Regional bloc chief in Haiti to help speed up elections

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep.

The head of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Wednesday visited Haiti to help the Caribbean country conclude presidential and legislative elections that have been postponed indefinitely.

Luis Almagro will meet President Jocelerme Privert and other Haitian officials to discuss ways to get to elections that have been postponed.

"We will discuss the remaining steps needed to reinforce the trust of citizens in the electoral process, and to conclude this process in the best conditions and as soon as possible", Almagro said in statement.

Almagro has previously indicated that the process could not be rushed and recommended the Electoral Council take its time in preparation.

It is Almagro’s first visit to Haiti since being elected last year as general secretary of the 35-member regional bloc.

The executive pointed out that it could not be rush in Haiti elections and recommended the Electoral Council take its time in preparing the process.

The two-day visit comes after the country has taken several decisive steps following an agreement signed in February between parliament and former President Michel Martelly.

Among them is the election of a provisional president, the designation of a consensus prime minister and the formation of a new Provisional Electoral Council.

The agreement includes the completion of a second round of presidential and parliamentary elections later this month and the inauguration of the new country´s president May 14.

But last week the head of the electoral commission made it clear that the twice postponed polls twill not be held April 24 due to political and financial problems.

Along with Prime Minister Enex Jean-Charles, Privert have met with the Cabinet in an effort to resolve the political crisis but the electoral commission has not announced a new date for elections that were originally scheduled for last December.