Agence Haitïenne de Presse - Translation by HaitiAnalysis.com

The general director of the Provisional Electoral Council, Jacques Bernard, confirmed on Saturday his resignation after being reassigned last December to this position, in the new CEP.

This decision intervened less than a week after the publication of a presidential ordinance on the general regulations establishing the rules and norms that govern the functioning of CEP, pending the setting up of a permanent electoral institution.

Jacques Bernard had wanted senatorial elections to be organized under the hospices of the internal regulations of 2005-2006 that gave him very much latitude, to the point of having hoisted him under the regime of Gérard Latortue, to the level of head of the former council, to which the actual councilmen opposed themselves.

Indeed, Mr. Bernard explained his resignation by the fact that the government Préval/Alexis did not maintain the internal regulations of 2005-2006, following different encounters during which all the electoral councilmen had declared themselves in favor of the change.

Jacques Bernard made it known that the former formula was one of success, that one should not touch, he said, complaining about the fact that "all decision making powers were transferred". "How could I manage affairs within the current general regulations and without decision making power", he questioned.

Jacques Bernard refused to say if the electoral councilmen can organize good elections without him, and rather asserted that he did not want to speculate.

Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis said that he regretted the resignation of Jacques Bernard and that he hopes it does not have too much negative implication on the realization of the next electoral races.

One-third of the senate that came to term at the beginning of January must be renewed and indirect elections must be achieved.

The government leader deplored that the recent discussions between the members of CEP and the Executive branch to try solve problems, rather ended up with the departure of Mr. Bernard. As for the representative of Pétion-Ville, Steven Benoît, he admitted that Mr. Jacques played an importance role in the former council. But it is not essential, indicated Mr. Benoît, who calls on president René Préval to proceed, in the shortest delays, to the nomination of a new director to support elections within due date.

One will have to undertake everything possible to avoid a new crisis for the country, given the extremely difficult conditions that Haiti is currently facing, declared the representative.

The Spokesperson of the party Fusion of the Social Democrats, professor Micha Gaillard, was allegedly surprised by the resignation of Mr. Bernard, since, he explained, after an encounter between the stakeholders concerned around the internal regulations, the administrative power had been attributed to the latter.

Mr. Gaillard similarly wondered if the elections will be able to happen within foreseen time-frame.

He calls on Jacques Bernard and the members of the CEP to show wisdom in order to help get the country out of this difficult crossroad.