a1080: BBC: Haiti's Convergence refuses to participate in new government (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Robert Benodin <r.benodin@worldnet.att.net>

Haiti's Convergence refuses to participate in new government
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Mar 5, 2002


[Announcer] The Democratic Convergence says that it will not take part in
the new government. Micha Gaillard said the following:
[Gaillard - recording] The Convergence cannot afford to participate in a
virtual government today while out on the streets there is a real government
that is at work. By that I mean that under the [former] Cherestal
government, the justice minister for instance gave instructions that
unfortunately could not be executed, because it is the word of the virtual
government that counts. The virtual government arrested people as they
wanted and prevented news conferences from taking place. So, we say that we
will not participate in a government where the president works with gang
leaders and does what he wants without taking heed of what others do or say.
So, as far as we are concerned, the nomination of [Prime Minister-designate
Yvon] Neptune or anyone else will not resolve the crisis. There should be an
agreement stemming from negotiations between both parties, the Convergence
and the FL [Lavalas Family]. And it would be following that agreement that
we could set up a transitional government that would take care of the true
problems of this country and restore order so that the socioeconomic
problems may be resolved. That government would also have to modernize
institutions. We think that the Lavalas party has carried out a relentless
pursuit, which will not help to resolve the crisis, but that the situation
will get worse. [End of recording]
Source: Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 5 Mar 02
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.