Haiti moves toward new leadership
Presidential council planned to run search
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country, Caribbean officials said Thursday.
The names were provided to a regional trade bloc known as Caricom that is helping lead the transition.
“It is all up now to the Haitians as they are the ones who want a Haitian-led solution,” Surinamese Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin told The Associated Press. “It is for them to pick up the ball and run with it, being responsible for their own destiny.”
He spoke a day after Haitian politicians and influential figures bickered publicly about the plan and what names to submit, seemingly putting creation of the council at risk.
Caribbean leaders had announced plans to create the council after meeting in Jamaica Monday behind closed doors with officials including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Shortly after the meeting, Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged to resign once the council is created.
The council will be responsible for choosing an interim prime minister and a council of ministers, as well as help organize general elections, which haven’t been held in nearly a decade.
“We hope this is a breakthrough for Haiti,” Ramdin said.
He said Caricom officials met Wednesday night for an update on the situation.
The names haven’t been made public, although a senior Caribbean official not authorized to speak to the media told the AP that the Dec. 21 Agreement group, which backs the current prime minister, has not submitted a name.
The push to create a council comes as Haiti’s capital and other areas become increasingly overrun by powerful gangs that control around 80% of the capital, Port-au-prince.