By John Fritz Moreau, Juno7, Dec. 7, 2024
Despite the difficult context, a continued commitment to a new constitution in Haiti
The Constitution Working Group (GTC) , an autonomous entity created by the Steering Committee of the National Conference, held a press conference on December 6, 2024 to take stock of the progress of its work. Maître Guerdy Lissade, Maître Eugène Pierre-Louis, and Jerry Tardieu presented a detailed report on the activities of the GTC, whose mission is to propose a new constitution in consultation with the different sectors of Haitian society.
Consultations with key players in national life
Since its launch, the GTC has met with several organized sectors of Haitian society. Specifically, the trade union sector, including :
- The United Movement of Haitian Transporters
- The Haitian Workers Confederation
- The Confederation of Public and Private Sector Workers
- The National Central of Haitian Workers
- The Association of Owners and Drivers of Haiti
- The National Confederation of Educators of Haiti
The private sector, including :
- Chambers of Commerce
- The Association of Industries of Haiti
- The Makaya Institute
- The Haitian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce
- The Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce
The voodoo sector, including :
- The National Confederation of Haitian Voodoo Practitioners
- Alovi Dahomey, Aloviye
- The Lafrik Ginen Company
The GTC also welcomed the quality of the exchanges with the Protestant Federation of Haiti, the sector of people with reduced mobility, youth, and organizations such as the Collectif 4 Décembre, the National College of Haitian Architects and Engineers and the Association of Haitian Doctors.
Further consultations to come for the broadest possible consensus
The GTC is planning numerous meetings in the coming weeks with :
- Political parties
- The Creole Academy
- The Catholic Church
- The women's, peasant, human rights, academic and press sectors
State institutions, including :
- The High Council of the Judiciary
- The Provisional Electoral Council
- The Armed Forces of Haiti
- The Haitian National Police
- The Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes
To overcome logistical constraints, the GTC has increased the number of virtual meetings with organizations in the diaspora and the province. Eugène Pierre-Louis, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the State University of Haiti and member of the GTC, recalled that the majority of the organizations contacted had committed to submitting their written proposals on the constitutional issue. These contributions will serve as a basis for the development of the constitutional revision project.
Towards departmental foundations
The process includes the preparation of departmental meetings, which will lead to a final National Meeting. This stage will culminate with the Assembly of the National Conference on the Constitution.
Jerry Tardieu acknowledged that the context remains difficult, but according to him, it will never be ideal for initiating necessary reforms. He recalled that the mission of the GTC will end with the submission of the draft constitution to the Steering Committee, which will have to transmit it to the authorities without modifications. The text submitted cannot, he said, undergo any alteration either by the Steering Committee, the Presidential Council or the Prime Minister.
Call on government to restore security
The GTC called on the transitional leaders to restore peace in the streets and hopes that the referendum vote will take place when security conditions are met. The Group insists that only the Haitian people, through their vote, can legitimize a draft new constitution.
Translated by CHIP editors
Posted Dec. 19, 2024