Since July 22 several mini-forums are organized in seven constituencies of the department of North East in order to prepare the departmental forum of North East, scheduled Aug. 25 in Fort-Liberté.

Initiated around the public policy, the Government participate in these forums, it is represented in particular by the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE), the Ministry of Interior and Territorial collectivities and the Fund for Economic and Social Assistance (FAES). The Human Rights Section of Minustah and civil society actors of North East such as the Initiative Committee, the Center for Culture and Development of the Commune of Carice and the Gathering of the Pasants of Mont-Organisé (RPM) also participate.

One of the expected results is to reach to a dialogue between the various entities involved in order to develop specifications that can be used as working tools by the government and parliamentarians.

These spaces of dialogue allow government officials to explain how they intend to work to integrate the elements contained in these specifications in their action plan. Parliamentarians can also sign these documents and use them as agenda when the finance laws proposed by the Executive are voted.

For Guémy Etienne, Administrator of the Regional Office of North-East of FAES (an institution responsible to finance the implementation of certain projects in favor of the communities), these spaces of dialogue, including the population have a significant impact on the State intervention "when the citizens have the opportunity to identify themselves their needs and to participate in the development of projects which should contribute to the well-being of their communities, this will greatly help us".

Marcelus Wilner, Technical Advisor of the Gathering of the Pasants of Mont-Organisé, estimates for his part that this type of activity has the effect to "ensure more harmony and reduce the tension between the public and the authorities." This also helps, he says, to "keep citizens informed and to validate the actions taken for the development of their locality."

HL/ HaitiLibre