a1689: BBC: The Democratic Convergence criticizes the efforts by the Chamber of Deputies with regard to the attitude of the accredited foreign diplomats (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Robert Benodin <r.benodin@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1819 gmt 15 Apr 02
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 16, 2002


2. A sailboat that was transporting charcoal and people from La Gonave to
Arcahaie capsized over the weekend. Fifteen people are reported dead. (1
min)
3. The international news is dominated by the failed military coup in
Venezuela and the return of President Hugo Chavez to the National Palace.
Filmmaker Arnold Antonin explains the situation in Venezuela. (4 min)
4. La Gonave correspondent Anil Douassaint reports on the sailboat that
capsized on its way to Arcahaie from La Gonave killing 14 people [figure as
heard] on board. Two adolescents were lucky enough to survive the accident,
which was caused by high winds (2 min)
5. The OAS investigating mission begins its second and final week of work in
Haiti. The OAS experts will meet again with the sectors involved before
going to Washington at the end of the week. They have already met with
President Aristide, the prime minister, the justice minister, the
Convergence, and civil society. The OAS mission's report will be a deciding
factor in the initiatives that the OAS will take before the resumption of
the negotiations. (2 min)
6. The foreign minister is trying to calm the apprehension of
parliamentarians who have stopped criticizing the declarations by foreign
diplomats on the political situation in Haiti. Joseph Philippe Antonio said
that he shares the worries of the deputies and promised to keep them
informed about the attitude of the diplomatic corps in Haiti. (2 min)
7. The Democratic Convergence criticizes the efforts by the Chamber of
Deputies with regard to the attitude of the accredited foreign diplomats
about the Haitian crisis. The Convergence recalls that the Lavalas Family
[FL] has been the beneficiary of that policy in the past. According to the
opposition leaders, the position of the diplomats on the crisis is necessary
due to the role that the international community is playing to facilitate an
end to the crisis in Haiti. Hubert De Ronceray said: "If the cooperation
between the Haitian Government and the diplomats is to be effective, we
think that they should be able to observe, understand, and explain to their
governments what is going on in Haiti. I find it hard to understand the
attitude of those so-called deputies who do not want to allow the diplomats
to observe and give their opinion on issues of national and international
interest. I do not think that the Vienna Convention does not give those
diplomats the right to observe and give to their government information that
they consider indispensable to international cooperation." (3 min)
9. Opinion poll. To the question: What concession should the Lavalas Family
agree to make? Forty per cent of the people questioned think that the FL
should hold new elections, 11 per cent are in favour of a government of
consensus, 10 per cent think that Lavalas should share power, 2 per cent
think concession is not necessary, and 33 per cent had no opinion. (1 min)
10. The kidnapping trend has resurfaced in the metropolitan area. At least
three kidnappings have been registered these last two weeks. According to
informed sources, the relatives of the kidnapped persons had to pay a ransom
to obtain their liberation. The National Police have not yet reacted to the
return of this phenomenon. More instances of banditry have also been
reported in Port-au-Prince. (1 min)
11. The former president of the military government, Prosper Avril, is still
in prison, despite the 11 April decision by the court of appeals to release
him. Avril's lawyer, Reynold Georges, hopes that his client will be released
today. (2 min)
12. Avril's wife denounces the detention of her husband, despite the court's
ruling. Madam Marie Ange Avril thinks that the decision by the Haitian
judicial apparatus is irregular and called for the release of her husband.
She said that the public prosecutor is avoiding the lawyers so that he does
not have to sign court order. (2 min)
13. Consultations are taking place between members of the Chamber of
Deputies' Finance Committee and the people in charge of the Finance Ministry
on the upcoming vote on the budget of the Republic. During a meeting on 12
April, the deputies and technicians from the Finance Ministry underscored
the need for the parliament to ratify the budget law as soon as possible.
However, Finance Committee Chairman James Durosin continues to emphasize the
missing papers that delay the voting process. (3 min)
14. The IMF is holding a seminar in Port-au-Prince on 15-26 April on
programming and monetary policy. This training session, which normally takes
place in Washington, will be held at the Kinam II hotel in Port-au-Prince so
that more Haitian economists may be able to attend it. The IMF's
representative in Haiti, Jerome Lapitus, and three other experts from
Washington will hold the seminar. About 20 Haitian participants will attend.
Managers from the Economy Ministry, the Cooperation Ministry, the Central
Bank, the Haitian Association of Banks, and the Haitian Association of
Economists will participate in the seminar. Issues related to structural
reforms, poverty reduction, economic growth, balance of payments, monetary
policy, and the recent episodes of monetary crisis are on the agenda. (2
min)
15. The Tourism Ministry is holding a competition for journalists. The
people in charge of the Tourism Ministry are looking for a new way to
promote the image of Haiti overseas. The competition will be based on
culture, art and history. The journalists are expected to enhance the value
of tourism through the use of any element of national heritage. (2 min)
18. Economic segment by Kesner Pharel: The US oil market is facing
uncertainty due to the rapid evolution of the situation in Venezuela. (4
min)
19. Special guests of the day: Professor Michel Soukar and filmmaker Arnold
Antonin on the failed military coup in Venezuela and the return of President
Hugo Chavez to the National Palace. (20 min)
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1819 gmt 15 Apr 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.