US embassy cable - 04PORTAUPRINCE520

C O N F I D E N T I A L  PORT AU PRINCE 000520 
 
 
STATE FOR SES-O/HMG, WHA/CAR AND P 
WHA/EX PASS TO USOAS 
NSC FOR SHANNON 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2009 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PREL, HA 
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER FORMS CABINET 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JAMES B. FOLEY.  REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Prime Minister Latortue finalized his 
cabinet choices on the afternoon of March 16, following 
consultations with President Alexandre.  The cabinet was 
installed at 14:00 on March 17.  Latortue chose to 
consolidate several existing ministries as a cost-cutting 
measure, naming only 13 ministers and five secretaries of 
state.  He also opted for a non-partisan, technocratic 
government; while three of his cabinet choices worked 
previously in Lavalas  administrations, none of the eighteen 
have strong ties to either Lavalas or the "opposition" 
parties.  In reaction, the Convergence Democratique (CD) 
issued a March 17 statement protesting their "exclusion" from 
the "government of national unity," but acknowledged that 
Latortue's choices were good ones.  Though President 
Alexandre agreed to name only one -- rather than his desired 
two -- ministers (the Minister of Social Affairs), Latortue 
told Ambassador that he sees growing problems with the 
President, and particularly with the latter's ambitious, 
potentially corrupt personal staff.  End Summary. 
 
Cabinet Choices 
--------------- 
 
2. (C) The following individuals were named to Latortue's 
government, and will be formally sworn into office on the 
afternoon of March 17.  Biographic information includes 
Post's information and, where noted, Latortue's commentary to 
Ambassador: 
 
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:  Yvon Simeon.  Former diplomat, 
Minister Counselor at Haitian Embassy in Paris. 
 
MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, and NATIONAL 
SECURITY: Herard Abraham.  Former Commander in Chief of 
Haitian Army, Minister of Information, and Minister of 
Foreign Affairs. 
 
MINISTER OF JUSTICE: Bernard Gousse. University professor and 
lawyer. Senior Legal Advisor to IFES Judicial Reform Sector. 
Former USAID justice specialist.  Worked with civil society 
"Group of 184." 
 
MINISTER OF FINANCE: Henri Bazin.  President of Association 
of Haitian Economists, twenty years of UN experience, 
primarily with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (Addis 
Ababa).  Brother of Marc Bazin. 
 
MINISTER OF HEALTH:  Dr. Josette Bijoux.  A senior public 
health physician and long-term consultant to PAHO 
(Pan-American Health Organization).  Former Southern 
Departmental Director of the Ministry of Health. 
 
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE:  Philippe Mathieu, agronomist. 
Latortue told Ambassador that the Council of Eminent Persons 
had rejected his candidate and lobbied for Mathieu instead. 
Latortue said he did not know Mathieu personally, but that 
Mathieu had a "top-notch C.V." 
 
MINISTER OF EDUCATION and CULTURE: Pierre Buteau. University 
professor, choice of the National Teacher's Union.  Latortue 
described Buteau as "widely respected," and capable of 
"bringing peace" to an education sector in turmoil after 
repeated disruptions to the school year.  May lack experience 
in management. 
 
MINISTER OF PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT, and EXTERIOR COOPERATION: 
Roland Pierre, former Vice-Governor of the Central Bank; 
former member of CMEP (Council for 
Modernization/Privatization of Public Enterprise); former 
Director of Industrial Development, Ministry of Finance; and 
independent consultant. 
 
MINISTER OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY, and TOURISM: Danielle St. 
Lot.  Current CCIH (Haitian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) 
Executive Director; former member of Latortue's staff 
(Foreign Ministry, 1988) and staff member of the Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry (1981-88). 
 
MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS: Pierre Claude Calixte, lawyer. 
President Alexandre's choice; Latortue explained to Council 
of Eminent Persons that he had made this appointment solely 
based on the President's recommendation.  Latortue told 
Ambassador that he is worried about this choice, but saw the 
necessity of placating Alexandre. 
 
MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS: Jean-Paul Toussaint, a former 
Public Works Ministry engineer.  Latortue described him as 
the "private sector" nominee. 
 
MINISTER OF WOMEN'S ISSUES: Adeline Magloire Chancy, a former 
Minister of Literacy under Preval and a former law school 
classmate of Latortue's. 
 
MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO: Robert Ulysse.  Ulysse is a close 
friend of Latortue and will work within the Prime Minister's 
Office, also serving as government spokesman.  Elected 
Senator in 1990, lived the last 5-6 years near Latortue in 
Boca Raton, working on a Ph.D. in international relations.  A 
Protestant pastor. 
 
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FINANCE: Andre Lemercier Georges. 
Long-term employee of the Ministry of Finance. 
 
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR CULTURE:  Magalie Comeau Denis. 
Women's rights advocate, widow of political figure (and Prime 
Minister nominee) and playwright, Herve Denis. 
 
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR YOUTH, SPORTS, and CIVIC EDUCATION: 
Frantz Leandre.  Latortue told Ambassador he had picked 
Leandre "against the advice of the Council." (The Council 
wanted Evans Lescouflair, who held this post in the Preval 
administration.) Latortue described Leandre as "dynamic, a 
man of the people," but admitted he was "taking a chance" 
with this choice. 
 
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HAITIANS LIVING ABROAD: Alix Baptiste. 
Previous Director General of the MFA, well-known Embassy 
contact. A strong supporter of NOAH.  Latortue told 
Ambassador he envisioned this choice as a way of building 
stronger relations with NOAH, which had been previously 
supportive of Aristide. 
 
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT:  Yves Andre Wainright. 
Agronomist, former Preval Minister of Environment. 
 
Latortue Favors Technocrats 
 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (C) Latortue told Ambassador that he had made a choice to 
exclude "all political parties" from the cabinet, in an 
effort to construct a non-partisan, hard-working, 
technocratic government. While three cabinet members 
(Wainright, Chancy, and Baptiste) had served previously in 
Lavalas governments, Latortue explained, they were not 
Lavalas partisans. 
 
Convergence Feels Snubbed 
------------------------- 
 
4. (C) CD reacted to the cabinet choices on March 17, hailing 
the formation of a new government "of great competence and 
quality."  However, CD members "wanted it to be known that 
the Prime Minister and Council of Wise Men had decided to 
exclude the CD in creating a government of National Union" -- 
despite that fact that Latortue had included members of the 
Lavalas regime (notably, in their eyes, Alex Baptiste. 
Comment: Baptiste however, though he was appointed by 
Aristide, is not a member of Lavalas and is apolitical.  End 
Comment.) CD wished the government "good luck," and vowed to 
continue to "accompany the population" in monitoring and 
observing the government.  CD spokesperson Micha Gaillard was 
careful to note, however, the CD was not "in opposition" to 
Latortue's government. 
 
5. (C) Gaillard told Poloff privately that "CD's feelings had 
been hurt," that Latortue had not chosen one of several men 
the coalition had nominated for posts:  Alex Larson, Henold 
Joseph, Jose Nicholas, or Edgard Leblanc.  (Note: Latortue 
confirmed to Ambassador that Gerard Pierre-Charles had 
pressed him to accept a CD member as Minister of the Interior 
-- likely OPL's Leblanc.  End Note.)  After all CD had done 
to fight for Aristide's departure, Gaillard said, "after all 
the risks we took, suddenly we have nothing.  We wanted to be 
present to have our know-how represented in the transition." 
Gaillard noted that, "in protest," the CD would not attend 
the March 17 installation ceremony. 
Prime Minister Worried About President's Men 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
6. (C) Latortue told Ambassador on March 16 that he was increasingly 
troubled by the influence of Chief of Staff Osner Fevry on 
President Alexandre, as well as by signs that Alexandre might 
be reaching for more than his constitutional powers.  He had 
met with the President on March 16 to discuss his cabinet 
choices, Latortue told Ambassador, and things had gone 
smoothly until Alexandre left the room and Fevry entered. 
Fevry had pressed him to create a new Ministry of Religious 
Affairs, Latortue said, and then argued that Latortue had not 
given the political parties enough representation.  Latortue 
reported to Ambassador that he had told Fevry sharply "I am 
here to see the President, not his staff."  (In the end, 
Alexandre blessed the Cabinet, accepting to name only one 
minister rather than the two he had originally requested.) 
 
7.  (C) Latortue told Ambassador that he was already 
concerned about "shady dealings" in the President's cabinet, 
centered around Fevry.  Earlier in the week, Latortue 
informed Ambassador that Fevry had engineered a purchase of 
oil for the GOH at above-market price -- implying that Fevry 
might have engineered a kickback.  (Comment: Fevry has a 
dubious reputation as a lawyer, and recently served time in 
jail -- Latortue thinks for forging documents.  End Comment.) 
 
8.  (C) Latortue told Ambassador that he was also concerned 
that Alexandre would try to usurp the Prime Minister's 
constitutional powers.  In a speech he had given at 
Latortue's investiture, the President had mentioned that he 
would "give guidance" to the ministries in the development of 
their national plans -- a sign, Latortue said, that the 
President intended to interfere in the government's agenda. 
More worrisome still would be the President's nominations of 
Directors General, and a looming battle over control of the 
budget.  In both instances, Latortue said, he would need 
Ambassador's assistance to make sure that Alexandre did not 
encroach on the government's prerogatives.  (Note: 
Ambassador will see President Alexandre on this subject later 
in the week.) 
 
Moving Ahead on the CEP? 
------------------------ 
 
9.  (C) Latortue told Ambassador that he intended to form the 
CEP (Provisional Electoral Council) "next week."  When 
Ambassador expressed surprise that Latortue would move so 
quickly on the elections front, Latortue laughed and replied 
that the CEP would invariably move slowly to set itself up. 
"There is so much work to be done," he concluded, it was best 
to launch the process. 
 
10. (C) Comment.  Convergence's acknowledgment, even while in 
a fit of pique, that Latortue's choices are "of great 
competence and quality" is telling.  In our opinion, Latortue 
did an admirable job of managing the complex array of actors 
in this process and mounting a government of experts.  While 
Latortue's choices may deny him a degree of vocal and 
enthusiastic support from the established "opposition" 
actors, they bode well for good governance and oversight of a 
truly neutral, credible electoral process. 
 
 
FOLEY