December 23, 2024
Haiti’s political scene is in turmoil following a controversial decision by the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) to announce the dismissal of Prime Minister Garry Conille. According to a decree circulating on social media, businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé has been appointed to replace him. However, this appointment raises major doubts that cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the process.
The first troubling detail is the date on the decree. Although it is still Sunday, November 10, 2024, the document in circulation is predated to November 11. This chronological inconsistency raises questions about the document’s authenticity, especially given that the decree has not appeared on any official platform. Currently, the document is only visible through social media shares, leading to speculation about potential political manipulation.
Further doubts arise upon closer examination of the signatures on the decree. Among the nine TPC members who signed it are three advisors embroiled in a corruption scandal involving the Banque Nationale de Crédit (BNC), namely Smith Augustin, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Louis Gérald Gilles. According to Article 2 of the decree establishing the TPC, these advisors’ participation in any decision-making should be null and void due to their involvement in this affair. Their inclusion among the signatories thus casts serious doubt on the legal validity of both Garry Conille’s dismissal and Alix Didier Fils-Aimé’s appointment.
This conflict comes amid already heightened tensions between Garry Conille and the TPC, particularly regarding a Cabinet reshuffle. Some observers believe that the power struggle between the two sides may have led the TPC to push Conille out of office.
In response, Garry Conille has sent a letter to the Director General of the National Press, Ronald Saint-Jean, instructing him not to publish any decree concerning his dismissal.