On Wednesday, Haitian politician Werley Nortreus said Haiti’s unelected Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, should resign if he knows he won’t keep his word and the promises he made to Haitians. Nortreus said a new constitution is also a must just like the international intervention to combat gangs and organize a general election.
Nortreus was born and raised in Haiti. His taste and ambition for politics began years ago after he found out how his home nation was going down to much more suffering. In 2022, he launched a petition that requested a constitutional reform that would reduce age limits to include younger politicians in the boards of the Executive and Legislative.
“PM Ariel Henry said he would amend the constitution, add security, and organize a general election to pick a new President and Govt. I think the PM must keep his word and promises because Haitians deserve answers and Haiti doesn’t deserve to suffer much more. If the PM knows he’s not keeping his word and promises, he should resign because it will be very disappointing and embarrassing if the nation goes down into many more failures. The nation deserves a new constitution that will make Haitians much more comfortable. A constitution reform is also a must and a priority just like the international intervention and a general election”, Nortreus said on Wednesday.
Last year, Henry said his government would amend the current constitution, set up security, and organize a general election, but none of these plans have been established yet. Nortreus urged the PM to keep his word and promises or he should resign because Haitians can’t afford to go deeper to much more suffering.
Henry was installed to power during the Presidency of former Haiti President Jovenel Moise. The former President was deeply criticized for the missing Petro-Caribe money and high rates of crimes and violence across the country during his administration until his assassination by Colombians and Haitian-Americans. Current PM Henry, and some members of his administration, including Moise are allies of the PHTK party, according to investigations.
In a 2022 letter to the UN, Henry requested an intervention from the United States to help deal with the shortage of fuel and other goods because a gang (G-9) took over the territory. It was announced that Haitian authorities said they have regained control of the main fuel terminal in the capital city Port-au-Prince after they negotiated with G-9.
According to reports, Henry’s United States intervention request was rejected by Haitians. African countries and CARICOM volunteered under the leadership of Kenya. The UN Security Council approved it last year after debates. The High Court of Kenya and Kenyans also rejected the proposal. Former Kenyan presidential candidate Dr. Ekuru Aukot filed a petition because the proposal violated his nation’s constitution. Nortreus said he knew sending Kenyan police officers to his home nation was unconstitutional and unclear, but he still thinks an international intervention to secure the nation is a good plan.
“I always knew the opposition in Kenya and Justice Chacha Mwita was right when they said sending police officers to Haiti was unconstitutional. This is why I always mentioned soldiers when African nations and CARICOM volunteered because I knew such missions were for Army and Defense forces only. This is now much more complicated. Haiti doesn’t share a border with Kenya, so it will not be easy about reciprocal arrangements. I think a plan B by Kenya is needed because I still think Haiti needs the intervention to secure it”, Nortreus added on Wednesday.
