By Jean Pharès Jérôme, Le Nouvelliste, March 8, 2024
In a conversation with Le Nouvelliste, Moise Jean-Charles said the installation of the Presidential Council at the National Palace, announced at the beginning of the week, is still a long way off, but the process is moving forward.
The leader of the Pitit Dessalines party explained the steps taken so far, including the collection of a large number of signatures, as well as conversations with to the police to authorize the installation of the Council at the National Palace.
Underlining the enthusiasm surrounding the Presidential Council, Moïse said "on the very first day, we counted 50 political parties and almost 3,000 organizations that had come to sign the document". The former senator also said he had contacted the political party groupings still demanding the departure of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. "Some have declined the invitation, others have asked for time to reflect", he confided, without revealing the identity of these structures.
Moïse Jean-Charles believes that the police authorities are unwilling to follow up on previous discussions. "If the police authorities refuse to open the doors of the National Palace to us, we will install the Presidential Council in another space", Moïse explained, vowing to take the country's destiny into his own hands.
Is there a deadline for the installation of the Presidential Council? "We have to finish collecting signatures before we can make a decision, Moise explained.
The former parliamentarian believes that those who are plunging the country into chaos cannot claim to have the solution. "With Ariel Henry on the run, we want to take our responsibility", he said, warning the international community against imposing ready-made solutions on Haitians.
Moise said he was willing to sit down with the international community, including the United States, to explain his approach, not to take orders. He also praised the United States for refusing to send troops to Haiti.
The three members of the Presidential Council are Judge Durin Junior Duret (President of the Council), Guy Philippe (member) and Françoise Saint-Vil Villier (member).
According to Moïse Jean-Charles, each of these personalities represents "broad sectors" in the country.
"The Presidential Council (PC) is structured to ensure diverse and balanced representation. It is chaired by a member drawn from republican institutions (CSPJ / Supreme Court), guaranteeing solid legal expertise and an in-depth understanding of judicial issues. The second member of the PC is selected from the political sector, highlighting skills in governance and public policy. This political representation aims to bring strategic expertise to the Council. The final member of the PC represents the religious, women's and academic sectors. This diversity of backgrounds ensures a moral and ethical perspective in the Council's deliberations, while integrating the values and concerns of the different components of Haitian society", informs the document describing the process."
Asked whether the CSPJ and the Supreme Court had endorsed the choice of Judge Duret, Moïse Jean-Charles simply emphasized that he had informed them of the process.
Regarding the criticism linking his initiative to the armed gang movement, the former mayor of Milot replied that everyone knows him as a man of dialogue, communication, and as a nationalist.
Posted March 13, 2024