorsainvil. ¶5. (U) Senate President Kely Bastien noted that the National Assembly passed ''about 12'' laws in 2008 despite the challenges imposed by the riots, hurricanes, and the 12 PORT AU PR 00000047 002 OF 002 vacant seats in the Parliament's upper chamber. He called on the government to address the high cost of living and ensure the efficient distribution of petroleum products throughout the country, a reference to recent gasoline shortages. He promised the parliament would do its utmost to be legislatively more productive in the coming year. REACTION TO PREVAL'S SPEECH MIXED -------------- ¶6. (C) Deputies and Senators largely reacted to Preval's speech with lukewarm praise and considerable criticism. Deputies Joseph Mercier Ysidor (RDNP, Grand'Anse) and Lutherking Emmanuel Marcadieu (OPL, Center) welcomed Preval's emphasis on dialogue but said they wanted to see concrete results of his initiatives. Senator Evalliere Beauplan (Pont, Northwest) was more critical, accusing Preval of not aligning his actions as President with his rhetoric. Senator Youri Latortue (Artibonite en Action, Artibonite) told the press that everyone agreed on the need for domestic peace and dialogue, but that the President should have presented a plan for the way forward, especially on the economy. Lavalas Deputy Sorel Francois (West) publicly criticized the Preval speech for lacking a vision of the future and for skipping over elections. He privately told Poloff January 13 that he doubted Preval's sincerity and found his failure to mention the upcoming elections suspicious. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM STILL ON PREVAL'S MIND -------------- ¶7. (C) Despite the President's promise to appoint a commission to propose ''amendments'' to the Constitution, some believe that Preval does not feel bound by the amendment process prescribed by the current Constitution of 1987. Gabriel Verret (protect),a close advisor to President Preval, told the Ambassador January 12 that Preval may push for a ''constitutional pause'' in elections pending consensus on what changes in the Constitution are necessary. (Note: A previous Presidential commission concluded in 2007 that the prohibition on dual nationality, the inability of the President to dismiss the Prime Minister, and the limitation of the President to two nonconsecutive terms were among the shortcomings of the current Constitution.) ¶8. (C) Rumors of a ''constitutional pause'' have done little to quiet doubts about Preval's motives. Evans Paul, leader of the Alyans political party, told Poloff January 9 that Preval asked him to join the working group on constitutional issues but said he had not yet given Preval a response. He said his hesitation was due to his uncertainty concerning Preval's plans, explaining that he did not want to join a commission that may be engineered to produce recommendations with which he does not agree. COMMENT: IMPORTANT QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED -------------- ¶9. (C) Preval's January 12 speech avoided the cautionary tone of his Independence Day address (when he warned that 2009 would be a hard year of recovery after this summer's storms) and returned to his signature theme of reinforcing Haiti's domestic peace by means of national dialogue. Preval continues to refuse to lay out a grand vision, relying instead of an ever-expanding list of ''working groups'' to come up with recommendations to cope with individual issues. How Preval or the government will use these working groups remains to be seen. Senator Edmonde Supplice Beauzile (Fusion, Center) criticized Preval's plan to create commissions, saying that decision-making should be centered in ministries and other GOH institutions rather than ad hoc working groups responsible only to Preval. SANDERSON