8290: Highlights of Radio Metropole news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Max Blanchet <maxblanchet@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti: Highlights of Radio Metropole news 1145 gmt 13 Jun 01
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Jun 13, 2001

"The Morning News"; figures in brackets show the time elapsed since the
start of the programme

1. [00] Headlines.

2. [03] The head of state has written to the president of the Episcopal
Conference, Bishop Hubert Constant, and to the members of the Democratic
Convergence. In his letter, Jean-Bertrand Aristide invited them to send him
their proposals. Aristide specified that a new Provisional Electoral
Council, CEP, will be formed by 25 June to plan free, credible, and
democratic elections. According to the president, the CEP members will be
designated by the executive, the judiciary, the opposition political
parties, the Convergence, the Lavalas Family, and the Catholic and
Protestant churches. This letter from the president is dated yesterday, a
day before the arrival of OAS Assistant Secretary-General Luigi Einaudi.

3. [04] The president of the Episcopal Conference said that he has not yet
received the letter from the president of the republic. Bishop Hubert
Constant, who supports the idea of creating a new CEP to hold elections in
the country, said he thinks that this effort constitutes a part of a whole.
Constant calls for a political agreement.

4. [06] The Democratic Convergence had already declined the invitation by
the head of state. Micha Gaillard, who announced that the Convergence will
meet this morning, said he thinks that the conditions have not been met yet
to designate representatives to create a CEP. Gaillard said the following to
correspondent Achilles Louis-Mary Monfort: "I do not see any response for
the Convergence except to decline the invitation if nothing else accompanies
it. We always say that we should stand in the elections but all should
depend on the kind of elections, in what environment they will be held and
who will be responsible for holding the elections, the composition of the
CEP and so on. The way you explained the contents of the letter to me, those
points are not mentioned. Therefore, we think that we shall be obliged to
decline the invitation."

5. [08] The OAS assistant secretary-general will begin his ninth visit to
Port-au-Prince today. Luigi Einaudi, who is here to explain the OAS'
position following its 5 June resolution, is arriving at a time when
polarization is a fait accompli in Haitian society.

6. [11] The Democratic Convergence is very bitter towards the OAS following
its adoption of the plan for a way out of the crisis proposed by President
Aristide. The opposition coalition invites the OAS to reconsider its
decision and to respect the decision adopted by the heads of states and
governments at the Summit of the Americas.

7. [13] Ads.

8. [17] Opinion poll.

9. [19] Senator Dany Toussaint renewed his accusations about certain
personalities within the framework of the investigation of the murder of
Jean Dominique. Toussaint criticized Examining Judge Claudy Gassant and said
that he is ready to defend himself.

10. [22] The Justice Department issued an arrest warrant for former Capt
Richard Salomon as part of the investigation of the murder of Jean
Dominique, according to a judicial source. This decision was made after the
former military officer refused to appear before Judge Gassant after he was
summoned three times. Salomon, who is considered as a close friend of Dany
Toussaint, has apparently left the country.

11. [23] The Court of Appeal has decided the case in favour of Prosper
Avril. Avril's lawyers won the case and are asking for his release. However,
the deputy public prosecutor decided not to follow the order. One of Avril's
lawyers is hoping to use all legal means to obtain his release. Lawyer
Reynold Georges explained that, according to the judge's order, Avril was
supposed to be released immediately, but Public Prosecutor Josue
Pierre-Louis was not there and Deputy Public Prosecutor Yves Altidor was
surprised by the judge's order. He personally wrote that he will not carry
out that decision.

12. [25] The new president of the Court of Cassation was sworn in yesterday
in the presence of the head of state at the National Palace. Lawyer
Alexandre Bonifax pledged to restore the credibility of the judicial
apparatus. He is counting on cooperation from the court's judges so that he
may render justice to whoever needs it.

13. [29] According to the Haitian National Police, PNH, the insecurity
phenomenon has diminished a great deal in the metropolitan region. The PNH
rejoices over the security measures that were taken to counter the bandits.
>From now on, the bandits will have no rest because the police will always be
after them.

14. [32] Ads, followed by international news.

15. [44] News summary, followed by ads.

16. [50] Economic segment by Kesner Pharel.

17. [54] Humor segment by Francois Latour.

18. [59] A well-known businessman, Robert Rho, the owner of Bobby Express, a
money transfer company, and the Bobby Store cosmetics shop, died yesterday
morning on the Boutilliers road. He died in a car accident. According to his
relatives, he called his family to say that he was being followed by a
vehicle full of armed men. While trying to escape from the suspect car, he
lost control of his vehicle, which went down a ravine.

Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 13 Jun 01

/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.