Aristide vows to get out of politics in 2006

Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide has given Caricom leaders his word that his involvement in politics would come to an end when his term of office expires in February 2006.

Neither he nor his wife would seek to run as candidates in the presidential elections due in November 2005. Aristide has also accepted the Caricom recommendation that he immediately seek to appoint a new government with a neutral prime minister, according to the Caricom terms outlined in a meeting between the Haitian president and  four Caricom leaders in Jamaica this weekend.

The group met for over two hours for talks aimed at finding a solution to the political turmoil in that country. Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who was one of the four leaders, said Caricom had also given Aristide a one-week deadline to release political detainees. And by the end of this month, his government must establish proper rules for demonstrations, including a condition that demonstrators arrested should be processed within 48 hours, Manning said.

Speaking at a news conference at Whitehall yesterday, Manning stated that while Caricom did not tell Aristide that there would be sanctions if he failed to live up to the agreement, there was a distinct “possibility” that sanctions would be applied in such circumstances. Though, he added, there was every reason to believe that sanctions would not be necessary. He said when Caricom leaders meet in March for an Intersession meeting, an update would be presented on  the Haitian situation and they would decide then if “further action”  (sanctions) is necessary.

The Prime Minister said the discussions in Kingston centred around the  confidence-building measures aimed at securing a return to normalcy in Haiti. Today, a Caricom team lead by the Foreign Minister of Bahamas goes to Haiti to discuss with the Opposition the agreement which was hammered out on Saturday.  Manning reiterated yesterday that military intervention in Haiti was not an option.