ARTICLE - SENATE - 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM

THE SENATE LAUNCHES A 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM TO THE EXECUTIVE
(Haiti Libre) -

Following the resolution taken at the Council of Ministers on Monday, asking members of the government to refrain from submitting the documents requested by the Senate Commission of inquiry,.... the Senate does not intend to lose face in this standoff, and issued an ultimatum of 48 hours to obtain the documents that it claims, or threatens to interpellate all members of the Government who have refused.

Senator Joseph Lambert, President of the Senate Commission responsible for verifying the nationality of members of Government, indicated that the Commission had taken note of the resolution of the Council of Ministers asking its members "to refrain from submitting the documents requested, unless, by a court order, that is otherwise ordered". He stated that the individual convocations will be sent to all members concerned, and if in the next 48 hours, the persons concerned do not comply with the requests from the Commission, the latter will proceed with the interpellation of all the refractory ministers...

For his part, Senator Jean-Baptiste Bien-Aimé describes "as regrettable the resolution of the Executive", stating that "The Senate does not intend to concede anything within its constitutional prerogatives, and that it will not lose face in this record..."

Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras, Chairman of the Senate regrets, meanwhile, that the response letter from the American Embassy, for the verification of the passport number, was found on the Internet before the Office of the Senate received it. He describes this process as outrageous, saying that this is a lack of respect for Parliament.

Senator Jean-Charles Moïse, who is at the root of this crisis, persists and signs, and continues to assert that he holds irrefutable documents that prove his accusations. Pity that in his obsession to bring down President Martelly, this mysterious evidence, which seem to fall more into fabulation than reality, remains unknown to all, and to the Commission... Reacting to the response of the U.S. Embassy on the verification of the passport number attributed by Moïse, to that of President Martelly, and undoubtedly disappointed by the negative answer, Moise has declared "It's not just question to opining on a passport number. The U.S. authorities must say clearly whether President Martelly has U.S. citizenship or not."

The country already hampered by a succession of crises, is now in a frontal confrontation with the Executive-Senate which, if not quickly defused, may lead the country into a major crisis with incalculable consequences...

Garry Conille asks members of the Government to respond to the convening.