Legislative
Haiti: PM requests delay of Senate hearing
- Details
- Created on Saturday, May 25, 2013 8:56 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senators see the request to delay a hearing on the mismanagement of Haitian funds by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe as "grave". After months of dodging invitations, an official convocation hearing was set for May 28, but a secretary from the PM's office returned a letter to the President of the Senate to say that the Head of Government was out of the country.
Audio
05.23.2013: Senator Benoit on hearing delay. Vision 2000
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senators see the request to delay a hearing on the mismanagement of Haitian funds by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe as "grave". After months of dodging invitations, an official convocation hearing was set for May 28, but a secretary from the PM's office returned a letter to the President of the Senate to say that the Head of Government was out of the country.
The First Secretary of the Senate, Senator Steven Benoit, saw this letter as "grave" firstly because it came from a secretary in the Prime Minister's office and was addressed to the President of the Senate, secondly because the hearing is not an invitation, as those made before, this hearing is a convocation, one that is mandatory.
The PM's office requested for the date of the hearing to be set for May 31. It claims that the request for the delay is because the Head of Government is out of the country, but according to a schedule released on Monday, the Head of Government should only be out of the country for 5 days, and in Haiti by Sunday, May 26.
According to Senator Benoir the current administration is one that doesn't respect Parliament and a fitting response from Senators is warranted.
Among the questions seeking answers in this hearing is the uses of $120 million [US] in state of emergency funding following Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy, the 1-4 million dollars spent but not budgeted for the 2nd anniversary celebration of Michel Martelly, social programs, such as Ede Pep and Ti Manmna Cherie, which are not budgeted and alleged to be corrupt, and a host of other cases.
Related Articles
Haiti: Senator Moise wants UN troops out by end of his term, 2015
- Details
- Created on Friday, May 24, 2013 1:17 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senator Jean-Charles Moise who traveled to Brazil and Argentina in April on a campaign for the departure of United Nations peacekeepers from Haiti expressed his dissatisfaction that the head of MINUSTAH, Nigel Fisher, and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe would both travel to those countries to erase the work he had begun.
Haiti: Senate discovers more irregularities in Education Tax
- Details
- Created on Thursday, May 23, 2013 11:09 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - More than 60% of the funds collected on international calls for the National Fund for Education have been spent, not on education in Haiti, but in manners “irregular†according to a report by an investigating committee that is to be presented before the Senate. The investigation also says of the possibility of 20% of monies collected are not being reported.
Haiti: Senate ratifies Ambassador to the UN, left four others waiting
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 12:45 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The Senate on Tuesday ratified Denis Registre as Ambassador of Haiti to the United Nations but not Daniel Supplice to the Dominican Republic, Vanessa Lamothe Matignon to France and the designated Ambassador to Spain and Germany.
Dual-Nationality: Haiti Parliament to investigate two ministers
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 9:25 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Two ministers would be holders of passports from the United States of America and in violation of the Constitution of Haiti according to Senators who re-instituted the dual-nationality commission in order to investigate the allegations.
Haiti: Senate summons Prime Minister for questions on management
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 7:32 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe will be required to appear before the Senate on Tuesday, May 28 to answer on various charges of mismanagement and corruption according to a letter signed by 7 Senators and sent to the President of the Senate Simon Desras.
Haiti Treasury: Projected deficit of $419 million [US] for 2013 fiscal year
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:19 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The Chairman of the Senate Economy and Finance Committee Jocelerme Privert indicated on Monday of a trend towards a $419 million [US] deficit in the state's accounts for the 2013 fiscal year. Senator Privert urged the authorities to intensify their pursuit of taxes and fight against smuggling and for the Martelly administration to be more responsible with the state's limited financial resources.
Deputy Luckner Noel responds, says he did not kneel before Martelly
- Details
- Created on Friday, May 17, 2013 10:05 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - On Thursday in a press conference Deputy Luckner Noel (Ouanaminthe/Alternative) denied having knelt down before President Michel Martelly.
Haiti: Parliamentarian kneels before Martelly
- Details
- Created on Thursday, May 16, 2013 9:13 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - A parliamentarian of the Republic of Haiti, kneeling down in front of President Michel Martelly and saying things such as “I would die for you†to the Head of State has drawn the ire of colleagues and shocked others.
Senator Bien Aime says corruption has increased in 2 years
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 10:56 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - It's been two years of increased corruption in this country, said Senator Jean-Baptiste Bien-Aime, who went down a list of the administration's 5-E's and pointed out where corruption exists in each.
Haiti: House President doesn't see any real results for administration
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 10:34 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Jean Tholbert Alexis, said he would have a difficult time describing what the administration has realized in the past two years. The VP of the National Assembly said since becoming the head of the lower house there have not been any bills proposed by the administration of Michel Martelly.
Haiti: 3 of 10 international agreements adopted by Parliament
- Details
- Created on Friday, May 10, 2013 7:10 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - On Monday, senators and deputies met in National Assembly but only to deliberate on 5 of 10 international agreements submitted by the Administration and of those 5 only passed 3.
Haiti: Senator Zenny believes Jean Dominique will not find justice
- Details
- Created on Thursday, May 09, 2013 7:15 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senator Edwin Zenny said yesterday was the first time Lavalas took to the streets and didn't destroy or burn property and believes the base of former President Aristide would be very well to maintain this mode during their outings.
Haiti: Senators will accompany Aristide and citizens to court
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 08, 2013 11:19 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senator Jean-Charles Moise and Pierre Francky Exius will mobilize on Wednesday May 8 and on the occasion of the convocation of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide at the Palace of Justice in Port-au-Prince. The senators also asked the public to meet them in front of the gates of the grounds of the National Palace.
Haiti: Third bloc in Lower House, Parliamentarians for Political Equilibrium, is formed
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 08, 2013 10:56 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - "PSP kraze," said Senator Steven Benoit of President Michel Martelly's majority in the Lower House. This was before the President of the Chamber announced the creation of a new, third bloc, called Parliamentarian for Political Equilibrium (PEP).
Haiti: Parliamentarians suspect mismanagement of Petrocaribe funds
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 08, 2013 8:26 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - The Chamber of Deputies has doubts about the proper management of funds from Petrocaribe. Despite a nearly 70% majority bloc for the Martelly administration, the chamber expressed its concerns of possible mismanagement of the money afforded by the agreement brought forth by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.
Haiti: Gov't given 8 days to report on State of Emergency funds, Petrocaribe and no-bid contracts
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 08, 2013 8:31 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - After dodging invitations by the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies now has sent two letters on Monday to Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe requiring within a period of 8 days to report on the 5 billion HTG ($120 million [US]) in State of Emergency funds taken in November and December 2012, a series of no-bid contracts awarded or ongoing and the management and status of the Petrocaribe funds.
Senator Moïse returns from South American campaign to withdraw MINUSTAH
- Details
- Created on Saturday, May 04, 2013 11:45 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - Senator Jean-Charles Moïse returned to Haiti on Thursday after meeting with dignitaries in Brazil and Argentina. The senator said both Brazilian and Argentinian officials said they are prepared to remove their troops from Haiti but it would depend on the decision of the administration.
Haiti: Senate President denounces plan to postpone overdue elections to 2014
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 01, 2013 9:00 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - President of the National Assembly, Senator Simon Desras, denounced a group in the international community that doesn't want Haiti to have elections in 2013, this comes after the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Pamela White, said on Washington-based Voice of America radio, that Haitians should prepare for elections in 2014.
Linda Dorcena Forry gets Democratic nod for Mass. State Senate
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, May 01, 2013 11:45 AM
BOSTON, USA (defend.ht) - On Wednesday, the Haitian American Association for Political Action (HAAPA) announced the victory of Linda Dorcena Forry to be the Democratic nominee for the vacant Massachusetts State Senate seat.
