ARTICLE - THE CONSTITUTION DIVIDES

THE EVENTUAL PUBLICATION OF THE AMENDED CONSTITUTION, DIVIDES
(Haiti Libre) -

Last week, the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe announced that the amendment of the Constitution will be promulgated shortly, while recognizing that this decision is that of President of the Republic. The publication of the amended text of our Constitution, continues to cause divisions within the political class:

Favorable opinions :
Deputy Guy Gérard Georges estimated that by promulgating the amended text, "the Head of State will show respect towards the National Assembly and the Haitian Nation."

Deputy Fritz Chery, invites President Martelly to keep his word. "This is not the first time that the head of state has announced with great fanfare that he will promulgate the corrected version of the constitutional amendment. Finally, I hope he will do so."

Deputy Francener Dénius confirms his support for the publication of the corrected text of the amendment of the Constitution, estimating that this will help solve some institutional problems. However, he does not challenge the position of those who want the full resumption of constitutional reform at the end of the 49th Legislature.

Rosny Desroches, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Initiative, has indicated this Tuesday that "it would be a great disappointment for civil society organizations involved in the correction of the amended text, if the President of the Republic does not publish it."

Deputy Sorel Jacinthe states that, "the President of the Republic must promulgate the amended Constitution to begin the process of setting up the Permanent Electoral Council."

Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe expressed support for the publication. "The amendment of the Constitution will be promulgated shortly."

Senator Wenceslas Lambert reiterates his call for the enactment of the amendment of the Constitution, arguing that the Constitution of 1987 has failed to advance society in the right direction. "It is essential that the Executive promulgates the amendment, which enshrines an inclusive society."

Unfavorable opinions:
Édouard Paultre, Head of the Haitian Council of Non State Actors (CONHANE) states that, "Any publication of the amended constitution would be an approach contrary to the Constitution of 1987 itself."

The Spokesman of the Organization of People in Struggle (OPL), calls for the wisdom of the Head of State who, according to him, should take into account the analyses made ​​by different sectors of society, proving that the revised text is generating a great crisis, both at the level of the legislature, and executive institutions.

Historian Georges Michel states that, "The publication of the disputed amendment, a fraudulent amendment, will not be inconsequential."

A working group of a dozen high-level independent jurists, led by Me Gérard Gourgue, recommends to the Head of State in the conclusions of its report not to publish the constitutional amendment.

Deputy Éloune Doreus believes that after the vote of the amendment no publication of the text is possible, because the review process was flawed at the base."

Deputy Sadrac Dieudonné, thinks that the Head of State should not publish the amendment due to the fact that "the process was clearly handled and achieved without the participation of the entire population."

Mirlande Manigat, the Secretary General of RDNP, states that "President Michel Martelly does not have to bow to pressure and publish the amended text of the Constitution [...] We must wait until the end of the 49th Legislature to introduce another amendment to the Constitution of 1987."

Other positions:
Deputy Vickens Dérilus indicated this Thursday, that the publication or not of the constitutional amendment should be the subject of a consensus, with all the forces of the country.

Evans Paul, estimates that it will be better that the Martelly-Lamothe administration, "arrange for that at the end of the quinquennium, when the amendment process is reproduced in full, rather than publishing a controversial text."