PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – As Haitians await the preliminary results of last Sunday’s presidential and legislative elections, there are mounting concerns about the impoverished French-speaking Caribbean country plunging into deeper crisis if the results are not viewed as valid.
In this nexus, the international community has reportedly heightened pressure on electoral officials here in ensuring that each ballot is counted and given to the right candidate.
“We are interested in results of the election that demonstrably reflect the will of the Haitian people,” United States Ambassador Ken Merten told reporters on Saturday.
In order to help prevent manipulation of the Haitian vote, the international community has staffed the vote tabulation centre with monitors from the United States, Canada, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“For me, everything hinges on the transparency of the work, the effectiveness of the work and the professional manner in which the screening and verification processes at the [vote tabulation centre] are going to be carried out,” said Colin Granderson, head of the OAS-CARICOM mission, which had 120 poll watchers scattered throughout the country on election day.
“The suspicious [tallies] need to be set aside, properly verified and a decision taken as to whether they are going back into the general pool of results, or if they are going to be quarantined,” he added.
“I’ve always said the major obstacles to good elections this time around was the total deficit of credibility held by all the political parties in regard to the [electoral council],” Granderson continued.
Political observers fear that duelling protests between President Rene Préval’s supporters and opponents could spark violent confrontation in the earthquake-ravaged country.
“The principles of democracy are at stake here in Haiti,” said Edmond Mulet, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
“People went out to vote, they trusted the electoral system. The will, vote and sentiments of the people have to be respected,” he added.
Members of the electoral commission have apologized for the breakdown at some polling stations, saying they plan to make corrections before a possible second round.
Preliminary results of the vote are expected to be released tomorrow.
(CMC)
