a1660: Attendance records of legislators criticized (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>


Haiti: Commentary criticizes attendance records of
legislators
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 12, 2002



Text of unattributed commentary published on Haitian
Metropole radio web site on 10 April

Lavalas [ruling party] parliamentarians are finding it
extremely difficult to turn up for work despite their
domination of the legislature. The senators in particular,
who are members of the ruling party, are having trouble
shaking off the bad habits of preceding legislatures, which
they had strongly criticized.

The missed parliamentary sessions are too numerous to
mention. The Senate meetings in particular are purely a
ritual. The empty chair policy is rampant. Few bills or
proposals are completed in plenary session. The Lavalas
senators' record during their 18 months in office in terms
of achievements is dismal. Contested Senator Clones Lans of
Grand'Anse is not apathetic towards this state of affairs.
He believes a solution must be found through awareness.

The quorum problem appears to be connected to various
factors. Senator Louis Gerald Gilles has observed a lack of
motivation among a number of colleagues. Every time the
Senate is to meet, members of the executive office have to
telephone certain colleagues to ensure their participation.
Participation, of course, in work they will be paid for.

The Senate currently has 18 active members following Yvon
Neptune's resignation on becoming prime minister and the
extended absence of Myrlande Liberus, who is on maternity
leave. The seven senators who were "sacrificed" in order to
find a solution to the post-electoral crisis are also
absent. Out of 18 senators, it is not always possible to
obtain the 14 required to hold a session.

Political observers have pointed out another aspect of the
problem. Whenever President Jean-Bertrand Aristide attends
a ceremony or travels, he takes with him a retinue of
demonstrators and parliamentary supporters.

BBC Monitoring/ ¸ BBC



__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/