Eric Dunois Cantave
By Junior Celestin, Le Nouvelliste, Dec. 12, 2023
Dunois Éric Cantave, Montana Accord signatory and member of the Accord's Representative Committee for Negotiations (KRN), confirmed on Magik 9 that Jacques Ted Saint-Dic, member of the Accord's Bureau de Suivi (BSA), took unilateral action when he withdrew from negotiations led by CARICOM's Eminent Persons Group (EPG), which began on December 6. He stated that this decision was not supported by the Montana Accord signatories.
On Tuesday December 12, 2023, Cantave explained on Panel Magik "indeed, and unfortunately, Mr. Saint-Dic made the unfortunate mistake of writing to the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group claiming that the Montana Accord was withdrawing from the negotiating table. This is unfortunate because the decision was taken without consulting the group. We learned of Mr. Saint-Dic's decision through the press. It was a blunder that must be corrected once and for all to bring discipline to this large coalition and move it forward".
According to Mr. Cantave, "it's an accumulation of excesses that has provoked a raz-le-bol and internal discussions between the supporters of the August 30 agreement. It's unfortunate, but at the same time, it's an opportunity to offer a valid alternative to the population, while avoiding the repetition of individual opinions. Whereas we're in favor of collective leadership", said Mr. Cantave, who acknowledged the possibility of this situation creating dissidents within the Accord.
He explained that "the Montana Accord has its own modus operandi. We have internal bodies brought together in a group of twenty-two people who constitute the decision-making body of the Accord. When a representative of the group takes the floor in the name of the Accord, he or she has the imperative obligation to report the decisions taken by the group".
The Accord is represented by the members elected by the Conseil national de transition (CNT), the CNT, the BSA, the KRN, the Forum des partis politiques and the Plateforme des organisations de la société civile. Cantave explained that "it is for this reason that the various bodies of the Accord are working together to correct the drift of the authorities, as the Montana Accord regains its place at the negotiating table aimed at putting an end to the crisis raging in the country in accordance with the spirit and guidelines of the August 30, 2021 Accord".
Cantave revealed that some members of the Bureau de Suivi had decided to take a path contrary to that of the proponents of the Accord. Furthermore, the role of Fritz Alphonse Jean, the elected president of the agreement, is often unclear. This is another form of drift on which we are working to correct.
In the difficult political crossroads that Haiti has been at for over 10 years, the signing of the August 30 agreement is part of a strategy based on three pillars that can help us achieve a breakthrough transition: negotiation, mobilization and diplomacy.
Translated and edited for clarity by CHIP editors
Posted Dec. 29, 2023