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Background


APPOINTMENT OF MS. JOCELYNE PIERRE AS DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE HAITIAN NATIONAL POLICE

  June 29, 2003

The Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti has noted the decision taken on June 27, 2003, by the President of the Republic, to appoint Ms. Jocelyne Pierre as Director General of the Haitian National Police. The Mission also notes that the diplomatic exchanges on the matter initiated by the Haitian authorities had not been completed before their decision was announced.

The Mission is aware that Ms. Pierre has served as Dean of the Civil Tribunal of Port-au-Prince for a little over a year, in which context Mission members have had dealings with her that were entirely professional. However, the Mission is not in a position to comment on her capacity to serve as chief in an area as demanding, and as new to her, as the Haitian National Police.

It is presumed that when a president exercises his constitutional prerogative to appoint officials he makes certain that the appointee is in a position to exercise the authority assigned by applicable law.

As a matter of course, every government post has certain selection criteria. The basic criteria the OAS has advocated in this context center on the rule of law, professionalism, and confidence. Therefore, the Mission is entirely in agreement with the statement made by the Haitian Representative to the Permanent Council on June 26, 2003, on the importance of “inspiring confidence in all political parties and in our international partners.”

The Mission recalls that resolution AG/RES. 1959 (XXXIII-O/03), unanimously adopted on June 10, 2003, calls upon the Secretary General to evaluate the situation in his report for the period ending on September 4, 2003.



OAS SPECIAL MISSION FOR STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN HAITI
Boîte Postale 1304 - Port-au-Prince, Haïti, 31, Rue Pacot, Pacot – Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Phone: 245-5437, 244-6695, 244-6696, Fax 244-6697

Reference: HA_0629E