NAS Haiti December 2009 Monthly Report

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000160 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL XL HA SUBJECT: NAS Haiti December 2009 Monthly Report ¶1. (U) (NOTE: This cable serves to fulfill a monthly INL reporting requirement to document activities for the month of December 2009. The content dates prior to the January 12, 2010 earthquake. END NOTE.) ¶2. (SBU) Summary: In December 2009, there were significant developments in the NAS-Haiti program and movement in several project areas. Ambassador Merten and NAS met with newly appointed Minister of Justice Paul Denis; NAS conducted oversight visits to several construction projects; Haitian authorities executed arrest warrants for two Haitian former executives of the Haiti Teleco as a result of OTA efforts; and NAS-Haiti coordinated with several partners on the Haiti Stabilization Initiative and other strategic planning efforts. Organizational Development ¶3. (U) The GOH and HNP command continued to move toward the decision to start the next HNP Promotion (recruit class). The promotion was tentatively scheduled to begin the end of December 2009, or the first part of January 2010. NAS-Haiti and contractor PAE will provide logistical support to the recruit class. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: The GOH and HNP consistently display a pattern of indecisiveness in many areas related to organizational and professional development. Consequently, the ability of NAS-Haiti and contractors PAE and DynCorp to provide timely support continually becomes compromised. As previously noted in the November 2009 monthly report; the continuing inability of the GOH and HNP to properly plan, implement, and evaluate HNP-related budgetary requirements continues to hamper the HNP's ability to function on the administrative, operational, and logistical levels. End Comment. ¶5. (U) The Wharf Soleil sub-commissariat project constructed by DynCorp was essentially complete at the end of December 2009. NAS-Haiti should be able to schedule an inauguration and transfer of control of the facility to the GOH/HNP by end of January, or first part of February 2010. ¶6. (U) The academy instructors' barracks project is at the 95 percent completion stage, pending the remediation of essential health and safety items related to railings in and around the buildings, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers. Upon remediation of these issues, NAS-Haiti should be able to schedule an inauguration and transfer of control of the barracks by the end of January, or first of part of February 2010. Capacity Building ¶7. (SBU) Cooperation between the U.S. Department of the Treasury Enforcement Team from the Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) and Haiti's increasingly capable financial enforcement units resulted in the arrest of former Haiti Teleco officials Robert Antoine and Jean Rene Duperval for violation of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Both men had held the post of Haiti Teleco's Director of International Relations in Florida and each was charged in U.S. court with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The HNP Bureau des Affaires Financiers et Economiques (BAFE) participated in the arrest of Antoine and Duperval. Haiti's financial intelligence unit, the Unit???? Centrale de Renseignements Financiers (UCREF),and the BAFE, a specialized component of the Haitian National Police, and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security provided significant cooperation and coordination in this investigation. DCM Lindwall, NAS-Haiti Director Platt, RSO Steve Lesniak and his team, and OTA Advisor Fred Borakove worked in close coordination and consultation with the GOH during the execution of the two arrests. ¶8. (U) On December 14, 2009, NAS-Haiti was informed by US UNPOL corrections officer Davos Francois that the infirmary had been occupied by inmates at the National Penitentiary without consultation with nor agreement from NAS. The infirmary was being kept locked pending the installation of dental, x-ray and other medical equipment by USAID. The installation work was scheduled to be completed by the end of January 2010, before the facility was to be transferred to the control of the Directorate of Prison Administration (DAP). DAP personnel sanctioned the decision to break the locks on the infirmary, and moved 193 inmates into the infirmary during the evening of December 13, 2009. ¶9. (U) NAS-Haiti sent a letter to DAP Director Celestin advising of the unauthorized occupation of the infirmary. The letter formally requested DAP investigate and give a full accounting of the situation. MOJ Denis was forwarded a copy of the letter. ¶10. (SBU) Comment: The isolation ward and infirmary were constructed to provide treatment facilities to the inmate population in response to the high incidents of antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis, HIV, and other diseases. When the isolation ward was initially transferred to the control of the DAP, it was immediately used to house inmates who had the means to buy their way into new accommodations, instead of being used for the intended humanitarian purpose of treating sick inmates. DAP was advised by NAS-Haiti that the situation needed to be corrected, and the number of inmates who were not patients was reduced, but not totally eliminated. In an effort to prevent a similar scenario with the infirmary, NAS/Haiti was not allowing access until the infirmary was completed and ready for use. DAP's breach of the infirmary underscores ongoing concerns about its professionalism and ability to partner effectively with international stakeholders in the GOH correctional sector. End Comment. Stabilization Initiatives ¶11. (U) NAS-Haiti continued to participate in meetings with the Haiti Stabilization Initiative (HSI) regarding the upcoming Martissant project. NAS has submitted a draft Scope of Work (SOW) and is reviewing planning documents and a way forward for the project. ¶12. (U) HSI Coordinator David Becker, NAS Platt, USAID's Carl Anderson and Gerard Fontain met with MOJ Paul Denis on December 17 to review the Cite Soleil project and seek Haitian ministerial buy-in for the Martissant project. HSI will follow up with a letter to the Minister detailing the project. Strategic Planning ¶13. (U) On December 7, 2009, Ambassador Merten, NAS Lynne Platt and Police Advisor Frank Laskley met with MOJ Paul Denis to familiarize the new MOJ with NAS Haiti operations and capabilities. Among other issues discussed, NAS Lynne Platt raised the question of obstacles to construction of a new women's prison at a previously-agreed location in Tabarre. NAS Haiti followed up with a formal letter from the Ambassador to MOJ Denis advising of the history of the prison construction project and requesting his help with obtaining the land title needed before the project can get underway. ¶14. (U) On December 11, 2009, NAS-Haiti met with the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force (START) of the Canadian Embassy. Joel Monfils the First Political Secretary shared information regarding START projects, and a discussion was held regarding how NAS-Haiti and START can better coordinate efforts to achieve maximum results and to reduce redundancy. ¶15. (U) On December 28, 2009, NAS-Haiti Director Platt met with HNP DG Andresol for consultations regarding current and future HNP organizational development for the coming year. Andresol agreed to receive New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly's assessment visit in early January and to host an event for the visiting delegation. ¶16. (U) On December 31, 2009, NAS-Haiti Director Platt met with United Nations Joint Mission Analysis Center (JMAC) Chief Ray Baysden for consultations. Baysden subsequently helped move into the UNPOL structure the request from NAS for the Brazilian Battalion to extend its security patrols in Cite Soleil to include the newly completed, but still unstaffed, Police Sub-Commissariat at Wharf Soleil. ¶17. (U) NAS coordinated with USAID-Jamaica to reschedule the gang prosecution workshop to be offered to select HNP commanders and investigators and members of the Haitian judiciary. The work shop will be led by Frank Ledee of the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Florida, and has been rescheduled for the end of January 2010. LINDWALL