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WORLD NEWSWednesday 2 December

Haiti opposition says transitional government may be needed

The eight have been de- the official results have in-

manding an independent stead brought a renewed

recount due to what they surge of paralyzing street

assert was “massive fraud” protests.

in favor of Moise. But elec- The Group of Eight is call-

tion authorities say the ing for the protests to

vote was a success and continue, saying people

that fraud allegations should not “cede to black-

have been properly in- mail, intimidation and ma-

vestigated. They also say nipulation.”

they lack the authority to A recent poll by the inde-

appoint an independent pendent research group

panel to verify results. Igarape Institute found

Pierre-Louis Opont, presi- deep public suspicion of

dent of the Provisional the October election. A

Electoral Council, told re- U.S. delegation of election

porters at a Monday press monitors from the National
conference that the next Lawyers Guild and Interna-
round will take place and tional Association of Dem-
the final results of the Oc- ocratic Lawyers Delega-
tober vote “are not going tion said it “fell far short of
minimum standards for fair
A man is detained carrying two machetes in his pants during a protest against the official to change.” elections.”
election results, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He suggested the Group But observers from the Or-
of Eight ultimatum was a ganization of American
(AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) political strategy and said States said the results ap-
the council would not get peared to be in line with
DAVID McFADDEN Among those signing early “major changes ... fair, involved. what they saw on election
Associated Press Monday’s declaration was free and democratic elec- Moise’s well-financed Tet day.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti Jude Celestin, the second- tions” cannot be held Kale party campaign has On Monday, officials at
(AP) — Eight candidates in place finisher who is due while outgoing President repeatedly denied accu- the U.S. Embassy and the
last month’s disputed pres- to face the government- Michel Martelly is in power. sations that it manipulated U.S. State Department’s
idential vote are demand- backed candidate, Jove- The eight said a transition- voting or the ballot count. Office of the Haiti Special
ing changes in Haiti’s elec- nel Moise, in a Dec. 27 run- al government would be The Electoral Council, Coordinator referred all
toral council and national off. The ultimatum throws charged with adopting a which oversees the entire comment to the Haitian
police department. And that runoff into question. new constitution, making election process, said the government. The U.S. con-
if that doesn’t happen by The Group of Eight al- various reforms and orga- agricultural entrepreneur tributed over $30 million to
next month, they are call- liance, which includes nizing “credible” general chosen by Martelly to be fund the three-round elec-
ing for a transitional gov- seven of the top 10 vote- elections within two years. his successor had nearly toral process in Haiti.
ernment to oversee new getters in the Oct. 25 first They did not specify how it 33 percent of the vote Under Haitian electoral law,
general elections. round, said that without might be formed. and compared to 25 per- if a candidate selected for
cent for Celestin, a former the runoff withdraws, he
state construction chief would be replaced by the
who was the government- next contender in line. The
backed candidate five third-place finisher, former
years ago. Sen. Moise Jean-Charles,
While many Haitians hoped belongs to the opposition
that elections would end alliance. The fourth-place
years of political gridlock, finisher, Maryse Narcisse

of the Fanmi Lavalas party

Puerto Rico makes last minute debt payment founded by former Presi-
dent Jean-Bertrand Aris-

tide, is not a member of

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Garcia Padilla testified at a Puerto Rico officials have der that allows the island’s the alliance.

— Puerto Rico has narrowly hearing of the U.S. Senate not yet said where they Treasury Department to Haiti’s constitution says the

avoided a multimillion-dol- Judiciary Committee that obtained the money to retain certain revenues country’s prime minister

lar default by announcing the island is facing a liquid- make the $355 million pay- slated for specific public would lead any transitional

a last-minute bond pay- ity crunch. He says the gov- ment due Tuesday. Garcia agencies to help pay Puer- government as provisional

ment. Still, Gov. Alejandro ernment has no cash left. signed an executive or- to Rico’s debt.q president.q