Public Governance in Haiti Today – World Countries for Kids

Governmental structure: the quest for a balance between the legislative and executive powers

The 1987 Constitution specifies in no uncertain terms that Haiti is a Republic where three powers coexist: the legislative, executive and judicial. The President, elected via direct universal suffrage, is not only the Head of State but even the head of the executive branch. This puts the right and the ability to set the country on the path to reform and modernisation in the hands of the President. It is actually the executive branch that has the constitutional responsibility for public administration reform. The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, can’t serve as president for consecutive terms, but can run for re-election after an interval of 5 years. Running for a third term is absolutely prohibited. The legislative branch includes two representative chambers: the 99 seat Chamber of Deputies and the 30 seat Senate. Constitutionally, Parliament plays a vital role in the governance of the country. Its responsibilities include appointing the Prime Minister, overseeing the operation of the ministries and the cabinet, and adopting the government’s budget. The balance of power between the executiveand legislative branches of government takes care of the primary concern of the drafters of the Constitution, which was to make sure that the executive powers of the President are checked in order to dodge the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual.

New ambitious reform initiatives

Since the espousal of the Haitian Constitution of 1987, amended in 2012, public governance has been marked by an unceasing process of reforms, relying on the national framework, including political, socio-economic and humanitarian factors affecting the nation. These reform goals are defined by two initiatives: the reform of and administrative governance, notably through decentralisation, with the firm intention of being able to offer better public services to Haitian citizens, promote sustainableand inclusive growth and establish an emerging economy by 2030. Undeniably, since 2012, Haiti has committed to clear reform objectives, in agreement with its global partners. The main text is the Strategic Development Plan for Haiti (PSDH), which sets out a broad framework for reforming Haiti’s institutional apparatus, including the state’s economic governance, political and administrative system, justice, health, education and the environment. This document facilitates the execution of the comprehensive State reform and outlines the major strategic projects to be carried out for Haiti’s emergence by 2030. It establishes the “new strategic framework for programming,planning and managing the nation’s development in the short, medium and long term, to which the continuing interventions of international donors and the economic and administrative reforms are aligned.