7893: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>


1.   Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 14 May 01

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Signal FM news 1230 gmt 14 May 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; May 15, 2001


Figures in brackets indicate time in minutes elapsed since start of
programme

1.[00] Headlines.

2. [04] Today's main headline is the end of the mission by the joint
OAS-CARICOM [Caribbean Community] delegation headed by OAS Assistant
Secretary General Luigi Einaudi. The members of this delegation met with
Aristide, members of the Democratic Convergence, and representatives of
civil society. Before leaving Haiti yesterday, Einaudi said that he was
worried about the current situation and concerned about the lack of
willingness among the main protagonists to reach a political agreement to
resolve the crisis. The following is an excerpt of Einaudi's statements:
"//We are impressed by the number of proposals that were made to resolve the
crisis. But we realize that no concrete, effective steps have been taken.//"

3. [07] The OAS-CARICOM fact-finding mission met with President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide twice on Friday [11 May]. The meetings took place in
a very cordial atmosphere, according to Richard Dumesle, a member of the
National Palace Press Service. The delegation members met with Aristide at
the National Palace on Friday morning and again in the afternoon. Aristide
spoke at length with Einaudi by telephone during the day on Saturday. They
met again Saturday evening. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the
meetings, during which they explored solutions to the crisis. However,
Dumesle added, the Convergence showed its intransigence regarding the
dialogue that could bring about a solution to the electoral crisis.

4. [10] On Friday, the OAS-CARICOM delegation met with a delegation from the
Lavalas Family, FL. The discussions focused on the urgency of finding a
solution to the crisis Haiti is facing today. Jonas Petit, spokesman for FL,
said the following: "//An FL delegation made up of its interim national
representative, Senator Yvon Neptune, its spokesman, Jonas Petit, and
Senator Louis Gerald Gilles, met on Friday, 11 May, with OAS representative,
Ambassador Einaudi and Ambassador Albert Ramdin, from CARICOM, who were
conducting a fact-finding mission in Haiti in the prospect of the resolution
of the controversy resulting from the 21 May 2000 senatorial elections.//"

5. [13] The Convergence speaks of its satisfaction with the discussions it
had with the OAS-CARICOM delegation. Micha Gaillard, one of the spokesmen
for this political coalition, says his group is pleased with the meeting
they had with the delegation. According to Gaillard, the Convergence sticks
to its proposal that the negotiations with the current government should
take place on neutral ground. The following is an excerpt from Gaillard's
statement: "The joint OAS-CARICOM mission has come to explore the situation,
to determine how it is. Your question is: Are we satisfied? I would say yes,
we are, insofar as we did not expect more from that mission given that they
clearly expressed the necessity, the need to know the position of each party
in the crisis and how that position could be part of a report they will send
to the OAS secretary general and the CARICOM secretary general for use
during the OAS General Assembly that is going to be held in Costa Rica on 2
and 3 June." Gaillard added: "We gave them a document, a memorandum that
says how the Convergence perceives the subject of the negotiations. It is
not only a question of resolving the electoral crisis. It is also a question
of how to resolve the crisis of governability in the country."

6. [18] Headlines and ads.

7. [23] Lavalas parliamentarians criticize Convergence officials. The 21 May
controversially elected representatives reproach the opposition for its
unwillingness to negotiate to resolve the crisis. Rudy Heriveaux, member of
the 47th legislature, deplores this situation and asks the people to remain
watchful.

8. [24] The Movement for the Organization of the Country, MOP, celebrated on
Friday the 55th anniversary of its presence on the political field. MOP
leaders marked this day with various activities, beginning with a lecture on
the history of MOP, founded by Daniel Fignole. MOP Secretary General Franck
Adelson criticized today's politicians and said he hoped that would use
Fignole as an example as he remains a model on the Haitian political arena.

9. [25] The third conference of the Less Developed Countries, LDC, will
begin today in Brussels, Belgium. On this occasion, Planning and External
Cooperation Minister Marc Louis Bazin will submit a $14 billion plan to
fight poverty in the country for the next 10 years. He will also talk about
financing development.

10. [25] The Haitian Government through Prime Minister Jean-Marie Cherestal
has signed a contract with three Dominican firms to provide Haiti with 50
megawatts of electricity. This contract will be effective for nine months.
Cherestal hopes both parties will respect the clauses of the contract.

11. [30] Ads.

12. [32] Economic segment by Georges Henry, Jr.

13. [36] Ads followed by international news and ads.

14. [54] Colette Lespinasse, coordinator of the Group for Support to
Refugees and Repatriates, GARRH, favours the construction of a public market
on the Haitian side of border with the Dominican Republic, which would
create advantages for the Haitians.

15. [57] Report by Gonaives correspondent Wilfrid Fabre: Heavy rains in the
Artibonite region caused the deaths of two persons and several animals over
the weekend. The rains also caused material damages. It should be pointed
out that whenever it rains heavily, the city of Gonaives is always flooded.

16. [59] Report by Cavaillon correspondent Yves Delva: The Saint-Louis du
Sud police station has been closed for nearly 10 days. The policemen who
used to work in Saint-Louis have not shown up. This is because there are not
enough police in the South Department. Attorney Marc-Antoine Leger explains
that he brought this problem to the attention of the departmental director
of the police in the South, who told him after consulting the police list
that only one policeman is at the disposal of Saint-Louis du Sud given that
the others have either been transferred or have resigned. The judicial
authorities and the people in general hope the police station of Saint-Louis
du Sud will reopen soon.

17. [60] News summary.

Source: Signal FM Radio, Port-au-Prince, in Creole 1230 gmt 14 May 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.