Haiti interim president to let parliament decide departure

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Haitian interim President Jocelerme Privert said Sunday that he cannot leave office June 14, as mandated by an agreement, if the National Assembly does not make a decision on his exit.

"The National Assembly will decide what is necessary," Privert said during a press conference at the Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport.

Privert, 63, was named head of the state under a political agreement signed in February between former President Michel Martelly and the leader of parliament to ensure stability of the country.

It was signed two days before of Martelly´s departure from office without a successor because Haiti was unable to secure a second round of presidential elections due to allegations of fraud and civil unrest.

The agreement specified that the interim president had a mandate of 120 days and elections should be held April 24.

Privert spoke after returning from the Seventh Summit of Heads of State of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) regional block meeting in Cuba.

"On June 14 if the parliament decides that I have to leave I will leave without qualms, without regrets and I will continue to serve Haiti,” Privert said before leaving for Cuba. “If it decides that I stay, I will stay to fulfill the mandate given to me to organize elections which unfortunately could not be held on time.”

During his visit to the Caribbean country, Privert told Dominican President Danilo Medina that Haiti’s electoral commission decided to hold elections Oct. 9.

The commission welcomed findings of an independent investigation that recommend the results be disqualified of elections last October and a new vote held after of uncovering widespread fraud.

In a meeting Saturday, commission members indicated that they would call the new vote by Oct. 9 and that if any candidate does not receive a majority, a second round would take place Jan. 8, 2017.

An official announcement on the new election timetable is expected Monday.