CODEL MEEK DISCUSSES MINIMUM WAGE, JUDICIAL REFORM AND CUBA WITH PRESIDENT RENE PREVAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000607



SIPDIS



STATE FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/EX, H, INR/IAA, INL

STATE PASS AID/WHA



E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2019

TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, HA, CU

SUBJECT: CODEL MEEK DISCUSSES MINIMUM WAGE, JUDICIAL REFORM

AND CUBA WITH PRESIDENT RENE PREVAL



REF: A. PORT-AU-PRINCE 583

B. PORT-AU-PRINCE 530

C. PORT-AU-PRINCE 553



Classified By: CDA THOMAS C. TIGHE FOR REASONS 1.4 (a, d)



1. (SBU) Summary: A Congressional delegation led by Rep.

Kendrick Meek met with President Rene Preval during a June 22

visit to Haiti. The delegation reaffirmed continued U.S.

economic assistance to Haiti and encouraged the President to

take a stronger stance for human rights in Cuba and against

anti-Israeli resolutions in the UN. Preval emphasized the

importance of a phased rather than precipitate increase in

the minimum wage to preserve jobs, the importance of

Temporary Protected Status, and the challenges of a corrupt

judicial system. End summary.



PRESIDENT PREVAL DEFENDS STANCE ON MINIMUM SALARY

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2. (SBU) A Congressional delegation led by Rep. Kendrick Meek

and including Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart,

Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, met with

President Preval at the National Palace on June 22. Preval

defended his stance on the controversial minimum salary bill,

which he returned to Parliament June 17 with a

counter-proposal for a phased-in salary increase for the

assembly sector (Ref A). Preval said that seventy percent of

Haitians are currently unemployed, and he opposes any

measures that would increase unemployment. Preval recalled

that both chambers of Parliament unanimously passed the bill

that would raise daily wages from USD 1.75 per day to USD

5.00 per day (Refs B, C). Preval believes that although

Parliament was initially unaware of the negative impact the

dramatic increase would have on employment, neither Chamber

is ready to back down given the popularity of the proposed

increase.



3. (SBU) When asked by Rep. Wasserman Schulz where labor

stood on the minimum wage issue, Preval responded that

''politicians are talking, students are protesting, but

workers are in factories working, and not protesting.''

Preval encouraged the CODEL to write to Haitian members of

Parliament to express concern about the devastating impact a

sector-wide increase in wages would have on job security and

job creation.



TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS

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4. (SBU) Preval outlined the importance to Haiti of U.S.

support for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians

illegally living in the U.S. He said he hoped former

President Clinton's recent appointment as UN Envoy to Haiti

was a sign that TPS would be enacted. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart

responded that Haitians and Haitian-Americans living in South

Florida are Haiti's greatest ambassadors. He said TPS has

not been an easy issue to negotiate in the U.S. Congress, but

he remains optimistic. Reps. Meek and Diaz-Balart emphasized

the significance of the bipartisan configuration of the CODEL

and the fact that ninety-eight percent of the population in

Dade County -- Florida's most populous -- is represented by

the delegation.



JUDICIAL REFORM: A KEY PRIORITY

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5. (SBU) Responding to a question by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen on his

key priorities as president, Preval noted reform of the

judicial system as critical to overall stability. Preval

said that Haiti's judicial system is corrupt and judges are

poorly trained. He criticized judges for being resistant to

change; he claimed that judges and lawyers refused technical

assistance to reduce penal case backlogs. Preval highlighted

the case of a prominent Haitian attorney recently arrested

for corruption. Instead of supporting the judicial process,

Haiti's Bar Association went on strike, even though

''everyone'' knows the attorney is corrupt. Preval added

that Parliament has tremendous authority but is also corrupt.

The legislature can name and fire judges and dismiss

ministers. The biggest problem, Preval noted, is that

members of parliament are also ''sensitive to cash.''



HAITI MUST STAND UP TO CUBA AND STAND WITH THE U.S. ON ISRAEL

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6. (C) Rep. Meek reminded Preval that the U.S. is a staunch

supporter of assistance to Haiti and continues to receive



PORT AU PR 00000607 002 OF 002





high-level attention. It is now time for various partners,

including Haiti, to work together to influence change in

Cuba. Preval listened intently to Reps. Meek and Lincoln and

Mario Diaz-Balart argue that Haiti should use its influence

with Cuba, its membership in regional fora (e.g., OAS and

CARICOM) and its participation in international conferences

to encourage the release of all political prisoners in Cuba.

Preval responded that the issue was very sensitive for Cuba,

and Haiti did not seek to be confrontational. Preval made no

firm commitment on the approach Haiti would use with Cuba,

but rather said when you have a good partner, talking was

better than confrontation. He agreed to explore an approach

to Cuba on this issue.



7. (SBU) Rep. Wasserman Schultz criticized Haiti's UN voting

record on measures with an anti-Israel bias. She regretted

that Haiti voted with the U.S. only 22.5 percent of the time

to prevent anti-Israel resolutions from passing in UNGA.

Preval admitted he did not carefully follow Haiti's UN voting

record and was unaware how Haiti voted on these measures.

Preval did note, however, that Haiti maintained cordial

diplomatic relations with Israel and that he would be meeting

with Israel's non-resident ambassador that day. Indeed, as

the CODEL's meeting was concluding, Preval led the delegation

to another room and introduced the CODEL to the visiting

Israeli delegation.



8. (U) CODEL Meek has not had an opportunity to clear this

cable.

TIGHE