News Americas, New York, NY, Sun. November 10, 2024: Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, (TPC), today announced the impeachment of Prime Minister Garry Conille, a decision that is expected to heighten ongoing political and socio-economic tensions in the CARICOM country.
The decree, signed by TPC head Leslie Voltaire, marks the dismissal of Conille just 6 months after he was appointed in May and sworn in in June following the resignation of former Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry.
The decree, which international media reports indicate will be published on Monday, names businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aime as Conille’s successor. However, political analysts note that only the Haitian Parliament has the constitutional authority to dismiss a prime minister, creating controversy surrounding the TPC’s decision in the absence of a functioning parliament. Former Justice Minister Bernard Gousse described the move as “illegal”, claiming the council had exceeded its powers amid ongoing allegations of corruption.
Just the other day, Conille addressed a forum organized by the TPC focused on advancing Haiti’s electoral process, where he stressed the need for cooperation among political figures to enable a peaceful transition of power by February 7, 2026. The Haitian people expect us to fight and succeed on their behalf,” Conille said, asserting that nearly half of the funding for the referendum and electoral process has been secured, with the Provisional Electoral Council (PEC) and the National Conference for Constitutional Reform. ready to oversee these initiatives.
Conille emphasized Haiti’s need for “new governance” by 2026 and discussed essential progress on transitional projects, including the creation of the CEP and securing funding for critical phases of the national conference, scheduled to officially launch on November 12, 2024.” Despite the crisis, we are committed to the electoral process,” he said, urging political leaders to support constitutional reforms and voter mobilization.
This development follows recent CARICOM-led discussions aimed at reducing tensions between the TPC and the interim government. The regional organization previously expressed concern about the rift between Voltaire and Conille, warning that the dispute threatened the spirit of the transitional agreement signed earlier this year.
In a recent broadcast, Voltaire reviewed Haiti’s progress during the transition period, discussing key issues such as security, judicial reform, public financial management and preparations for constitutional reform. Tensions reportedly escalated after Conille’s resistance to a requested cabinet reshuffle that sought to replace several ministers.
The recent decision of the TPC underscores the ongoing challenges in Haiti’s transition process, as CARICOM, through the Group of Eminent Persons chaired by the former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Dr. Kenny Anthony, continues his commitment to support the Haitian-led government and preparations for free elections.
