#2841: Haitian government criticises election date change (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:nozier@tradewind.net

Tuesday, 14 March, 2000, 19:16 GMT 
  Haitian government criticises election date change
>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service

 The Haitian government has called for an evaluation of the country's
voter registration programme and overall readiness for elections. 
The call comes amid a growing dispute between President Rene Preval and
the electoral authorities.Last week, the Provisional Electoral Council
said the poll for legislative and municipal posts had already been
postponed three times, and that any further delay would undermine the
country's international credibility. It set the election date for April
9th.  But Mr Preval has rejected this, saying the  decision was taken
without his approval. Mr Preval dissolved parliament in January 1999  
and has since been ruling by decree. The political deadlock has held up
much international aid for Haiti.