Haiti opposition legislators demand apology from Senate Speaker

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti,CMC – Six opposition legislators are demanding an apology from the Speaker of the senate, Joseph Lambert, over allegations he made linking an opposition Senator  with the escape of gang leader, Arnel Joseph during a police operation in the Village de Dieu last month.

Haitian police have since announced a two million gourde (One Gourde =US$0.001 cents) ransom for the capture of the country’s most wanted gang leader, following the unsuccessful raids on November 3.

Dubious allegations

Lambert, during a special session with the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) on December 4, is reported to have said that the Senator had assisted Joseph in escaping from law enforcement officials.

Lambert had asked Michel-Ange Gédéon, the Director General of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), whether or not “the Deputy Printemps Bélizaire …helped Arnel escape during the PNH’s interventions in village de Dieu”.

Speaker accused of being irresponsible

But in a strongly worded December 6 letter to Lambert, the six opposition legislators – Joseph Manes Louis, Roger Millien, Jean Robert Bosse, Bertrand Sinal  Reynald Exantus, who is also the Belizaire Printemps –  accused the Speaker of being “irresponsible” and that his statement was aimed at “discrediting opposition Deputies in general and Deputy Belizaire Printemps, in particular.”

They are demanding that Lambert make a public apology to the Deputy Belizaire Printemps and the Chamber of Deputies” warning that failure to do so would result in them taking action that would prevent Lambert from presiding over sessions in the National Assembly…

The Deputy Bélizaire, who has not ruled out taking legal action against Lambert, has denied helping Joseph escape the police force.

He said this is part of a political plot because he is one of the leaders of the anti-government demonstrators calling for the resignation of President Jovenel Moise.

Lambert has since dismissed the apology request of the six opposition members.