Haiti: UN wants an end to stalemate over appointment of prime minister

UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The United Nations Thursday called on all the political actors in Haiti to search for a consensus amid the ongoing struggle between President Michel Martelly and Parliament over the confirmation of a new prime minister.



Martelly suffered his second major blow on Tuesday in an attempt to form a new government after the Senate voted to reject former justice minister Bernard Gousse as his choice for prime minister.



Martelly, who sworn into office in March, is a virtual new comer to politics and the rejection of his latest nominee for the post of prime minister came as no surprise after 16 members of the Senate had earlier signed a public statement opposing his selection.



In a statement, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said it has taken note of Parliament’s decision to reject Gousse.



“MINUSTAH is concerned about the absence of a government in Haiti for almost three months. This limits the State’s ability to implement its programmes, to guide the reconstruction process, and to meet its responsibilities towards the people of Haiti.”



Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, is still struggling to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000 people and displaced 2.3 million others.



It is also bracing itself for what is likely to be the first of several storms of this year’s hurricane season.



“MINUSTAH respectfully reminds all political players in the country of their responsibility to work in the best interests of the nation.



“As the hurricane season starts, MINUSTAH encourages all political actors to negotiate and search for a consensus which would lead to the good governance of Haiti,” it added.



MINUSTAH has been on the ground in Haiti since mid-2004 after then president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced into exile amid violent unrest.



Political observers note that the current parliament is dominated by supporters of former president Rene Preval, a one-time Aristide ally, and many still swear a loose allegiance to Aristide himself.



It was not immediately clear what Martelly might do next to gain the upper hand in his showdown with parliament. He has warned that a rejection of Gousse means it could take another six months to put a new government in place.



The international community has already warned that Haiti needs a government in place to deal with the funds pledged in the wake of the earthquake