HAITIAN ELECTION KEY TO REBUILDING
As we mark the one year anniversary of the Haitian earthquake, controversy continues to swirl around who will be in the run-off for the next Haitian president, and when that run-off will occur.According to new report, an international panel of election experts headed by the Organization of American States (OAS) has reported that based on its analysis of election results, the two candidates in the run off should be former first lady and Senator Mirlande Manigat, who received 31.6% of the vote in the first round and musician Micel Sweet Mickey Martelly who received 22.2% of the vote in that round.
This is in contrast to official results which put Manigat and Jude Clestin, the candidate backed by President Rene Preval, in the run off. At the same time, the Obama Administration is looking to the OAS report for guidance on whether the run off should actually occur as planned.
We anxiously await the election results so that Haitis newly elected government can begin to function and to help guide reconstruction efforts and priorities, which are so critically important. Lets not also lose sight of the fact that parliamentary seats will also be decided in the run off and that there are eight women candidates in that run off. As Ive previously blogged, women are key to Haitis reconstruction at all levels of government, civil society and business. https://stepheniefoster.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=49 As we mark the one year anniversary, we must ensure that all Haitians are part of the decisions being made about how to move Haiti forward.