At 4 days of the due date and two long days of intense discussions, Wednesday and Thursday, it’s always the impasse between President Martelly and members of the Senate Commission, neither side is ready to engage before the other…
In summary, the Head of State wants above all other things, the vote of the electoral law amended and the ratification of the declaration of the Prime Minister appointed Evans Paul and that, before 12 January 2015.
For their part, the Senators fear that once in National Assembly, the majority deputies (Pro-Martelly] vote the general policy statement of the Prime Minister and that the Head of State allows the Prime Minister to govern without the vote of Senate, as has already happened in 1999 with Jacques Edouard Alexis. Also they require of President Martelly, the modification of the tripartite agreement signed December 29, 2014, specifically Articles 5 and 7 as guarantee in advance before any other commitments from them…
For senators of the Commission, Article 5, which states “On the second Monday of January two thousand and fifteen (2015), parliamentarians whose terms expire may continue to hold office until complete four (4) years for deputies, or twenty-four (24) April two thousand and fifteen (2015) and six (6) full years for senators or up to nine (9) September 2015, subject to this clause to be enshrined in the electoral law before 12 January 2015. If the election for their replacements take place before the dates thereof, their mandate expires at the inauguration of the newly elected.” should be replaced by a new article that looks more like “On the second Monday of January 2015, parliamentarians whose terms expire may continue to hold office until complete four years for deputies or April 24, 2015 and six full years for senators, untilor until September 9, 2015, subject to this clause to be enshrined in the electoral law.”
For Article 7 of the agreement stipulating that “The failure to comply with any provision contained in this Agreement leads its invalidity with all legal consequences. The President of the Republic, Head of State, will ensure the stability of institutions, will ensure the functioning of public authorities and the continuity of the state, according to the Constitution.” Senators want to empty it of all constraint and replace it with an article stipulating only “15 or 22 days after [January 12] the parties will be able to meet to make a follow-up assessment of the Agreement and take necessary decisions.”
The President Martelly does not intend to change its position, considering making openness, goodwill and made enough concessions and requires that parliamentarians in turn make concessions by responding favorably to his requests.
After Thursday’s meeting, the two parties separated on these disagreements without any progress towards resolving the crisis…