Senator - Haiti Observer Blog

Ex-Senate Chairman during the Aristide administration, Dr. Jean-Marie Fourel Celestin, has blamed the U.S. government for being lured into the drug trade. He expressed his outrage just prior to his deportation to Port-au-Prince. Haitian authorities arrested him, alleging his participation in drug trafficking, money laundering, and other criminal charges. Under police custody he attended an hours-long hearing. He was then turned over to the Central Directorate Judicial Police, who imprisoned him at the National Penitentiary for nearly two weeks.

Fourel's attorney, Mr. Joseph Claudet Lamour, said the warrant issued for Fourel's arrest by Judge Alexandre Mimose at the hearing, had no grounds for being. Lamour pointed to international conventions Haiti agrees to, which states a person cannot be imprisoned for ". . . the same charges in a third country . . .", which in Fourel's case is the U.S.

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For the 3rd time, the opposition senators or specifically the member of G6 were not present at the meeting with the Haitian President, Michel Martelly. President Michel Martelly has gone has gone an extra mile and has demonstrated flexibility. This time, he left the responsibility to schedule meeting with the group of 6 to Senator Desras. The President would like to have it on October 3, not in the National palace but rather in a place that would be determined between them.

One thing I was told a long time ago and still believe in is that: No one has the monopoly on the true.

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Eske nou konnin ke Premye Minis Ayisyen-a, Laurent Lamothe, pa kapab mete print pye li nan Sena Ayisyen-an. Ah! Dapre sa ke mwin konnin, tout gro neg ke premye minis Laurent Lamorth ape fe__-a li konnin ke li pa kapab ale nan Senat pou li pa kite plim.

Ki sa li ye?

Ebyen, neg yo nan Sena-a di, depi Premye Minis Laurent Lamothe vini nan Sena-a, yo ape transfome li nan yon "Interpelasyion" et pi yo tou profite pou yo bali yon "Vot Non Konfyans", pou yo mete li Atè.

Neg yo reproche Premye Minis la pou anpil bagay. Yonn, yo di ke yo voye releminis Lamothe plizyer fwa, li pa janm vini. De, li change plisyer minis nan cabinet li, san Sena-a pa bay dison li sou yo.

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Senator Simon Desras is trying to get out of signing the Inter-Haitian Agreement by saying his role is that of a witness, parlance for non-existence status. He is being pressured on one side to sign as an Independent Observer (IO) by the Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH), and not to sign by six of his senate colleagues.

The mediation protocol states political parties, the legislature, and executive are all stakeholders to the Inter-Haitian Agreement. But Desras disagrees, claiming the Agreement is a consensus only between political parties and the executive.

The CEH says Desras is wrong on two counts: one, Parliament is also a signee of the Agreement, and two, Desras is an IO, not a witness. As an IO, he participates indirectly in the discussion, forwarding his opinions to the Mediator.

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This can happen only in my beloved country of Haiti. A Senator of the Republic of Haiti publicly stated that he punched a citizen who did not attack him. Not only he punched the citizen, but he hit him twice. He further states the only reason he did not arrest the citizen is because his security personnel was not there.

The incident took place on March 9 at a meeting between the Senator and members of MORACS. Senator Wencesclas Lambert became angry after Daniel Theodore reminded him that some of his promises were not delivered

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The President of the Senate has kept his leadership on the Senate. The office of the Senate was renewed based on a resolution passed by the Senators.

The resolution allowed the office of the Senate of the Republic to be renewed in its its entirety for one more year

However there were some recommendations coming mainly from the Senators supporting the government of Michel Martelly. They wish that President of the Senate, Simon Dieuseul Desras, demonstrate greater restraint in his public speeches in the future

Here are the comments from Wencessclas Lambert and others

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While most Haitian Senators did not see a big deal with the letter Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras addressed to the Chilean government recently, Senator Wencesclas Lambert did not see it that way. According to Wencesclas Lambert, Simon Dieuseul Desras clearly calls for foreign troops to overthrow a legitimate government.

Simon Dieuseul Desras ask for Coup d'Etat according to Wencesclas Lambert

According to Wencesclas, this is:
- "High treason"
- "Crime of lese Fatherland"
- "Senator Desras should be removed from office"

Senatè Simon Dieuseul Desras panse oubyen Senatè Wencesclas Lambert Pa konn Li oubyen Li Li tèt La Tet Anba

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At the Plaza Hotel, on Friday, October 11th, a conference was held by the ISC (Civil Society Initiative) where they convened on the matter relating to the ending of the term served by Senators.

The group, constituted of various associations, organizations and institutions pored over those legal documents that speak to the end date for the term served by the Senators, set to be done on the second Monday of the first month of 2014.

In a declaration coming out of the ISC meeting, the various heads of different Civil Society groups stated that their disquiet over the menace of the country's parliament becoming defunct at the date of the next term focused their efforts and had them seeking the advice of experts on the constitution, political scientists and lawyers. From their talks, some observances and determinations were made.

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This is new in Haitian politic. A seating Senator went in front of the Parliament of another country to complaint about his own executive branch of government. Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras went before the Parliament of Chile to complaint about Michel Martelly.

Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras Ale en Chili Pou li mande Ed ak Matador Sipeb Sa Yo bay pou Matelly-a

Talking about sovereignty. It does not exist anymore

" Si martelly Gin Blan Pa-li, Pouki sa Senate Paka Gin blan pa li Tou"

The Haitian Senator went looking for solidarity from the Parliament of Chile to help them fight the government of Michel Martelly as he considers Haiti moving towards ungovernability under the impulse of unconstitutional, as well as illegal and arbitrary practices of the Executive.

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In the neighborhood where I grew up in Haiti, there was someone just like Senateur Moise Jean Charles, One who seems to know everything and something about everyone.

We would call them" "Moun Tripot"

Was that the case for you?

My Mother use to call these people:
" Dyol A Lè Lè"
" Pitit Sa Gin Yon Vwonmisman Malkadi"
" Moun Sa, Pa Gin Sa Li Pa Di A Dyol Li"
" Ou Kwe Se Pa Fe Yo Fe Pitit La Sa?"
" Yon Jou Lang Li Ap Rete Pandye Sou Lestomak Li"

Moise Jean-Charles is quite unique in this area. The Senator of North Department seems to know everything. So you can imagine that he would have an answer for the incident that took place recently where School children from two popular schools in the city of Cap-Haitian were the object of attacks.

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