PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country, Caribbean officials said Thursday.
The names were provided to a regional trade bloc known as Caricom that is helping lead the transition.
“It is all up now to the Haitians, as they are the ones who want a Haitian-led solution,” Surinamese Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin told The Associated Press.
He spoke a day after Haitian politicians and influential figures bickered publicly about the plan and what names to submit, seemingly putting creation of the council at risk.
Caribbean leaders had announced plans to create the council after meeting in Jamaica on Monday behind closed doors with officials including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Shortly after the meeting, Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged to resign once the council is created.
The council will be responsible for choosing an interim prime minister and a council of ministers, as well as help organize general elections, which haven’t been held in nearly a decade.
“We hope this is a breakthrough for Haiti,” Ramdin said.
He said Caricom officials met Wednesday night for an update on the situation.
The names haven’t been made public, although a senior Caribbean official not authorized to speak to the media told the AP that the Dec. 21 Agreement group, which backs the current prime minister, has not submitted a name.
In addition, Jean-Charles Moïse, who leads the Petit Desalin party and has allied with former rebel leader and convicted money launderer Guy Philippe, announced Wednesday that his party would not join the council despite the offer of a voting position.
The others awarded a spot on the council are EDE/RED, a party led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph; the Montana Accord, a group of civil society leaders, political parties and others; Fanmi Lavalas, the party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide; the Jan. 30 Collective, which represents parties including that of former President Michel Martelly; and the private sector.
Of the remaining two nonvoting positions, one would go to a representative of Haiti’s civil society and the other to its religious sector.
The push to create a council comes as Haiti’s capital and other areas become increasingly overrun by powerful gangs that control around 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
