27205: Karshan (News/Comment) Haiti creates commission to oversee its repeatedly delayed elections (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Michelle Karshan <michellekarshan@yahoo.com>

Thank you Charles for the look at affiliations of the
electoral council.  What would be equally interesting
would be an examination of who is sitting on the new
11-member commission the interim government announced
it is forming to oversee the progress of the
elections, and to observe it! (See article below)  Not
to mention the question of how much it will cost in
fees to pay those 11 people to work in the Commission.

Michelle Karshan

Haiti creates commission to oversee its repeatedly
delayed elections

AP Worldstream; Jan 12, 2006

Haiti's interim president on Wednesday announced the
creation of a commission to oversee elections that
have been repeatedly postponed because of
organizational problems in the troubled country.

Boniface Alexandre said the 11-member commission will
monitor the country's Provisional Electoral Council as
it prepares for the elections, the first since a
rebellion forced the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide nearly two years ago.

The commission, including representatives of the
business sector, labor unions and nonprofit and
religious groups, will also act as an observer to help
ensure the elections are fair.

"This demonstrates the will of the transitional
government to ensure neutral elections," Boniface said
in a speech to Haitian officials and diplomats.

"We want all candidates to have an equal chance in
this race," Alexandre said.

Haiti's elections are scheduled for Feb. 7 _ followed
by a March 19 runoff if needed _ to replace the
interim government imposed after Aristide. Voters will
choose from 35 candidates for president and hundreds
more for 129 legislative seats.

Haiti, which has struggled to distribute voter
registration cards and organize the balloting amid a
wave of kidnappings, postponed the elections four
times. The vote had most recently been scheduled for
Jan. 8.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press

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