ARTICLE - INTERPELLATION POSTPONED

BELIZAIRE CASE: INTERPELLATION SESSION POSTPONED IN THE SENATE.... DISORDER
(Haiti Libre) -

As part of the sanctions envisaged against those allegedly responsible for the arrest, considered arbitrary, of Deputy Arnel Bélizaire, 15 senators had signed a resolution for the interpellation of Josué Pierre-Louis, the Minister of Justice and Michel Brunache, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Convened yesterday, Thursday, the Minister of Justice did not show up. The latter has requested a postponement for a week in order to carry out in advance an investigation on the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Deputy Bélizaire.

For his part, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, although he also requested a postponement due to the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry on this case, was nevertheless present.

After more than six hours of waiting, the Senate did not even bring Michel Brunache into the Senate meeting room...

After more than seven hours of debate, wrangling, verbal excesse between supporters and opponents of the postponement of the session, of charges against elected officials in favor of the government team that would have deliberately sought to protect certain ministers, no real out of the crisis is in sight...

Senator Steven Benoît, at the origin of the censure motion, revealed that 14 senators were ready to dismiss the Minister of Justice. Senator Latortue stressed on the necessity to respect the request for postponement of the Minister of Justice, noting that Mr. Pierre Louis accepts the principle of the interpellation, while recalling that the objective of the Senate was to bring out first of all, the truth and not to dismiss a minister....

Although divided on the opportunity to postpone or not the session of interpellation, the Senate finally postponed to Saturday, the session of interpellation of the Minister of Justice and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Senators, in the largest division, have wished the enlargement of the arrest to other ministers or the convocation of other senior officials...

Joazile Rudolph, President of the Senate has finally made accepted the idea to convene leaders of the Supreme Council of the National Police (CSPN) before a possible dismissal of the authorities interpellated.

On the proposal of Senator Benoît, the President of the Senate, decided to convene the Prime Minister, Dr. Garry Conille, the Interior Minister, Thierry Mayard Paul and the Director General of the National Police of Haiti, Mario Andrésol, that will open [in principle] the Senate session tomorrow Saturday... A few hours will follow... the hearings of the Minister of Justice and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. If this session is held Saturday, it is not 100% sure, given the discussions behind the scenes and the executive.