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Port-au-Prince, October 14, 2024 – Three members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) have been disqualified from assuming the rotating presidency due to their involvement in a corruption investigation. The councilors—Louis Gérald Gilles, Smith Augustin, and Emmanuel Vertilaire—are under scrutiny for their alleged connection to the misappropriation of 100 million gourdes from the National Credit Bank (BNC). Despite the investigation, they will remain in their roles within the CPT but will no longer be eligible for the presidency.
The decision was formalized in a decree published on October 7, 2024, in Le Moniteur, Haiti’s official gazette. According to the decree, while the three councilors are barred from leadership, they will continue to play a critical role in the council’s decision-making processes. The decree specifies that no resolution can be passed without the approval of at least one of these members.
In light of this development, the CPT has reorganized its leadership. Leslie Voltaire will assume the presidency from October 7, 2024, to March 7, 2025, followed by Fritz Alphonse Jean, who will serve from March 7 to August 7, 2025. Laurent Saint-Cyr will lead the council from August 7, 2025, to February 7, 2026, completing the transition period.
This leadership restructuring follows the end of Edgard Leblanc Fils‘ term, which concluded on October 7, 2024. The new decree also confirms that the terms of the May 2024 resolution, which outlines the council’s decision-making protocols, will remain in effect.
Although the councilors face allegations, the decree emphasizes that no legal judgment has yet been made. It underscores the importance of the presumption of innocence while also acknowledging the need to maintain the CPT’s political stability during this critical transition phase. The document highlights the necessity of “overcoming challenges” to ensure the continuation of the transition process.
Despite the corruption allegations, Gilles, Augustin, and Vertilaire remain key figures in the CPT, as their votes are required for major decisions. The situation raises questions about how the council will navigate governance while addressing the corruption concerns that have cast a shadow over its leadership.
