CARICOM observers declare general satisfaction with Haiti’s elections

Nov 23, 2016 News

After observing over 300 polling stations during Haiti’s presidential and legislative elections last Sunday, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Election Observer Mission (CEOM) has declared general satisfaction with the conduct of the poll in the French speaking CARICOM Member State.
In its first post-elections statement, the mission reported that the officers of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) “not only displayed an improved competence, but a uniform execution of their duties,” on Sunday November 20.
The mission was headed by Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr. Steve Surujbally.
According to CARICOM in a statement, the 300 polling stations visited were situated in three districts in and neighbouring the capital city Port-au-Prince, including areas affected by Hurricane Matthew.
Noting the bold step by the CEP to convene the elections so close after Hurricane Matthew had wreaked havoc on the country, the CEOM said in its initial assessments, it was assured the Haitian election management body was well prepared.
“Staff were trained, committed and dedicated to effectively conduct the elections for president and senators.”
“The CEOM, with its tested and proven technical officers from six CARICOM Member States, collectively visited and keenly monitored well over 300 polling stations.
“The overall considered opinion is that compared with the 25 October 2015 poll, on this occasion the CEP officers at the Polling Stations not only displayed an improved competence, but a uniform execution of their duties. The team attributed this noticeable amelioration to the training of poll staff conducted by the CEP. With few exceptions the poll staff treated CEOM members with the utmost respect, and demonstrated a genuine willingness to accommodate queries,” the statement said.
The CEOM said it will specify and recommend new improvements in its final report, but noted that many of the lapses observed were “not of any great consequence or of the nature to disturb the electoral results.”
“It is worthy of note that many of the suggestions documented by the CEOM following the elections of October 25, 2015, were incorporated into the CEP’s Training Programme and were used on E-Day, November 20, 2016.
“The CEOM urges all Political Parties and their candidates to ensure that their post-electoral behaviour coincides with the law of the land, the tenets associated with electoral processes, and internationally accepted standards and best practice,” the statement noted.
Reuters reported that election tensions spilled onto Haiti’s streets on Monday with shots fired outside the presidential palace as various candidates claimed victory in a re-run vote in the impoverished Caribbean country.
Haitians are counting on their next president to lift the country out of political limbo and repair damage from Hurricane Matthew, which devastated the country last month, killing up to 1,000 people and leaving 1.4 million needing aid.
With paper ballots counted laboriously by hand, election results typically take a week to be announced in Haiti. But less than 24 hours after polling centres had closed, some candidates and their supporters claimed they had won, leading to chaotic scenes in the capital where guards were forced to shoot into the air to clear a celebrating crowd.
The provisional electoral council (CEP) released a statement urging the public to disregard any premature victory announcements.
“We call on the population not to believe or transmit any pseudo-result, even partial, that has reached them,” it said. “Any result circulating on the internet or social media is not attributable to the CEP.”
Electoral officials said they did not expect to have preliminary results until later on Monday, but it could well be longer as tally sheets arrived later than planned and a vote website faced problems. The head of Haiti’s electoral council, Leopold Berlanger, said he expected to publish final results within a maximum of eight days.
Voter turnout in the election was less than 22 percent, an electoral observation coalition said on Monday.
The vote was first held in October 2015, but then annulled over complaints of fraud in the first round after Jovenel Moise, the candidate of former President Michel Martelly’s Bald Heads Party, finished ahead of Jude Celestin, previously boss of a state construction company.

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