VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0504/01 1461251
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261251Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9952

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000504 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CAR, H, INR/IAA, AND S/CRS 
H PLEASE PASS TO HDAC STAFF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON OVIP HA
SUBJECT: CODEL HIRONO DISCUSSES REFORM, EDUCATION, AND JOBS WITH 
SENIOR HAITIAN OFFICIALS 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: A Congressional delegation led by Rep. Mazie 
Hirono met with the President, Prime Minister, and parliamentary 
leaders during its May 8-11 visit to Haiti.  The delegation, 
accompanied by the Ambassador, reaffirmed U.S. support for efforts 
to promote Haiti's stability and prosperity, and outlined the House 
Democracy Assistance Commission's assistance programs.  Haitian 
officials highlighted their efforts to improve the climate for 
foreign investment and strengthen Haiti's institutions, including 
Parliament, where a lack of infrastructure and accumulated expertise 
has prevented the legislature from playing a more constructive role 
in reform efforts.  End summary. 
 
PRESIDENT PREVAL PLEADS FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE 
 
¶2. (SBU) A Congressional delegation led by Rep. Mazie Hirono and 
including Reps. David Dreier, Jim McDermott, Gwen Moore, and Kilili 
Sablan, met with Haitian President Rene Preval at the National 
Palace May 8.   On behalf of the House Democracy Assistance 
Commission (HDAC), the delegation outlined the U.S. Congress's 
partnership with the Haitian legislature and expressed continued 
support for Haiti's reforms to encourage foreign investment and 
economic growth. 
 
¶3. (SBU) President Preval welcomed the delegation to Haiti and 
surveyed the government's efforts to generate economic growth in the 
wake of the 2008 food riots and hurricanes.  The U.S. travel 
advisory, he argued, made attracting foreign investment more 
difficult despite the trade preferences contained in the Haitian 
Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE II) Act.  He 
also argued that money currently dedicated to MINUSTAH peacekeeping 
in Haiti would be more profitably spent on assistance, pointing out 
that donors had pledged only half of what the Haitian government 
sought at the April donor conference in Washington. 
 
PRIME MINISTER PIERRE-LOUIS ON EDUCATION, JOBS, DRUGS 
 
¶4. (SBU) In her May 9 meeting with the delegation, Prime Minister 
Michele Pierre-Louis stressed the importance of education in 
overcoming Haiti's economic challenges.  Although it had 
traditionally been the realm of the church, she said, the government 
now must move quickly to improve access to and the quality of 
education in Haiti.  She was hopeful that Haiti could continue to 
take advantage of HOPE II trade preferences, although pending 
legislation to nearly triple the minimum wage would likely set back 
those efforts in the short term.  Responding to a question from Rep. 
McDermott, PM Pierre-Louis cited the continued vulnerability of the 
judicial system to drug-related corruption as a serious obstacle to 
the strengthening of the Haitian state.  She said that drug money 
influences Haitian politics to some degree but praised USG programs 
to fight drug trafficking and strengthen the Haitian National 
Police. 
 
PARLIAMENTARY LEADERS SHARE PROGRESS ON REFORMS 
 
¶5. (SBU) During a May 8 meeting with the delegation, Senate Vice 
President Andris Riche expressed his gratitude to the Congressional 
delegation for the USG's continued support of the Haitian 
legislature, especially the Project for the Support of the Haitian 
Parliament (PAPH).  Rep. Hirono emphasized HDAC's desire to 
contribute to the strengthening of democratic institutions in Haiti. 
 The Congressional delegation expressed concern over the Senate's 12 
vacancies and the relatively low turnout in the first round of the 
partial Senate elections April 19.  Senator Riche acknowledged the 
delegation's concerns but expressed hope that limited voter 
participation would not pose a political obstacle to the validation 
of election results.  He added that the Parliament faces a number of 
physical and resource constraints. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In the Chamber of Deputies later the same day, the 
delegation discussed with leading Deputies the reforms needed to 
strengthen the Chamber.  Reps. Dreier and McDermott emphasized the 
importance of institutional memory and continuity through elections 
and the need to focus on the role of deputies as legislators.  On 
the last point, Rep. Dreier noted that the expectations in Haiti are 
perhaps too high, in that deputies are expected to become mayors and 
development agents in their constituencies, rather than being 
allowed to focus on national priorities.  The Deputies noted that 
the Chamber is currently considering a decentralization bill that 
would give resources to local and regional government structures, 
which in turn could ease local pressures on the Deputies. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The President of the Chamber, Levaillant Louis-Jeune, 
indicated that several steps had already been taken in the reform 
process:  the recruitment for a Secretary General has begun and 
staff restructuring has already taken place.  Other Chamber officers 
expressed concern over the history of ''hostility'' from the 
executive branch, which combined with the expectations at the local 
level, makes it difficult for Deputies to successfully stand for 
re-election.  The Deputies indicated that the Parliament is 
considering legislation to allow Deputies' to continue in office 
until elections take place, rather than having Parliament become 
inactive if the legislative elections scheduled for the end of 2009 
are delayed.  (Note:  A bill modifying the 2008 Electoral Law and 
reportedly containing language to this effect was subsequently 
approved by both chambers and awaits the signature of President 
Preval.  End note.)  The Deputies were hopeful that, for the first 
time since the fall of the Duvalier regime, a parliament would 
complete its mandate and that timely elections would allow for a 
smooth transition to the next legislature. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The delegation also meet with Senator Edmonde Supplice 
Beauzile and Deputy Marie Jossie Etienne.  Senator Beauzile outlined 
her views on the constitutional reform process, arguing that any 
changes to the relationship between the executive and legislative 
branches must not be to the detriment of the latter.  Deputy Etienne 
recounted her election to Parliament after Haiti's electoral 
authority disallowed approximately 4,000 votes initially counted for 
her opponent.  She also requested assistance for women legislators 
to help them in drafting, reviewing, and promoting legislation that 
addresses gender issues in Haiti, in particular women's inheritance 
rights, child support, and measures related to co-habitation. 
Congresswoman Hirono discussed her experience in the United States 
with organizations designed to promote the election of women 
legislators and advocate legislation that addresses women's 
concerns. 
 
DELEGATION HIGHLIGHTS LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH, RULES OF PROCEDURE 
 
¶9. (U) In a May 11 conference sponsored by the House Democracy 
Assistance Commission, Senate President Kely Bastien and Chamber 
President Louis-Jeune welcomed the delegation's interest in 
strengthening Haiti's legislature and provided an overview of the 
progress the Parliament has achieved to date on key legislation and 
internal reforms.  Delegation members exchanged views with 
Parliament members and staff on the importance of timely, 
nonpartisan research on pressing legislative issues as well as the 
role of rules of legislative procedure in mediating political 
conflicts. 
 
¶10. (U) CODEL Hirono has cleared this cable. 
 
SANDERSON