9966: When I thought I had seen it all ... (fwd

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Pierre Jean <pierrejean01@yahoo.com>
kSubject: When I thought I had seen it all ...

On December 12, Mr. John Emmanuel Desroches proclaimed
himself interim Director of DGI (the Haitian tax
collection agency) at a press conference, with 2
members of the President's security team (USGPN)at his
side. Were absent from the "ceremony" the now-former
head of DGI, Mr. Frantz Theodat, and his
second-in-command. This happened without ANY official
document stating that Mr. Theodat had resigned or had
been fired, and that Mr. Desroches had been named to
replace him, without ANY letter from the Ministère de
l'Economie et des Finances to that effect. [I am sure
some kind of pre-dated document will surface later.]

What is most interesting is that Mr. Desroches claimed
at the press conference that he had received a mandate
from President Aristide himself to do what he did and
to clean up the institution, following the Chatelain
affair.

What is most surprising is, for a government that
talks about instituting the rule of law and upholding
regulations and procedures, this "auto-installation"
as one press outlet dubbed it, flouts every single
regulation of the Haitian civil administration.

I wonder whether Ms. Karshan or anyone involved with
the present admninistration would care to comment on
the following:

1. Is Mr. Desroches's claim that he is the new interim
Director of DGI valid? Is it legal?

2. Why were the Prime Minister and the Minister of
Finance bypassed in the process? There may be a good
reason, but I would like to hear it.

3. What does the USGPN have to do with the investiture
of a civil servant? What kind of message does it send
to other civil servants? Is this a return to the good
old days of the Presidency using its might and image
to do and undo as it pleases?

I am not saying that Mr. Desroches is incapable of
doing the job. I have no idea about his competency.
However, the manner in which he has taken over the
reins of DGI from Frantz Theodat is bizarre, to say
the very least, and bodes ill for an already-bleak
future.

Pierre Jean

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