BROKEN CONSTITUTION – COMMITTEE DESIGNS RACE HORSE…. CREATES A CAMEL – HOW DID WE ARRIVE HERE?

April 12, 2021

With the departure of Jean Claude Duvalier, in February, 1986, the Nation looked for a new Constitution when, in fact, they could have retained the Duvalier Constitution, minus the President for Life Article.

A commission of 41 people sat down to create a new Constitution, and what resulted followed the Camel Concept. Each person pressed to have their own varied concepts included. And there was a rush to deny participation to anyone involved with the Duvalier Presidencies. A special Article was included that, if applied today, without reference to Duvalier, would knock most active political figures out of the game. 

Article 291 effectively disenfranchised a large segment of Haiti’s population, over and above those accused of crimes.

ARTICLE 291:

For ten (10) years following publication of this Constitution, and without prejudice to any criminal action or civil suit for damages, none of the following may be candidates for any public office; 

  1. Any person well known for having been by his excess zeal one of the architects of the dictatorship and of its maintenance during the last twenty-nine (29) years; 

  2. Any accountant of public funds during the years of the dictatorship concerning whom there is presumptive evidence of unjustified again; 

  3. Any person denounced by public outcry for having inflicted torture on political prisoners or for having committed political assassinations. 

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President Rene Preval,  along with the Senate,  moved to amend the 1987 Constitution.  At this point some magical sleight-of-hand took place. The written Amendments, approved by the Senate, were delivered to Preval and he was supposed to have these Amendments published in Le Monitueur. 

Somewhere between the Senate and publication, Preval wrote his own amendments, and these are what were published at a later date.

Preval’s amendments effectively made Haiti ungovernable by diluting power between Parliament and the Presidency. The present situation of chaos has its roots in the Preval Crimes.

President Jovenel Moise has now undertaken the task of overseeing creation of a new Constitution and will put the results to a referendum in the immediate future.

With the present situation that sees President Moise faced by an effectively politically impotent opposition, he faces a real and present danger. This impotent opposition can focus its limited resources upon frightening the Haitian voters in a manner used effectively by Preval and Aristide, in the past.

The simple threat of death to anyone who tries to vote on the Referendum could totally derail the concept, becoming a Vote of No Confidence against the Presidency.

Haiti’s small minority of trouble-makers,  representing no one, can pirate Democracy.

The International Community should be, must be aware of the game that a tiny minority are playing, utilizing increased kidnapping, home invasions, traffic blockages and chaos, against our Democratically elected government.

Haiti’s present, and future arein imminent danger.. 

Adelina Dayiti

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